What Quote Tweets Are and Where to Find Them

A quote tweet is when someone shares another person's tweet and adds their own comment or reaction to it. On Twitter's PC version, the original tweet appears in a box inside the new tweet, so you can see both the source and the response. Quote tweets are different from retweets — a retweet just shares the original with no added comment, while a quote tweet lets someone add their own take.

When you're scrolling your feed on a PC browser, quote tweets look like a regular tweet with an embedded tweet card inside it. The card shows the original author's name, handle, and the text or image from their tweet. Below that card is the quote tweeter's own comment. This format makes it straightforward to see the conversation happening across two separate tweets.

Quote tweets appear in your main feed the same way regular tweets do. They also show up in search results, in someone's profile timeline, and in reply threads. If you're looking for quote tweets about a specific topic, you can search for keywords and filter the results to show you what people are saying in response to existing tweets.

Key Takeaways

  • Quote tweets display the original tweet in a box inside a new tweet, letting you see both the source material and someone's reaction to it in one view.
  • You can find quote tweets by scrolling your feed, searching for a topic, or visiting someone's profile to see what they've shared with commentary.
  • The quote tweet card shows the original author's name, handle, and content, while the outer tweet shows the quote tweeter's added comment below.
  • Clicking the embedded tweet card takes you to the original tweet's full page, where you can see all replies and engagement on that specific post.

How to Spot a Quote Tweet in Your Feed

When you're scrolling through your Twitter feed on PC, a quote tweet stands out because it has a distinct visual structure. The outer tweet (the one doing the quoting) appears first with the author's name and handle at the top. Below their text, you'll see a bordered box — this is the original tweet being quoted. Inside that box is the original author's name, handle, and their tweet content.

The key difference from a regular retweet is that the quote tweeter's own words appear above the embedded tweet card. A retweet would just show the original tweet with a small "Retweeted by [name]" label at the top. With a quote tweet, you're reading a new tweet that happens to contain another tweet inside it.

If you're not sure whether you're looking at a quote tweet or a reply, check the structure: a quote tweet has the embedded card inside the same tweet box, while a reply is a separate tweet that appears below the original in a thread. Quote tweets can appear anywhere in your feed, not just in reply chains.

Searching for Quote Tweets About a Specific Topic

To find quote tweets on a particular subject, use Twitter's search bar at the top of the page. Type your keyword or phrase, then press Enter. You'll see results that include regular tweets, quote tweets, and other content. To narrow down to quote tweets only, look for the filter options — on PC, these usually appear as buttons or a dropdown menu near the top of the search results.

Click the filter icon (it looks like a funnel) to see options like "Latest", "Top", "People", "Photos", and "Videos". Some versions of Twitter also show an "Advanced Search" option. While Twitter doesn't always have a dedicated "quote tweets only" filter, you can use the search syntax to narrow results. Try searching for a phrase plus the word "quote" or look through the results manually to spot the quote tweet format.

Another way to find quote tweets is to go to a specific tweet you're interested in and look at its engagement. Click on the tweet to open its detail page. On that page, you may see a section showing quote tweets — these are all the times people have quoted that specific tweet with their own commentary. This shows you exactly how others have responded to that one piece of content.

Reading the Original Tweet and the Quote Together

When you see a quote tweet, you're looking at two pieces of content at once. The outer tweet (the quote) is what the person sharing it wrote. The inner tweet (the embedded card) is what they're responding to. Read the outer tweet first to understand the quote tweeter's perspective, then look at the embedded card to see what they're reacting to.

Sometimes the original tweet is a long thread or contains an image. The quote tweet card will show you a preview, but it may not show the complete original content. If you want to see the full original tweet, click anywhere on the embedded card — this takes you to that tweet's dedicated page where you can read all replies, see the full text, and view any images or videos in their entirety.

Pay attention to the context: the quote tweeter may be agreeing, disagreeing, adding information, or making a joke about the original. The tone of their comment in the outer tweet tells you how to interpret the quote. This is why quote tweets are useful — they show you not just what was said, but what people think about what was said.

Clicking Through to See Full Conversations

If a quote tweet interests you and you want to see more, click on the embedded tweet card to visit the original tweet's page. This opens the full conversation around that tweet — you'll see all the replies, quote tweets, and engagement metrics. From there, you can read the complete thread if the original tweet was part of one, or explore other people's reactions.

You can also click on the quote tweeter's name or handle to visit their profile and see other tweets they've shared with commentary. This helps you understand their perspective and see what topics they tend to quote tweet about. If you want to see all the quote tweets on a specific original tweet, stay on that tweet's detail page and look for a section labeled "Quote Tweets" — this shows you every instance of someone quoting that particular post.

From the original tweet's page, you can also engage with it yourself by liking, replying, or quote tweeting it. This is how conversations grow on Twitter — one person posts something, others quote it with their thoughts, and the discussion expands across multiple connected tweets.

Understanding What Information Is Visible in Quote Tweets

When you read a quote tweet, you're seeing information from two different people and potentially two different time periods. The original tweet shows what someone posted at an earlier time, and the quote tweet shows someone's reaction to it now. Both tweets display the author's name, handle, profile picture, and timestamp. Both also show any likes, replies, and retweets each tweet received.

If the original tweet contained an image, video, or link, that media appears in the embedded card. The quote tweeter can add their own images or links in their outer tweet as well. This means a single quote tweet can contain multiple pieces of media and multiple sources of information. Be aware that the quote tweeter's comment can change how you interpret the original — they may be taking it out of context, adding sarcasm, or providing important additional information.

The timestamp on the quote tweet shows when it was posted, which is different from the timestamp on the original tweet. This matters because context changes over time. A quote tweet from months later might be referencing something that was relevant then but isn't now. Always check both timestamps to understand the full picture of what's being discussed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see how many times a tweet has been quote tweeted?

Yes. Click on any tweet to open its detail page. Below the engagement numbers (likes, retweets, replies), you'll see a count of quote tweets. This number shows how many people have quoted that specific tweet with their own commentary. The exact location of this number varies slightly depending on your Twitter version, but it's always on the tweet's detail page.

What's the difference between a quote tweet and a reply?

A reply is a separate tweet that appears below the original in a thread, directly responding to it. A quote tweet is a new tweet that contains the original tweet embedded inside it, and it can appear anywhere in your feed. Quote tweets show the full original tweet in a card, while replies just reference the original with a link or mention.

If I quote tweet something, can the original author see it?

Yes. The original author will see a notification that their tweet was quote tweeted, similar to how they see notifications for likes and replies. They can click through to see what you said about their tweet. This is why quote tweeting is a public action — it's visible to everyone, including the person who posted the original tweet.

Can I filter my feed to show only quote tweets?

Twitter doesn't have a built-in filter that shows only quote tweets in your main feed. However, you can search for a topic and use the search filters to narrow results, or you can visit a specific tweet's detail page to see all the quote tweets on that post. Some third-party Twitter tools offer more advanced filtering options.