Service guide
How to delete your X (Twitter) account
Route checked by TraceErase on · Page last updated
On this page
The short answer
On X, deactivation is the first step to deletion. If you do not log in for 30 days, the account is deleted and the username is no longer linked to you, and logging in during those 30 days reactivates it. TraceErase read X’s privacy policy (effective 15 January 2026) and help pages on 8 October 2026 but has not signed in to run the flow.
At a glance
- Organisation
- X Internet Unlimited CompanyThe policy says X Internet Unlimited Company, Dublin, is the data controller for people in the UK, EU and EFTA states, and X Corp. for everyone else.
- What this page covers
- The X (formerly Twitter) account. Legacy twitter.com addresses redirect to x.com. Pages read are X’s own privacy policy (effective 15 January 2026) and help pages.
- How the route was checked
- Checked by TraceErase on 8 October 2026 against the organisation’s own pages (listed under Sources). The signed-in steps have not been run, so menu names can differ from what you see, and the organisation may have changed its pages since. You follow the steps yourself.
- Official websites
- x.com, twitter.com
Which request do you want?
Closing an account, erasing data, stopping marketing and getting a copy of your data are four different things. This table shows what each one means and whether TraceErase has checked its route for this organisation.
| Request | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Close the account | Ends your use of the service. It is not the same as asking the organisation to erase everything it holds. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Deactivate temporarily | Hides or pauses the account. Your data is normally kept, so this is not closure or erasure. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Ask for your data to be erased | A request under UK data protection law to delete personal data. The right is not absolute, and the organisation can keep what it must. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Stop marketing | Asks the organisation to stop using your data for direct marketing. It is separate from closing the account. | Route not checked yet |
| Get a copy of your data (SAR) | A subject access request: you ask what the organisation holds about you and for a copy of it. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Correct inaccurate data | Asks the organisation to fix personal data that is wrong. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Complain about how data was handled | A data protection complaint to the organisation, and then to the ICO if you are not satisfied. | Checked by TraceErase |
Before you start
X is the service formerly called Twitter, and legacy twitter.com addresses redirect to x.com. In the reviewed route there is no separate delete button: the closure steps are the deactivation steps, followed by 30 days of staying logged out.
Ofcom Online Nation 2025 (May 2025): X (formerly Twitter) 39% (down from 45% in May 2024) of UK online adults (app reach). This is an app reach figure, not a count of accounts.
X’s policy says X Internet Unlimited Company, Dublin, is the data controller for people in the UK, EU and EFTA states, and X Corp. for everyone else.
Public content may remain with search engines and other third parties after it is removed from X.
- Have your password to hand. You need it to deactivate.
- Request your archive first if you want one. Confirm your email address first; the archive can take a few days to prepare, and direct messages you sent are deleted when the account is deleted.
- Avoid logging in for 30 days. Logging in during the deactivation period reactivates the account, so deletion only completes if you stay logged out.
- Sort out subscriptions. Subscriptions bought through the app stay active until you cancel them in that store. Subscriptions bought on x.com are cancelled automatically.
- Accept that copies may persist. Public content can remain with search engines and other third parties after it is removed from X.
Close the account
Done through the website or the app. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Sign in, open Settings and privacy, then Your account, then Deactivate your account.
- Read the information, choose Deactivate, enter your password and confirm.
- Do not log in for 30 days; if you do not, the account is deleted and the username is no longer linked to you.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- The help page says deactivation is the first step to permanent deletion and lasts 30 days.
- The signed-in flow was not run.
Deactivate temporarily
Done through the website or the app. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Sign in, open Settings and privacy, then Your account, then Deactivate your account.
- Read the information, choose Deactivate, enter your password and confirm.
- Log in within 30 days if you want to reactivate the account.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- The help page says deactivation is the first step to permanent deletion and lasts 30 days.
- The signed-in flow was not run.
Ask for your data to be erased
Done through the website or the app. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Deactivate the account using the deactivation steps; the policy says your data is then queued for deletion.
- Direct messages you sent are deleted when the 30-day period ends and the account is deleted.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official form or action page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- Public content can stay with search engines and other third parties after it is removed from X.
- X may keep some information longer for legal or safety reasons, and may keep identifiers from suspended accounts indefinitely.
Get a copy of your data (SAR)
Done through the website, the app or support_form. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Open Settings and privacy, then Account, then Your X data.
- Verify your identity with a code sent to your email address or phone number.
- Under Download your data, choose Request data and download the archive when it is ready.
- For additional account information, use X’s privacy inquiries form and choose the option about requesting X account information.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official form or action page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- The archive can take a few days to prepare.
