Follow this easy step-by-step guide to switch your Twitter account to public so everyone can view your tweets, followed by a discussion on whether to keep your Twitter account public or private and how to keep your account secure.
How to make a Twitter account public?
Do the following if you’re accessing Twitter via a computer.
Here is to make a Twitter account public:
- Firstly, open your Twitter app and log in, or go to the Twitter website and log in there
- In the top left corner there’s a menu button, click here and go to “Settings and Privacy”
- Then go to “Privacy and Safety”
- Once you’re on this section find the toggle next to “Protect your Tweets” and turn it off
How to make a Twitter account public on iOS and Android phones?
If you’re using an iPad or iPhone, here is how to set your Twitter account to public:
- Open the Twitter app
- Go to your profile icon in the top right-hand corner
- Select “Settings and Privacy”
- Then go to “Privacy and Safety”
- Find the “Protect your Tweets” toggle and switch this off
Using an Android phone or tablet:
- Open Twitter and click on the profile icon or menu (the menu icon appears as three horizontal lines on some versions)
- Go to “Settings and Privacy”
- Then click on “Privacy and Safety”
- Switch off the “Protect your Tweets” toggle
What happens when you set your Twitter account to public?
By switching your Twitter account to public, everyone will be able to see your tweets, rather than just the people who are following you. Furthermore, your tweets will be able to be retweeted, which they weren’t before you set your account to public. Also bear in mind that your old tweets that were made when your account was private, will now be public.
Private vs Public Twitter account and tweet differences
What you’re using Twitter for will determine whether you want to make your tweets public or private. If you’re using Twitter for business purposes, then you’ll want to reach as wide an audience as possible, however, for personal use you may prefer a private setting.
Twitter is one of the biggest social media companies out there, allowing people from around the world to connect with each other, but along with the good, there’s also the bad and the ugly.
Twitter, like all social media platforms, thrives on conflict, opening up your account to the public means everyone can view, and retweet your tweets. If you are anxious about being the subject of a twitterstorm then keep your account private, that way only your followers can view your output.
Can’t make Twitter account public
When you first sign up to Twitter, your account will automatically be set to public, so everyone can view your tweets. If your Twitter account is set to private then at some point you must have changed your settings, whether you meant to or not.
If you’re trying to change the settings using the above method but it isn’t working, or you can’t get through to the right section, then it’s probably because you are not logged in. You will know that you are logged in as your username, phone number and email address you used to sign up will be visible.
Staying safe on Twitter
Whether you decide to have a public or private setting, make sure your account is as secure as possible. There’s always the temptation to use the same password over and over again, but this puts you at a much higher risk of being hacked.
But on top of this, you can now get two-factor authentication around password resets.
Go to “More” then “Settings and Privacy” then click “Account” and navigate to “Security” follow the instructions and set up your second form of verification.
This can be a text, using an authenticator app (you can download one for free), or a security key. Once this feature is activated when you log on using both your password and the second code sent to you.
Additionally, you can use password reset protection, so if someone does get you into your account then they can’t lock you out of it. Using this feature requires an email address or phone number every time someone tries to change the password. This lets you know if someone is trying to change your password and prevents someone from being able to.
