X (Twitter) for iPhone

Quick summary of the app

Twitter’s official iPhone client is the company’s mobile interface for its microblogging network. Once outpaced by third-party alternatives, the native app has improved substantially and is now a strong choice for posting, browsing, and interacting with other users.

Where things are and how to move around

The app uses a simple three-screen layout you swipe between to reach the main areas.

• Activity — shows what people you follow have been doing (for example, tweets they’ve liked or retweeted).
• Discover — highlights trends, popular posts, and account suggestions (you can set trends by location).
• Timeline — the main feed with tweets from people you follow, plus occasional promoted content and suggested tweets.

You can also view your profile, direct messages, and notifications from within the app.

Posting: what you can share

Composing from the app lets you mix short text with media and links.

• Videos — clip uploads of short duration can be attached directly to a post.
• Photos — capture or attach images when creating a tweet.
• Text — include concise messages alongside links or media.
• Fleets — temporary posts that appear above timelines (see the next section for details).

Ephemeral posts and temporary content

Fleets are Twitter’s time-limited posts that disappear after 24 hours and appear at the top of profiles and timelines. Followers must tap a user’s icon to view that person’s fleets, which are shown in chronological order and can be scrolled through.

Fleets can contain text, photos, or video and offer simple customizations like background styles and font choices. You can also share an existing tweet into a fleet by using the share option under a tweet. Viewers can respond to fleets via direct message, and authors can check who has seen their fleet by tapping a “Seen by” option.

These features are similar to the ephemeral story formats used by other social apps, so many users will find the interface familiar.

Account management and privacy

• Two-factor authentication is available: you can link your phone so sign-ins require a code sent to your device.
• Multiple accounts are supported and easy to add or switch between.

Suggestions for new users

Twitter can feel overwhelming at first because people use it for different reasons. The app will recommend accounts to follow — often brands and public figures — but for a more engaging experience try following friends and people who share your interests. Spending a little time curating who you follow makes the service more useful and easier to participate in.

Recent updates

The app now supports private group conversations so you can create small-group chats. In addition, native video uploads are supported alongside traditional tweets. These additions make it simpler to share richer media and hold private discussions within the app.