Twitter’s privacy settings allow users to protect their tweets, making them visible only to approved followers. However, there may be situations where you want to view someone’s protected tweets without following them, such as for research purposes or to gain insights into a particular topic or community. In this article, we’ll explore six methods that can help you access protected tweets without the need to follow the account.
How to View Protected Tweets Without Following
Twitter offers two distinct ways of sharing content – Public Tweets and Protected Tweets, each with differences in visibility and privacy.
Public Tweets
- Such tweets are visible to anyone on the internet, regardless of whether they have a Twitter (X) account or not, as they appear in the timeline of the user who shared them as well as in Twitter search results.
- These can be liked, retweeted, replied, and shared by anyone.
Protected Tweets
- When your tweets are protected, they won’t appear in the Twitter search results or on your public profile page, rather are only visible to approved followers.
- Users whose follow request you’ve approved can only see the content.
Protected tweets are indeed helpful for individuals who want to restrict their tweets to a select group of friends, family, or colleagues. However, if you want to view them, can you?
Unfortunately, No, there is no direct way for non-followers to see private tweets by someone. However, we have listed below a few workarounds that might help you with the same. Read more to find out.
Method 1: Send Follow Request
Well, the easiest and cleanest way for users to view protected tweets is to directly request access to them. Send them a follow request and once they approve it, you will be able to see their tweets.
Method 2: Use Proxy
Proxy is one of the simplest & easiest ways to access someone’s Twitter profile and view their protected Tweets without following them. When you connect the device to the internet through a proxy server, it sends your requests to the target website via the proxy server’s IP address which helps you remain anonymous and access their tweets. However, make sure to only install a reliable service as not all proxies are safe. We have recommended some of the best Proxy services for Telegram earlier, which you can also use for Twitter.
Method 3: Create a Fake Twitter Account
Although this method seems sneaky more or less, it can help you see protected tweets from a user. Often there are instances when we have a fight with our friends or someone online and they block us, as a result of the access to their content is lost. If it’s the case here, you can create a fake account and send them a follow request. After approval, you will be able to see all their tweets.
However, do remember to not use your fake account for malicious activities like spreading false information, harassment, or scams. Twitter has strict policies against such activities and doing so can lead to account suspension.
Also Read: How to Avoid Getting Doxxed on Twitter
Method 4: Ask Someone to Send You the Tweet
Now, we understand this does not seem effectively sustainable. However, if possible and you have any friends or connections who are following the Twitter profile and can access the protected tweets, ask them to copy or screenshot it and send it to you via message.
Method 5: Use Third-Party Tools
Several third-party tools such as uMobix allow you to view protected tweets without following an account. Some tools may provide these features for free, but others might require you to subscribe to their premium plans so you can access all the options they have to offer. Well, if you really want to see someone’s protected tweets, it is worth it.
Method 6: Follow Their Followers
Mutuals are a great way to build connections on social media platforms. Follow some of their followers, interact with them, and if they follow you back, you’ll be able to see the protected tweets you were looking for.
What Happens When You Switch from Public to Protected Tweets?
When you switch your Twitter account from public to protected tweets, several changes will occur regarding your account’s visibility and how others can interact with your tweets. Here’s what happens when you make this switch:
- Existing Tweets: Your existing tweets that were previously public will become private. These tweets will no longer be visible to users who are not approved followers.
- Follower Requests: When your tweets are protected, new users who want to follow you will need to send you a follow request.
- Followers: Only users you approve will be able to see your tweets. Your approved followers will still be able to interact with your tweets by liking, retweeting, and replying, just like before. However, these interactions will be limited to your approved followers.
- Retweets and Likes: Tweets from your protected account can only be retweeted by your approved followers. They won’t be visible to users who are not part of your follower list.
- Search and Discoverability: Your protected tweets will not appear in Twitter’s search results, and they won’t be discoverable through hashtags or trending topics. They will only be visible to your approved followers in their timelines.
- Privacy: Switching to protected tweets offers a higher level of privacy and control over who can access your tweets and engage with your content.
We hope our guide helped you view someone’s protected tweets on Twitter. If you have any queries or suggestions for us, do let us know in the comments section. Stay tuned to TechCult for more such tips and tricks.