Wondering if you can keep your followers list private on X? Many users are concerned about privacy, especially when it comes to sharing personal information online. You may not want everyone to know who you’re following, especially if you’re following people you don’t know well or if you’re following people who post sensitive content. While X doesn’t have a built-in feature to make your followers list private, there are some workarounds that you can use. These methods may take some time and effort, but they’re worth it if you want to keep your followers list private.
One option is to create a new X account and only follow people you want to be public. This is a good option if you want to keep your followers list completely private. However, it’s important to note that if you create a new account, you’ll lose all of your current followers. So, if you’re not willing to give up your current followers, this may not be a good option for you.
Understand the Concealment Options
X offers three primary methods for concealing your followed accounts: private lists, visible to only you, visible to followers, and visible to everyone.
Private Lists
Private lists allow you to organize your followed accounts into custom groups, visible only to yourself. This option is ideal for keeping sensitive or personal accounts hidden from the public eye. To create a private list:
- Navigate to your following page (the “Following” tab on your profile).
- Click on the “Create List” button.
- Enter a name for your list and select the “Private” access level.
- Add the desired accounts to your list.
Visible to Followers
The “Visible to Followers” option makes your following list accessible to only those who follow you. This can be a useful setting for maintaining a curated following list that aligns with your brand or interests.
Visible to Everyone
The default setting for following lists is “Visible to Everyone.” This option displays your entire following list publicly, allowing anyone to see the accounts you follow.
Access the Profile Settings
1. Tap the Profile icon located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
2. Tap the Edit Profile button located under your profile picture.
3. Tap the Privacy Settings option.
Privacy Settings
Within the Privacy Settings menu, you have several options to customize the privacy of your account.
Here is a table summarizing the key privacy settings:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Can See My Posts | Controls who can view your posts. Options include Public, Friends, or Only Me. |
| Who Can See My Stories | Controls who can view your stories. Options include Public, Friends, or Custom. |
| Who Can See My Activity | Controls who can see your recent activity, such as comments and likes. Options include Public, Friends, or Only Me. |
| Private Account | When enabled, only approved followers can see your posts and stories. |
Navigate the Privacy Tab
To begin customizing your privacy settings, navigate to the “Privacy” tab within your account settings. This tab provides a comprehensive overview of all the privacy-related options available to you.
Who Can Follow You
Within the “Who Can Follow You” section, you have two primary options:
| Public | Private |
|---|---|
| Anyone can follow you without your approval. | You must manually approve each follower request. |
Choosing “Public”
Selecting the “Public” option means that anyone on the platform can follow you without your consent. This is typically the default setting used by public figures, brands, or influencers seeking to maximize their reach and visibility.
Choosing “Private”
Opting for the “Private” setting allows you to control who follows you. When this option is enabled, users must send you a follow request, and you have the ability to approve or decline it. This provides a greater level of privacy by preventing unwanted or inappropriate followers from accessing your content.
Locate the “Who Can See My Following” Option
Navigate to your profile by tapping on the profile icon located in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Once you’re on your profile page, click on the “Edit Profile” button.
Scroll down until you find the “Privacy” section.
Locating the Option via Built-In Android System Settings
Alternatively, you can adjust your privacy settings through your Android device’s built-in system settings:
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Scroll down and tap on “Apps & notifications.”
- Select “App info.”
- Tap on the app you want to adjust.
- Go to the “Permissions” section.
- Locate and tap on the “Contacts” permission.
- Select the desired privacy setting.
| Privacy Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow | The app can access your contacts. |
| Deny | The app cannot access your contacts. |
| Ask every time | The app will ask for permission to access your contacts each time it needs to. |
Choose Your Preferred Privacy Level
Once you’ve selected the “Who Can Follow Me” option, you’ll be presented with several privacy levels to choose from. Each level offers a different degree of control over who can see your posts and follow you.
| Level | Who Can Follow You | Who Can See Your Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Anyone on Instagram | Anyone on Instagram |
| Private | People you approve | Only your approved followers |
| Suggested | People Instagram suggests | Anyone on Instagram |
Public: This setting allows anyone on Instagram to follow you and see your posts. It’s the least private option and is best suited for public figures, brands, and businesses.
Private: This setting ensures that only people you approve can follow you. It’s the most private option and is ideal for individuals who value their privacy or want to keep their followers within a certain circle.
Suggested: This setting is a compromise between public and private. It allows Instagram to suggest people to you that it thinks you might want to follow, but only you can approve them and see your posts. It’s a suitable option for individuals who want to maintain a degree of privacy while still being open to connecting with new followers.
Confirm Your Selection
Once you have selected the option to make your “Who I follow” list private, Instagram will ask you to confirm your selection. A pop-up window will appear, and you will need to click on the “Confirm” button to proceed.
Additional Details
Here are some additional details about confirming your selection:
- Once you confirm your selection, your “Who I follow” list will be hidden from everyone except for you.
- People will still be able to see the number of people you follow, but they will not be able to see who you follow specifically.
- You can change your privacy settings at any time by going to your profile and clicking on the “Edit Profile” button.
- If you decide to make your “Who I follow” list public again, you will need to click on the “Make Public” button in your privacy settings.
| Privacy Setting | Who Can See Your “Who I follow” List? |
|---|---|
| Private | Only you |
| Public | Everyone |
Making your “Who I follow” list private is a great way to protect your privacy and control who can see your activity on Instagram.
