Creating your X account takes about five minutes
X (formerly Twitter) lets you create an account with an email address, phone number, or existing Google or Apple account. You choose a username, add a display name, and set a password. The platform then asks for your birth date and lets you customize what content you see. You do not need to provide payment information — X is free to use.
Once your account is live, X when ready begins collecting data about you: what you post, what you like, who you follow, what you search for, and how long you spend looking at different posts. This information shapes what appears in your feed and what ads you see. Understanding what X collects and how to control it matters before you start using the platform regularly.
Key Takeaways
- You can sign up with an email address, phone number, Google account, or Apple account, and the process takes about five minutes.
- X collects data on your posts, likes, follows, searches, and time spent on content to personalize your feed and show you targeted ads.
- Your privacy settings let you control who can message you, see your location data, and track your activity across other websites.
- Posts you make public are visible to anyone on the internet, including people who do not have X accounts, and can be screenshot or shared elsewhere.
- You can delete your account and all associated data, though X keeps some information for legal reasons for up to 30 days after deletion.
Step-by-step account creation
Go to x.com and click the "Create account" button. You will see a form asking for your name, email address or phone number, and birth date. If you use an email address, X sends a confirmation link — click it to verify. If you use a phone number, X sends a code by text message instead. Enter the code to confirm.
Next, create a password at least six characters long. X will suggest a username based on your name, but you can change it to anything not already taken. Your username appears with an @ symbol (like @yourname) and is how other people find and mention you. After you set your password, X asks you to choose your interests — news, sports, entertainment, technology, and dozens of others. These choices shape what posts appear in your feed when you first log in, though you can change them anytime.
Finally, X asks whether you want to allow notifications, turn on two-factor authentication (a security feature that requires a code from your phone when you log in), and customize your privacy settings. You can skip these steps and return to them later in your account settings.
What data X collects and how it uses it
X collects everything you do on the platform: posts you write, posts you like or repost, accounts you follow, searches you perform, and how long you look at each post. It also collects your IP address (which reveals your general location), the device you use, your browser type, and the apps you have installed. If you upload a profile photo or header image, X stores those files.
X uses this data to decide what posts to show you in your feed — the algorithm prioritizes posts from accounts you follow and posts that similar users have engaged with. X also uses your data to show you targeted advertisements. If you search for running shoes, you may see ads for athletic brands. If you follow accounts about cooking, you may see food-related ads. X shares some of this data with advertisers in anonymized form so they can reach people interested in their products.
X also uses your data to detect spam, fraud, and abuse. The platform scans posts for illegal content, harassment, and misinformation. If X detects a violation, it may remove the post, suspend your account, or report the activity to law enforcement depending on the severity.
Controlling your privacy settings
After you create your account, go to Settings and Privacy to control what data X collects and who can see your information. Under "Privacy and Safety," you can make your account private, which means only people you approve can follow you and see your posts. Public accounts are the default — anyone can follow you and see everything you post.
You can also control who can message you directly. By default, anyone can send you a direct message. You can change this to allow only people you follow, or only people who follow you. Under "Data and Privacy," you can turn off personalized ads, though X will still show you ads based on your activity — they just will not be targeted to your interests. You can also read your data, which gives you a file of everything X has collected about you.
X also tracks your activity on other websites through a tracking pixel — a small piece of code that websites place on their pages. If you visit a news site that has an X pixel, X records that you visited. You can turn off this tracking under "Privacy and Safety" by unchecking "Allow additional information sharing." This does not stop X from collecting data about what you do on X itself, only what it collects from other websites.
What happens to posts you make public
Any post you make on a public account is visible to everyone on the internet, including people without X accounts. Search engines like Google index your posts, which means they appear in search results. Someone can screenshot your post, read it, or share it on another platform without your permission. Once a post is public, you cannot fully control where it goes or who sees it, even if you delete it later.
If your account is private, only people you approve can see your posts. However, if someone you approve screenshots a post and shares it elsewhere, X cannot prevent that. Private accounts also do not hide your profile information — anyone can still see your username, display name, bio, and profile photo.
Posts you delete are removed from X's servers, but X keeps a record of the deletion for legal reasons. If law enforcement requests your data, X can provide deleted posts if the request is valid. X also keeps deleted posts in backup systems for up to 30 days before permanently removing them.
Two-factor authentication and account security
Two-factor authentication (often called 2FA) adds a second layer of security to your account. When you turn it on, logging in requires both your password and a code that X sends to your phone by text message or generates in an authentication app like Google Authenticator or Authy. This means someone who steals your password cannot access your account without also having your phone.
X offers three types of two-factor authentication: text message codes, authentication app codes, and security keys (physical devices that plug into your computer). Authentication apps and security keys are more find than text messages because they cannot be intercepted the way text messages can. If you use two-factor authentication, save your backup codes in a safe place — these codes let you log in if you lose access to your phone.
You can also control which devices can access your account. In Settings, under "Security and Account Access," you can see all the devices currently logged into your account and sign out of any you do not recognize. If you think someone has accessed your account without permission, change your password when ready and review your login history.
Deactivating or deleting your account
X lets you deactivate your account temporarily or delete it permanently. Deactivation hides your profile, posts, and followers for 30 days. During this time, you can reactivate your account and everything returns to normal. If you do not reactivate within 30 days, X permanently deletes your account and all your posts.
Permanent deletion removes your posts, profile information, and follower list from X's public servers. However, X retains some data for legal and operational reasons — your account information, posts, and messages may be kept in backup systems for up to 30 days. X may also keep data longer if required by law or if there is an active legal dispute involving your account.
To delete your account, go to Settings and Privacy, select "Deactivate your account," and follow the prompts. X will ask you to confirm your password and explain why you are leaving. After you confirm, your account is deactivated and will be permanently deleted after 30 days unless you log back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use X without giving my real name?
Yes. Your display name can be anything you choose, and you do not have to use your real name. Your username (the @ handle) also does not have to match your real identity. However, X requires a real birth date during signup for age verification, and you must provide either a real email address or phone number so X can send you a confirmation code.
What happens if I forget my password?
Go to the X login page and click "Forgot password?" Enter your email address or phone number, and X sends you a reset link or code. Click the link or enter the code, then create a new password. If you cannot access the email address or phone number associated with your account, you may not be able to recover it.
Can I have more than one X account?
Yes. You can create multiple accounts using different email addresses or phone numbers. You can switch between them by clicking your profile picture and selecting "Add an existing account" or "Create a new account." However, X's terms of service prohibit using multiple accounts to evade suspensions or spread spam.
Does X sell my data to advertisers?
X does not sell your personal information directly to advertisers. Instead, it uses your data to create targeted ad categories — for example, "people interested in technology" — and shows ads to those categories. Advertisers see that their ad reached people in that category but do not receive your name, email, or other identifying details.
How do I report a post or account that violates X's rules?
Click the three dots on any post and select "Report post," or click the three dots on a profile and select "Report account." X asks you to choose the reason — spam, harassment, misinformation, illegal content, or other violations. X reviews reports and removes content or suspends accounts that break its rules, though not every report results in action.