You can edit a tweet for up to 30 minutes after posting it
Twitter (now called X) lets you change the text, links, or images in a tweet you just posted. Open the tweet, tap or click the three dots in the corner, and select Edit post. You have 30 minutes from the time you posted to make changes. After that window closes, the edit button disappears and you can only delete the tweet entirely.
The 30-minute window is the same whether you posted from a phone, tablet, or computer. If you realize a mistake five minutes after posting, you can fix it. If you notice an error two hours later, you will need to delete and repost instead.
When you edit a tweet, people who already saw the original version will see a small label that says Edited with a timestamp. This shows when the change was made. Replies, retweets, and likes stay attached to the tweet even after you edit it.
Key Takeaways
- You can edit a tweet within 30 minutes of posting by tapping the three dots and selecting Edit post.
- After 30 minutes, editing is no longer an option and you must delete the tweet if you want to remove it.
- An Edited label appears on tweets you have changed, showing the date and time of the most recent edit.
- Deleting a tweet removes it from your profile and the public timeline, but people may have already seen or shared it.
- You cannot edit or delete replies, retweets, or quoted tweets — you can only remove them entirely.
How to delete a tweet you no longer want visible
To delete a tweet at any time, open it and tap or click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Delete from the menu. A confirmation window will appear asking if you are sure. Tap or click Delete again to remove the tweet permanently from your profile.
Deleting a tweet removes it from your timeline, your profile page, and the public feed. However, people who saw the tweet before you deleted it may have already taken screenshots, shared it, or quoted it. Once something is posted online, you cannot may provide it will not be seen or copied by others.
If you delete a tweet that had replies or retweets, those remain on Twitter even though the original tweet is gone. The replies will show a broken link or a message saying the original tweet was deleted.
Editing tweets with images or links
When you edit a tweet that contains images, you can change the text but not the images themselves. If you want to use different photos or remove them entirely, you will need to delete the original tweet and post a new one.
Links in tweets can be edited just like text. If you posted a link to the wrong URL, you can fix it within the 30-minute window. The link preview (the title and description that appears below the link) will update automatically once you save the change.
If you edit a tweet to add or remove a link, the edit label will still appear. People will see that the tweet was changed, but they will not see what specifically was different unless they remember the original version.
What happens when you edit a tweet with replies or retweets
Editing a tweet does not change the replies, retweets, or likes that are already attached to it. If someone replied to your original tweet before you edited it, their reply stays the same and may no longer match what your tweet now says. This can make conversations confusing if you change the meaning significantly.
For this reason, if a tweet has already gotten replies or retweets, think carefully before editing. A small fix to a typo is usually fine. Changing the main point of what you said can make the thread hard to follow.
Deleting tweets from your profile page
You can also delete tweets from your profile page without opening each one individually. Go to your profile, find the tweet you want to remove, and tap or click the three dots in the corner of that tweet card. Select Delete and confirm.
This method works the same way as deleting from the tweet itself. The tweet is removed from your profile and the public timeline, but anyone who saw it before deletion may have already shared or saved it.
Bulk deleting old tweets
Twitter does not have a built-in tool to delete many tweets at once. If you want to remove a large number of old posts, you will need to delete them one at a time using the three-dot menu.
Some third-party tools claim to delete tweets in bulk, but these require you to give them access to your Twitter account. Before using any outside tool, check its privacy policy and understand what permissions you are granting. Housing Basics does not recommend or endorse any specific bulk-deletion tool.
If you are concerned about your old tweets, the safest approach is to delete them manually over time, a few each day, rather than rushing through a bulk deletion with a tool you do not fully trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a retweet or a reply I posted?
No. You can only edit original tweets that you wrote. If you retweeted someone else's post or replied to a tweet, your only option is to delete it. You cannot change the text of a retweet or reply after posting.
What if I edit a tweet and then edit it again?
You can edit the same tweet multiple times within the 30-minute window. Each time you edit, the timestamp updates to show the most recent change. The Edited label will still appear, but it will show only the latest edit time, not a history of all changes.
Do people get notified when I edit a tweet?
No. People who follow you do not receive a notification that you edited a tweet. They will only see the Edited label if they open the tweet and look at it after the change was made.
Can I recover a tweet after I delete it?
No. Once you confirm deletion, the tweet is gone permanently. Twitter does not have an undo feature or a trash folder where deleted tweets are stored. If you want the tweet back, you will need to rewrite and repost it.
What if someone quoted my tweet before I edited it?
The quoted tweet shows a snapshot of your original post at the time they quoted it. If you edit your tweet after someone quoted it, their quote will still show the old version. The two tweets will now say different things, which can be confusing in a conversation.