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How to Stay Safe on X (Formerly Twitter) in 2026
Social media can be a great place for conversation, breaking news and connecting with people around the world. But it also comes with real risks. Trolls, spam accounts and targeted harassment are a constant problem on every major platform, and X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) is no exception.
Over the years, X has introduced several safety tools designed to give users more control over their experience. Some of these features work automatically in the background, while others need to be toggled on manually. In this guide, we will walk through the most important safety features available on X in 2026 and show you how to set them up.
A Brief History: From Twitter Safety Mode to X
Back in September 2021, Twitter introduced a feature called “Safety Mode.” The concept was straightforward: an algorithm would detect accounts sending hateful or abusive replies, then automatically block those accounts for seven days.
Senior Product Designer Jarrod Doherty explained at the time that Twitter had worked with its Trust and Safety Council, mental health experts and human rights organizations to shape the feature. During development, the team conducted listening sessions and gathered feedback to simplify the tool and prevent potential manipulation of the system. Safety Mode was initially tested with a small group of users before a wider rollout.
When Elon Musk acquired Twitter in late 2022 and rebranded it as X in 2023, users naturally wondered what would happen to these protective tools. While some features were adjusted or restructured during the transition, X has continued to develop and expand its safety toolkit. The platform in 2026 offers several layers of protection that go well beyond what the original Safety Mode provided.
Current Safety Features on X (2026)
Here is a breakdown of the key safety features available on X right now.
Content Filtering and Muting
X allows you to mute specific words, phrases, hashtags and even entire conversations. This is one of the simplest ways to clean up your timeline and notifications. You can set mutes to last for 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days or indefinitely.
To set up muted words, go to Settings > Privacy and Safety > Mute and Block > Muted Words. Add any terms you want filtered out, and posts containing those words will stop appearing in your notifications and timeline. This is especially useful during heated news cycles or trending topics you would rather avoid.
Blocking and Restricting Accounts
Blocking remains the most direct way to stop someone from interacting with you on X. When you block an account, that user cannot see your posts, follow you or send you direct messages.
X also offers a “restrict” option for accounts you do not want to fully block. Restricted accounts can still see your public posts, but their replies will not be visible to your other followers unless you manually approve them. This is a good middle ground when you want to limit someone without giving them the satisfaction of knowing they have been blocked.
For a related guide on blocking unwanted contacts, check out our article on How to Block a Number on Android.
Protected Posts (Private Account)
If you want full control over who sees your content, you can switch your account to “protected” mode. Only approved followers can view your posts, and new follow requests need to be manually approved by you.
This is a solid option for users who have experienced targeted harassment or who simply want a more private social media experience. Keep in mind that protected posts cannot be retweeted by your followers, which limits your reach in exchange for greater privacy.
Automated Safety Filters
X uses automated systems to detect and reduce the visibility of potentially harmful content. These filters scan for hate speech, spam, violent threats and other policy violations. While no automated system is perfect, these tools have improved considerably since the early Safety Mode tests of 2021.
The platform also uses community-driven moderation through its Community Notes feature (formerly called Birdwatch). Community Notes allows verified contributors to add context to posts that may be misleading. This crowd-sourced approach gives readers extra information before they decide to share or engage with a post.
Direct Message Controls
Unwanted DMs are another common headache on social platforms. X lets you control who can send you direct messages. You can limit incoming DMs to only people you follow, or you can keep your inbox open to everyone. A separate message request folder catches messages from accounts you do not follow, so you can review them on your own terms without them cluttering your main inbox.
How to Set Up Your Safety Settings on X
Getting your safety settings configured takes just a few minutes. Here is a quick walkthrough.
1. Open X and tap your profile icon.
2. Go to Settings and Support > Settings and Privacy.
3. Select Privacy and Safety.
4. From here, you can adjust settings for Content You See, Mute and Block, Direct Messages and Discoverability.
5. Review each section and toggle the settings that match your comfort level.
It is a good idea to revisit these settings every few months, especially after platform updates that may add new options or change defaults.
Tips for Staying Safe on X
Beyond the built-in tools, here are some practical habits that can make your experience on the platform better.
Do not engage with trolls. This is easier said than done, but responding to harassment usually makes it worse. The best approach is to block or mute and move on. Trolls feed on reactions, so starving them of attention is the most effective response.
Use two-factor authentication. Protect your account from being hijacked by enabling 2FA in your security settings. X supports authentication apps and hardware security keys. Avoid SMS-based 2FA if possible, as it is less secure than app-based methods.
Be careful with personal information. Avoid sharing your location, phone number or other sensitive details in public posts. Doxxing (publicly exposing someone’s personal info) remains a real threat, and the less personal data you put out there, the safer you are.
Report serious abuse. If someone is making threats or engaging in targeted harassment, use the report function. X reviews reports and can suspend accounts that violate its terms of service. Reporting is especially important for threats of violence, which X treats as a high-priority issue.
Curate your feed. Follow accounts that add value to your experience and unfollow or mute those that bring negativity. The algorithm learns from your engagement patterns, so interacting with constructive content helps shape what you see over time.
Does Online Safety on X Go Far Enough?
Despite the improvements, many users and researchers argue that platforms like X still have work to do. A study conducted for the Finnish government found that Twitter (as it was then known) ranked among the lowest tech companies for addressing hate speech effectively.
AI-driven moderation has gotten better at catching obvious violations, but subtler forms of harassment, like dogwhistling and coordinated pile-ons, remain harder to detect. As researcher Dr. Mari-Sanna Paukkeri noted, “there are a couple of different ways to say nasty things, and it is rocket science to build systems that can detect these.” She emphasized that simply flagging specific words or phrases, a tactic most platforms relied on in earlier years, was never enough on its own.
The reality is that no single feature will eliminate online abuse entirely. But the combination of automated filters, user-controlled settings and community moderation gives you a practical set of tools to manage your experience on X in 2026.
Final Thoughts
X has come a long way since the early Safety Mode experiments of 2021. The platform now offers a solid range of tools to help users control who interacts with them and what content they see. While no social platform is completely free from trolls and bad actors, taking a few minutes to configure your safety settings can make a real difference in your daily experience.
Stay informed about new features as they roll out, and do not hesitate to use the tools available to you. Your safety and peace of mind on social media should always come first.