Personalize Your Privacy for Specific Followers
If you want to keep your followers list private from certain individuals or groups of people, you can customize your privacy settings to achieve this. Follow these steps to personalize your privacy for specific followers:
1. Open Instagram and log in to your account.
Open the Instagram app on your mobile device and log in using your credentials.
2. Navigate to your profile.
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner to view your profile.
3. Select the “Followers” tab.
Under your username and bio, you will see multiple tabs, such as “Posts,” “Reels,” “Tagged,” and “Followers.” Tap on the “Followers” tab to view a list of your followers.
4. Search for a specific follower you want to hide.
Use the search bar at the top to search for the name of the follower you want to hide your followers list from.
5. Click on the drop-down menu next to their name.
Once you find the follower you want, click on the three dots (…) that appear next to their name. A drop-down menu will appear.
6. Select “Remove from Followers” or “Restrict.”
From the drop-down menu, you can choose to either “Remove from Followers” to completely remove them from your followers list or “Restrict” to limit interactions with them.
7. Consider using a private account.
If you prefer to maintain a high level of privacy and only allow approved followers to view your content, consider making your account private. This gives you complete control over who can follow you and see your posts.
Utilize Blocking and Unfollowing Features
Blocking:
Blocking a user completely restricts them from interacting with you or seeing your posts. When you block someone, they will be unable to see your profile, posts, or stories. You will also not receive any messages or notifications from them.
To block a user:
1. Go to their profile.
2. Tap the three dots (…) located in the top right corner.
3. Select “Block” from the menu.
Unfollowing:
Unfollowing someone means you will no longer see their posts in your feed. They will still be able to see your posts and interact with you, unless you have blocked them.
To unfollow a user:
1. Go to their profile.
2. Tap the “Following” button.
3. Select “Unfollow” from the menu.
| Feature | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blocking | Prevents the user from seeing your posts, interacting with you, or sending you messages. |
| Unfollowing | Removes the user’s posts from your feed, but they can still see your posts and interact with you. |
Considerations:
– Blocking a user is a permanent action. You cannot unblock them later without their consent.
– When you unfollow someone, they will not be notified.
– Blocking and unfollowing can be used to protect your privacy and manage your interactions on the platform.
Consider Third-Party Privacy Enhancers
If Instagram’s built-in privacy settings don’t fully meet your needs, consider using third-party apps or browser extensions that enhance privacy.
Here are a few options to consider:
| App/Extension | Features |
|---|---|
| PrivateWho | Hides your following list from non-followers |
| Ghosty | Provides a ghost mode that temporarily hides your following list |
| Follow Guard | Tracks changes to your following list and notifies you of new followers |
| Unfollow Tracker | Allows you to unfollow users who don’t follow you back |
| Follow Cop | Copies your following list to a separate account, preventing others from seeing who you follow |
Remember, when using third-party privacy enhancers, grant them access to your Instagram account at your own discretion and ensure they align with your privacy preferences.
Explore Advanced Privacy Controls
Limit Who Can See Your Posts
By default, all of your posts are visible to anyone on Twitter. However, you can change this setting to make your tweets private, so that only your followers can see them.
Who Can Follow You
You can also control who can follow you on Twitter. By default, anyone can follow you, but you can change this setting to require people to request your permission before following you.
Who Can See My Location
Twitter allows you to share your location with your followers. However, you can also choose to keep your location private.
Who Can Tag Me in Photos
You can also control who can tag you in photos on Twitter. By default, anyone can tag you, but you can change this setting to only allow people you follow to tag you.
Who Can Send Me Direct Messages
You can control who can send you direct messages on Twitter. By default, anyone can send you a direct message, but you can change this setting to only allow people you follow to send you direct messages.
Who Can See My Email Address
Your email address is not visible to other users by default. However, you can choose to make your email address public.
Who Can See My Phone Number
Your phone number is not visible to other users by default. However, you can choose to make your phone number public.
Who Can Retweet My Tweets
You can control who can retweet your tweets. By default, anyone can retweet your tweets, but you can change this setting to only allow people you follow to retweet your tweets.
Who Can Embed My Tweets
You can control who can embed your tweets on their own websites. By default, anyone can embed your tweets, but you can change this setting to only allow people you follow to embed your tweets.
Receive Notifications
You can control which notifications you receive from Twitter. By default, you will receive notifications for all activity on your account. However, you can change this setting to only receive notifications for certain types of activity.
How To Make Who I Follow Private On X
To make your following list private on X, follow these steps:
- Log in to your X account.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Privacy” tab.
- Under the “Who can see your following list?” section, select “Only me”.
- Click on the “Save changes” button.
Your following list will now be private and only you will be able to see it.
People Also Ask
Can I make my following list private on X?
Yes, you can make your following list private on X. To do so, follow the steps outlined in the above article.
Why would I want to make my following list private?
There are a few reasons why you might want to make your following list private. For example, you may not want other users to know who you are following. Or, you may want to keep your following list secret from certain people, such as your boss or ex-partner.
How can I tell if my following list is private?
To check if your following list is private, go to your profile page and click on the “Following” tab. If your following list is private, it will say “Private” next to the tab.
