Twitter doesn't let you delete followers directly, but you can block them

You cannot remove a follower without their knowledge the way you might on other platforms. Twitter has no "remove follower" button. Your only option is to block the account, which removes them from your followers list and prevents them from seeing your tweets, liking them, or messaging you. When you block someone, they are notified that they've been blocked — they'll see a message saying "You're blocked" if they try to visit your profile.

If you want to remove a follower without notifying them, your only real option is to make your account private, then manually approve who follows you going forward. This is more drastic and affects all your followers, not just one person. For most situations, blocking is the straightforward choice.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a follower removes them from your followers list and stops them from seeing your tweets, but they will be notified that you blocked them.
  • To block someone, visit their profile, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Block [account name]" — the process takes about 10 seconds.
  • If you unblock someone later, they do not automatically follow you again; they have to request to follow you as if they were a new follower.
  • Making your account private lets you approve followers one by one, but existing followers stay unless you block them individually.
  • Blocking is different from muting: muting hides someone's tweets from your feed without removing them as a follower or notifying them.

How to block a follower on Twitter

Open Twitter on your phone or computer and navigate to the account you want to remove. You can search for their username using the search bar at the top of the page, or find them in your followers list by going to your profile, tapping "Followers," and scrolling until you find the person.

Once you're on their profile, look for the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner of their profile header (on mobile, it's usually near their follow button; on desktop, it's to the right of the "Following" button). Tap or click that menu. A dropdown will appear with several options. Select "Block [account name]" — the exact wording will include their username. Twitter will ask you to confirm. Tap "Block" again to finish.

The account is now blocked. They will no longer appear in your followers list, and they cannot see your tweets, retweets, or likes. If they try to visit your profile, they'll see a message saying "You're blocked." They will be notified that you blocked them, though Twitter doesn't tell them why.

The difference between blocking, muting, and private accounts

Blocking is the strongest action. The person cannot see your tweets, follow you, or message you. They are notified. Use this when you want someone completely away from your account.

Muting is gentler. When you mute someone, their tweets stop appearing in your home feed, but they can still follow you, see your tweets, and interact with them. They are not notified that you muted them. You can mute someone by visiting their profile, tapping the three-dot menu, and selecting "Mute [account name]." Muting is useful when someone's tweets annoy you but you don't want to block them entirely.

Making your account private means anyone who wants to follow you must request permission first, and you approve or deny each request. This doesn't remove existing followers — you'd still need to block them individually if you want them gone. Private accounts are useful if you want to control who sees your tweets going forward, but they don't solve the problem of unwanted current followers.

What happens when you unblock someone

If you block someone and later change your mind, you can unblock them. Go to their profile (you may need to search for them since they won't appear in your followers list), tap the three-dot menu, and select "Unblock [account name]." Confirm the action.

Once unblocked, they do not automatically follow you again. They will have to send a new follow request (if your account is private) or straightforward click follow again (if your account is public). From their perspective, it will look like they're following you for the first time. They won't see a notification that you unblocked them.

Removing followers when your account is private

If you switch your account to private, you control who follows you going forward. To make your account private, go to your settings, tap "Privacy and safety," then "Audience," and toggle "Private account" on. From that point forward, people must request to follow you, and you can approve or deny each request.

However, people who already followed you before you went private stay in your followers list. You have to block them individually if you want them removed. There is no bulk-remove option. If you have many unwanted followers, blocking them one by one is the only way.

Why someone might want to remove followers

People remove followers for different reasons. Some want to distance themselves from accounts that harass or spam them. Others want to keep their followers list small and curated. Some realize they followed someone by accident or want to separate their personal and professional networks.

Whatever your reason, remember that blocking notifies the person. If you're trying to quietly distance yourself from someone, blocking is not silent. Muting is quieter if you just want their tweets out of your feed. If you want to prevent them from seeing your future tweets without notifying them, switching to a private account and not approving their follow request is the only option — but this only works for new followers, not people already following you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove a follower without them knowing?

No. Blocking notifies them. The only way to prevent someone from seeing your tweets without notifying them is to make your account private and not approve their follow request — but this only works for people trying to follow you in the future, not people already following you.

What's the difference between blocking and muting?

Muting hides someone's tweets from your feed, but they can still follow you and see your tweets. They are not notified. Blocking removes them as a follower, prevents them from seeing your tweets, and notifies them. Muting is quieter; blocking is more complete.

If I unblock someone, do they automatically follow me again?

No. After you unblock them, they have to follow you again manually. It will look to them like they're following you for the first time. They won't be notified that you unblocked them.

Can I remove multiple followers at once?

No. Twitter does not have a bulk-remove feature. You have to block followers one at a time. If you have many unwanted followers, this takes time, but there is no faster way.

Will the person know why I blocked them?

Twitter notifies them that you blocked them, but it does not tell them why. They will see a message on your profile saying "You're blocked," but Twitter does not provide a reason or explanation.