How Do You Reset Your Twitter Account? A Comprehensive Guide

Resetting your Twitter account, in its truest form, doesn’t mean erasing your entire presence. Instead, it typically refers to modifying elements of your profile, like your email address, phone number, password, or other personal details. It can also mean taking steps to re-engage with the platform if you’ve become disengaged or feel like your experience has become stale. This article explores the various ways you can “reset” your Twitter account to improve your experience.

Understanding the Different Types of “Resetting”

Before diving into the specifics, it’s crucial to understand what people usually mean when they ask about resetting a Twitter account. It rarely means deleting everything and starting from scratch (although that is an option, discussed later). More often, users are looking to:

• Change their login credentials: This is the most common scenario – forgetting a password or needing to update your email address or phone number.
• Adjust privacy settings: Limiting who can see your tweets or direct messages.
• Refresh their feed: Unfollowing inactive accounts or accounts that no longer align with their interests.
• Rebrand their profile: Changing their username, profile picture, or bio.
• Deactivate or delete their account: Taking a more drastic step to remove themselves from the platform.

Changing Your Login Credentials: Password, Email, and Phone Number

This is the most straightforward type of “reset.”

Resetting Your Password

If you’ve forgotten your password, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Twitter login page and click on “Forgot password?”
2. Enter the email address, phone number, or username associated with your account.
3. Twitter will send a verification code to your email address or phone number.
4. Enter the verification code on the Twitter website.
5. Create a new, strong password and confirm it.
6. Click “Reset password.”

Pro Tip: Use a password manager to store strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts.

Updating Your Email Address

To change the email address associated with your Twitter account:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on “More” in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Click on “Your account.”
5. Choose “Account information.” You may be prompted to re-enter your password.
6. Click on “Email.”
7. Enter your new email address and click “Save.”
8. Twitter will send a verification email to your new address.
9. Click the verification link in the email to confirm the change.

Updating Your Phone Number

Similar to changing your email address:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on “More” in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Click on “Your account.”
5. Choose “Account information.” You may be prompted to re-enter your password.
6. Click on “Phone.”
7. Enter your new phone number and click “Next.”
8. Twitter will send a verification code to your new phone number.
9. Enter the verification code on the Twitter website.

Refining Your Twitter Experience: Privacy and Content

Beyond the basic login information, you can “reset” your Twitter experience by adjusting your privacy settings and curating the content you see.

Adjusting Privacy Settings

Control who can see your tweets, direct messages, and who can tag you in photos:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.

2. Click on “More” in the left-hand navigation menu.

3. Select “Settings and privacy.”

4. Click on “Privacy and safety.”

5. Explore the various options, including:

   • Protect your tweets: Make your tweets visible only to your approved followers.
   • Direct Messages: Control who can send you direct messages.
   • Tagging: Manage who can tag you in photos.
   • Mute and Block: Mute or block specific accounts to remove their content from your feed.
   • Location information: Control whether your tweets include location data.

Refreshing Your Feed: Unfollowing and Lists

A cluttered or irrelevant feed can be a major turnoff. Refresh your experience by:

• Unfollowing inactive or irrelevant accounts: Regularly review your following list and unfollow accounts that no longer provide value or are no longer active.
• Creating Twitter Lists: Organize accounts into specific lists based on topic, interest, or relationship. This allows you to focus on content from specific groups of people.
• Muting accounts: Muting allows you to stop seeing tweets from certain accounts without unfollowing them.
• Blocking accounts: Blocking completely prevents another account from interacting with you.

Rebranding Your Profile: Username, Profile Picture, and Bio

Sometimes, a fresh start means updating your profile’s visual elements.

Changing Your Username (@handle)

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on “More” in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Click on “Your account.”
5. Choose “Account information.” You may be prompted to re-enter your password.
6. Click on “Username.”
7. Enter your new username and click “Save.” Make sure the username is available.

Updating Your Profile Picture and Header Image

1. Go to your profile page.
2. Click “Edit profile.”
3. Click on the profile picture or header image to upload a new one.
4. Adjust the image as needed and click “Apply.”
5. Click “Save.”

Editing Your Bio

1. Go to your profile page.
2. Click “Edit profile.”
3. Edit the text in the “Bio” field.
4. Click “Save.”

The Nuclear Option: Deactivating or Deleting Your Account

If you truly want to “reset” in the sense of starting over, you can either deactivate or delete your account.

Deactivating Your Account

Deactivation is a temporary measure. Your account will be suspended, and your tweets will no longer be visible. You have 30 days to reactivate your account before it is permanently deleted.

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on “More” in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Click on “Your account.”
5. Click on “Deactivate your account.”
6. Read the information carefully and click “Deactivate.”
7. Enter your password and click “Deactivate.”

Deleting Your Account

Deletion is permanent. Once your account is deleted, your username becomes available for others to use, and your tweets are permanently removed (although they may still exist in archives or search engine caches for a period of time). To permanently delete your account, you must first deactivate it and then wait 30 days without reactivating.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions related to resetting your Twitter account:

1. How long does it take for a deleted Twitter account to be completely removed?

It takes approximately 30 days after deactivation for your account to be permanently deleted from Twitter. During this period, you can reactivate your account if you change your mind. However, even after deletion, some information might still be accessible through search engine caches or archival websites for a limited time.

2. Can I change my username multiple times?

Yes, you can change your username as many times as you like, as long as the new username is available. However, frequent changes might confuse your followers.

3. What happens if I forget the email address associated with my Twitter account?

If you forget the email address associated with your Twitter account, you can try using your phone number or username to initiate the password reset process. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to contact Twitter Support and provide them with information to verify your identity and ownership of the account.

4. How do I report a compromised Twitter account?

If you suspect your Twitter account has been compromised, immediately change your password and revoke access from any unauthorized apps or websites. Then, report the compromised account to Twitter Support through their help center.

5. Is it possible to export my Twitter data before deactivating or deleting my account?

Yes, Twitter allows you to download an archive of your tweets, media, and other account information. You can request this archive through your account settings. It’s a good practice to download your archive before deactivating or deleting your account.

6. What is the difference between muting and blocking an account?

Muting an account simply hides their tweets from your timeline. You still follow them, and they can still interact with your profile. Blocking an account completely prevents them from seeing your tweets, following you, or interacting with you in any way.

7. How can I clear my Twitter search history?

You can clear your Twitter search history by going to your settings and selecting the option to clear all saved searches. This will remove all your past search queries from your account.

8. How do I stop getting spam direct messages on Twitter?

To reduce spam direct messages, adjust your privacy settings to only allow people you follow to send you direct messages. You can also report spam accounts to Twitter.

9. Can I change the language settings on my Twitter account?

Yes, you can change the language settings on your Twitter account by going to “Settings and privacy” and selecting “Accessibility, display, and languages.” You can then choose your preferred language for the interface and content.

10. How do I verify my Twitter account?

To get a verified badge on Twitter, you must meet certain eligibility criteria, including being notable, authentic, and active. Twitter periodically opens applications for verification. Visit the Twitter Help Center for more information on the verification process.

11. How do I remove suggested accounts from my “Who to follow” list?

The accounts suggested in your “Who to follow” list are based on your interests, followers, and activity. While you cannot completely remove the feature, you can dismiss individual suggestions by clicking the “X” next to each account. Over time, the algorithm will learn your preferences and provide more relevant suggestions.

12. Can I create a new Twitter account with the same email address after deleting my old one?

Yes, after deleting your old Twitter account and waiting for the 30-day deletion period, you can create a new account using the same email address. However, the username from your previous account will become available for anyone to use, not just you.