How to Permanently Delete Your Twitter Account in 4 Steps (with Photos)

Twitter can be a useful platform for connecting with people and staying up to date. However, you may reach a point where the negatives outweigh the positives, and decide to delete your Twitter account permanently.

Permanently deleting a Twitter account is a bit more complicated than simply deactivating it. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to permanently delete your Twitter account.

Overview: Deactivating vs. Deleting a Twitter Account

Before going through the steps to delete your Twitter account, it‘s important to understand the distinction between deactivating and deleting an account:

Deactivating – When you deactivate your Twitter account, it is hidden until you log back in to reactivate it. Twitter retains your data for 30 days after deactivation in case you change your mind. After 30 days, some data may still be stored on Twitter‘s servers.

Deleting – Deleting an account permanently removes all of your Twitter data from their servers, including your posts, followers/following lists, messages, bookmarks, etc. A deleted account cannot be reactivated.

Now that you know the key differences, let‘s go through the process to permanently delete your account.

Step 1: Download Your Twitter Data

Before deleting your Twitter account, it‘s highly recommended to download an archive of your Twitter data. This allows you to retain a backup of your tweets, photos, profile info, lists, etc. should you ever want or need them.

To download your Twitter archive on desktop:

1. Go to your Twitter profile and click "More" in the sidebar.
2. Select "Settings and privacy" then go to "Your account".
3. Click on "Download an archive of your data".
4. Enter your password when prompted then click on "Request archive". Twitter will email you when it‘s ready to download (usually takes 24-48 hours).

It‘s important to download your archive before permanently deleting your account, as you lose the ability to retrieve any past tweets or account data after deletion.

Step 2: Deactivate Your Account

Now that you have your Twitter data backed up, it‘s time to deactivate your account. Deactivating is the first step you need to take before permanently deleting your account.

To deactivate your Twitter account on desktop:

1. Click on "More" then "Settings and privacy".
2. Go to "Your account" and select "Deactivate your account" at the bottom.
3. On the deactivation page, click on "Deactivate" to confirm.

After clicking “Deactivate”, you will immediately be logged out of your account which will no longer be viewable on Twitter.

Important notes about deactivation:

• You have 30 days from deactivation to log back in to your account to reactivate it before it is permanently deleted.
• Some data may still be retained by Twitter after the 30 day window as they don‘t immediately delete accounts after deactivation.

Now let‘s go over how to take the next step to permanently deleting your account.

Step 3: Submit an Account Deletion Request

To entirely remove your account from Twitter‘s servers, you need to submit a formal account deletion request after deactivation.

Note: Twitter does not allow users to permanently delete their own accounts. You must go through their account deletion request process.

To submit an account deletion request:

1. Go to Twitter‘s Account Deletion form at https://twitter.com/account/begin_deletion
2. Select "I want this account permanently deleted" then enter your account credentials.
3. Confirm by entering your password and clicking "Confirm".

Twitter should then process your account deletion request. Note this may take up to a full month after submission.

Step 4: Follow Up if Needed

If your Twitter account hasn‘t been deleted within a month of requesting permanent deletion, it doesn‘t hurt to follow up.

You can contact Twitter Support via this form: https://help.twitter.com/forms

In the form, explain you submitted an account deletion request over a month ago per the steps above, but your account still seems to be in deactivated state. Request they follow up on permanently removing your account from Twitter‘s systems.

Providing your old username and the date you submitted the deletion form can help them lookup and process your prior deletion request.

Why Permanently Delete Your Twitter Account?

Wondering why someone would go through the multi-step deletion process to permanently remove their Twitter account? Here are some of the top reasons:

You‘re spending too much time on it. Twitter can be addicting. If you find yourself constantly checking notifications or losing hours of productivity on timeline scrolling, deleting your account can help break the habit.

You want more privacy. Twitter requires sharing personal info like your real name, bio, location, website, birthdate, etc. Removing your account eliminates your online presence and activity from their platform.

Too much toxicity or harassment. Unfortunately bullying and abusive behavior is common on Twitter. Deleting your account is the most surefire way to remove yourself from a hostile online environment.

Focus issues. Jumping between tweets, trending topics, news alerts etc. can wreck your focus and concentration. Quitting Twitter may help you single-task better.

Mental health reasons. Seeing controversial tweets, negative comments, comparing yourself to others’ curated feeds, and more can negatively impact your self-image and confidence offline. Taking a break from Twitter by deleting your account can alleviate this.

No matter what your reasons are for leaving Twitter for good, I hope this guide gave you everything you need to know to permanently delete your account. The process takes a bit of patience and diligence, but can be worth it for certain individuals.

Wishing you all the best in your post-Twitter life! Please reach out if you have any other questions.