The rules of social media are a bit different from real life. You might not send a photo of your lunch to a group chat, but this snap’s fair game on social networking platforms. For many, these platforms encourage a constant documentation of life – even the small stuff. And many others enjoy pursuing this quotidian content.

But, if you’re posting this content, you may want to limit who can enjoy flipping through it. Social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook have already devised privacy features that allow you to decide who gets to see what. And, if you’ve already made a private account on Instagram with a close friends list, adjusted your content settings on Facebook and created your avatar on Snapchat, the next task is to tackle privacy on Twitter.

Learn how to make your account private on Twitter and only share those close-ups of lunch with the people closest to you. Here’s how to make this change on iOS, Android and the web application.

How to make your Twitter account private on your phone

Time to get tapping, Android, iPhone and iPad users. If you’d like to keep things personal on Twitter, use the following steps to change your privacy settings.

1. Open the Twitter mobile app
2. Tap on your profile picture in the upper right-hand corner of the screen
3. Tap “Settings and Support”
4. Then, click “Settings and privacy”
5. Click “Privacy and safety”
6. Select “Audience and tagging”
7. Toggle the slider next to “Protect your Tweets” to the “On” position. You now have a private Twitter account. You’ll just have to keep up with pending follower requests to ensure interested parties can view your content.

How to make your Twitter account private on the computer

These instructions are for anyone who prefers to pursue social media on the big screen. Here’s how to protect Tweets on your laptop or desktop.

1. Open the Twitter website in your browser and log in
2. Click More in the menu on the left side of the page
3. Tap on “Settings and Support”
4. Click “Settings and privacy”
5. Select “Privacy and safety”
6. Tap on “Audience and tagging”
7. Check the box on “Protect your Tweets” and confirm the change by clicking Protect

Having second thoughts?

There are many reasons why one might want to revert their privacy settings. Maybe you decide your content is worthy of a larger audience, even if it’s primarily focused on – you know – what you eat for lunch. Perhaps you’re excelling in your career or gaining fame on the internet, and you want your fans to be able to keep up with the latest. Here’s how to open your account back up to the world.

On mobile

1. Open the Twitter app
2. Tap on your profile icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen
3. Click “Settings and Support”
4. Then, tap on “Settings and privacy”
5. Click “Privacy and safety”
6. Select “Audience and tagging”
7. Toggle the slider next to “Protect your Tweets” to the off position

On desktop

1. Open Twitter in a web browser and log in
2. Click More in the menu on the left side of the page
3. Select “Settings and Support”
4. Tap on “Settings and privacy”
5. Click on “Privacy and safety”
6. Select “Audience and tagging”
7. Check the box on “Protect your Tweets”

Make the most of your Twitter account

If you just turned your privacy settings on Twitter back off, perhaps it’s because your dog or cat has suddenly adopted all the qualities of TikTok pets and you want to show it to the world. While you’re at it, make sure your Twitter profile and posts are in top-notch condition. Consider the following points.

• Write a solid bio: Twitter is all about poppy content that rises to the top because it’s easy on the eyes but makes an impact. Your bio should match the energy of your Tweets – whether quippy, erudite or comic. Spend some time coming up with the right 160 characters, and if you’re lost for words (or out of space), use emojis. And don’t forget to include a link in your bio. This social media real estate is precious, as the link in this space can help your Twitter followers learn more about you and your projects. And if you have a business, add a “Make a Purchase” option with the link to your ecommerce site. If you want to add multiple links to this field, sign up for a Linktree URL, which can branch out to several online and social media locations. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to cross-promote your social media accounts by dropping links to your other platforms in your Linktree.
• Use multimedia: You may associate Instagram with photos and YouTube with videos, but Twitter can handle both. Make the most of your Tweets and advertisements through multimedia content. You can now drop images, videos and ad cards right into posts.
• Use hashtags: Although it’s challenging to cite which hashtags generate the highest user engagement, as it depends entirely on the post and industry, adding hashtags is generally a good idea. Even Twitter’s very own Help page says so. They write: “Including a hashtag gives your Tweet context and allows people to easily follow topics that they’re interested in.” Adding the right hashtags can help a Twitter user halfway across the world find your account organically.

Wrapping up

Whether you have a public or private account, you’re sure to have a lot of fun on Twitter, thanks to many creative heads that regularly post hysterical images, GIFs and videos. Keep your notifications tab on and enjoy this roller coaster social media platform.