- The privacy inquiries form was seen only as a landing page and was not submitted or tested.
- The policy says X may refuse access if your identity cannot be verified.
Correct inaccurate data
Done through the website or the app. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Edit your profile and adjust your account settings to correct or change the information you gave X.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- The policy gives no further correction route and says X may reject some correction requests.
- Profile information such as display name and username is always public.
Based on: source 1
Complain about how data was handled
Done through support_form or post.
- Use X’s privacy inquiries form, or write to X Internet Unlimited Company, Attn: Data Protection Officer, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland.
- The policy says you can raise concerns about data processing with your local supervisory authority.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official form or action page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- The policy does not name the ICO; for UK residents the UK regulator is the ICO, which is not an X page.
- No response time for complaints was found.
Deactivation, deletion and erasure are one route on X
On most services these are separate choices. On X the reviewed record describes one process: you deactivate, the profile is hidden, and if you do not log in within 30 days the account is deleted. Reactivating means logging in within that period.
The policy treats this as the erasure route too: your data is queued for deletion after deactivation. X may keep some information longer for legal or safety reasons, may keep identifiers from suspended accounts indefinitely, and keeps some records for set periods (profile information while the account exists, transaction records longer by law, and emails to X for up to 18 months).
Getting a copy of your data
X’s archive tool is the reviewed route for a copy of your data. It asks you to verify your identity with a code sent to your email address or phone number, and the archive can take a few days to prepare. For additional account information, X has a privacy inquiries form; that page was seen only as a landing page and was not submitted or tested.
The policy says X may refuse access if your identity cannot be verified. Changing marketing settings is not covered here: that route has not been reviewed yet, because the policy says marketing messages depend on your settings but the settings pages were not read.
What to expect afterwards
What changes or is lost
- Deactivation hides your profile on X, and the account is deleted if you do not log in within 30 days.
- Direct messages you sent are deleted when the account is deleted.
- Subscriptions bought through the app stay active until you cancel them in that store; subscriptions bought on x.com are cancelled automatically.
- Public content may remain with search engines and other third parties after removal.
Changing your mind. A 30-day deactivation period during which logging in reactivates the account; after it the account is deleted.
What may be kept. Profile information is kept while the account exists; transaction records are kept longer by law; emails to X for up to 18 months; some data may be kept for legal or safety reasons.
What TraceErase does here, and what you do
- You follow the organisation’s steps above on its own site or app, and send any request yourself. TraceErase does not log in to your accounts, does not hold your passwords and does not send requests to X for you.
- TraceErase shows the guidance it checked and the date, prepares an editable draft request from a template, and keeps a record of what you sent and when, with provisional response dates worked out from the dates you enter.
- A directory listing is not proof that you have an account, and following these steps is not proof that the organisation has erased anything. The organisation decides its own reply.
Sources
The organisation’s own pages that TraceErase checked this guide against, and the day each was read.
- x.com/en/privacy (opens in a new tab) · read 8 October 2026X Privacy Policy (effective 15 January 2026) covers access, deletion through deactivation, settings, the UK controller and contact addresses.
- help.x.com/en/managing-your-account/how-to-deactivate-x-account (opens in a new tab) · read 8 October 2026Explains deactivation, the 30-day period before deletion, and what happens to subscriptions and direct messages.
- help.x.com/en/forms/privacy (opens in a new tab) · read 8 October 2026Privacy inquiries form page lists reasons such as requesting X account information and asking a privacy question.
- help.x.com/en/managing-your-account/how-to-download-your-x-archive (opens in a new tab) · read 8 October 2026Explains how to request and download an archive of your X information, including identity verification by code.
General information, not legal advice. Organisations change their pages, so check the source for anything that matters to you.
Questions
What happens to my data when I deactivate my X account?
The profile is hidden, and if you do not log in within 30 days the account is deleted. Direct messages you sent are deleted at that point. Public content may remain with search engines and other third parties, and X may keep some information longer for legal or safety reasons.
Can I get my X account back?
During the 30-day deactivation period, yes: logging in reactivates the account. After the period the account is deleted and the username is no longer linked to you.
Does deleting my X account erase everything?
Not necessarily. Public content can remain elsewhere, transaction records are kept longer by law, emails to X are kept for up to 18 months, and X may keep identifiers from suspended accounts indefinitely.
Who is responsible for my X data?
X’s policy says X Internet Unlimited Company, Dublin, is the data controller for people in the UK, EU and EFTA states.
Keep track of your request
A free TraceErase account includes the directory, request drafts and a case record with dates. A plan is a separate, later choice, and creating an account does not start a purchase.