X lets you deactivate your account for 30 days before permanent deletion, or delete it when ready
When you delete your X account, the platform gives you a 30-day window to change your mind. During those 30 days, your account is deactivated — your profile, posts, and followers are hidden from public view, but the account still exists in X's system. If you log back in during this period, your account reactivates and nothing is deleted. After 30 days pass with no login, X permanently removes your account, posts, and data from their servers.
The deletion process itself takes less than five minutes. You do not need to contact X support or provide a reason. You will need your password to confirm the deletion, so have that ready before you start.
Key Takeaways
- You have 30 days after requesting deletion to log back in and cancel the process; after 30 days, deletion is permanent.
- During the 30-day deactivation period, your account is hidden but still exists — you can reactivate it by logging in.
- X keeps some data even after deletion, including copies held by third parties and information shared with law enforcement.
- Deleting your account does not remove posts you shared that other people screenshot, quoted, or retweeted.
Steps to delete your X account on desktop or mobile
On desktop, go to x.com and log in if you are not already signed in. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top left corner of the screen (next to your profile picture). Scroll down and select Settings and privacy. Click Account in the left sidebar, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click Deactivate account.
X will show you a warning page explaining that you have 30 days to reactivate. Read through the information, then click the Deactivate button at the bottom. You will be asked to enter your password to confirm. Type it in and click Deactivate account again. You are now logged out, and your account is deactivated.
On mobile, open the X app and tap the three-line menu icon in the top left. Tap Settings and privacy, then Account, then scroll down and tap Deactivate account. Follow the same confirmation steps: read the warning, tap Deactivate, enter your password, and confirm.
What happens during the 30-day deactivation period
Your profile page will not appear in search results or in other people's follower lists. Your posts will not show up in anyone's feed or in X's search. Direct messages you sent will still be visible to the people who received them — X does not delete those. If someone tries to visit your profile directly by typing your username into the address bar, they will see a message that the account does not exist.
If you change your mind at any point during the 30 days, log back into X with your username and password. Your account will when ready reactivate, and everything will be restored exactly as it was. After 30 days have passed without a login, X permanently deletes your account from their active servers.
Data X keeps after your account is deleted
X states that some information persists even after permanent deletion. This includes backups and copies stored on X's servers for up to 90 days after deletion, copies of your data that X has already shared with third-party apps or services you connected to your account, and information X has provided to law enforcement in response to legal requests.
Posts you shared that other people have retweeted, quoted, or screenshot will remain visible through those other accounts. X cannot remove content from other people's accounts or from the internet at large. If you want to remove a specific post before deleting your account, delete it individually first — go to the post, click the three-dot menu, and select Delete.
Reasons to delete versus deactivate
Permanent deletion makes sense if you are certain you will not return to X and you want your data off the platform's servers. Deactivation (the 30-day window) is useful if you are taking a break but might come back, or if you want time to read your data or notify followers before the account vanishes.
If you want to keep your username or preserve your account for future use, do not request deletion at all — straightforward stop using the app. X will not delete inactive accounts. You can also mute notifications, unfollow accounts, or adjust your privacy settings instead of leaving entirely.
Downloading your data before deletion
Before you delete your account, you can request a copy of your data from X. Go to Settings and privacy, click Account, then scroll to read your data. Click that option and X will prepare a file containing your posts, direct messages, profile information, and follower list. This can take a few hours. Once ready, X will send you a read link via email.
This file is useful if you want to keep a record of your posts or if you plan to move to another social platform and want to bring your content with you. read this before you request deletion, since you will lose access to your account during the 30-day deactivation period.
What to do if you cannot access your account
If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it before requesting deletion. On the X login page, click Forgot password? and follow the steps to reset it using your email address or phone number. Once you have reset your password, log in and follow the deletion steps above.
If you no longer have access to the email address or phone number associated with your account, you will need to contact X support. Go to x.com/help and click Contact us. Explain that you cannot access your account and want to delete it. X support can verify your identity and process the deletion for you, though this may take longer than the self-service method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone else use my username after I delete my account?
Not when ready. During the 30-day deactivation period, your username is reserved and cannot be claimed by anyone else. After 30 days, your username becomes available for anyone to use. If you want to prevent someone from taking your username, you can change it to something else before requesting deletion.
Will deleting my X account delete my posts from Google search results?
No. Google may take weeks or months to remove your posts from its search index after your account is deleted. You can ask Google to remove specific URLs faster by using Google Search Console, but you cannot force when ready removal. Posts that other people have retweeted or quoted will remain searchable through those accounts.
What if I reactivate my account after 25 days — will the 30-day timer reset?
No. Once you reactivate your account, the deletion request is cancelled entirely. If you want to delete again, you will need to go through the process a second time and wait another 30 days.
Can X recover my account after the 30 days are up?
No. After 30 days of deactivation with no login, X permanently deletes your account. X support cannot recover it. If you need your account back after permanent deletion, you would have to create a new account from scratch.
Does deleting my X account remove me from group chats or conversations?
Your account will be removed from X's active system, so you will not receive new messages. However, the conversation history will remain visible to other participants, and your username may still appear in the message thread as the sender of past messages.