Social Media > Twitter
Find someone on X (formerly Twitter) with these simple tricks
By
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/AnitaGeorge-d50ba5f507844f5ea2f54a1b1d9e7fd1.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (1)")
Updated on July 26, 2023
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/jonfishersquare-93eb80e77a004035887f56816d3623c5.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (2)")
Reviewed byJon Fisher
- Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
In This Article
Jump to a Section
How to Find Someone on X Using Their Name
Find Someone on X Using an Email or Phone Number
Using X's Who to Follow
Frequently Asked Questions
Trending Videos
What to Know
- Using a person's name: Enter the name in X's search box (web) or tap the magnifying glass and enter the name (app).
- If you don't see the person in the search results, press Enter (web) or the magnifying glass to bring up a keyboard and tap the Enter icon (app).
- On the expanded search results page, select the People tab to filter the results. If you see the person, select Follow to follow them on X.
This article explains how to search for people using their names or X usernames, either on a website or the X mobile app. It also includes information on searching for people using their email address or phone number and on using the Who to Follow feature on the website.
How to Find Someone on X Using Their Name
Whether you want to find your friends or people you've just met on X, there are several ways to find them, regardless of which device you have. You can access X via a desktop website or the X app for Android or iOS devices.
If you have a person's name or their X username, here's how to search for them on X.
Log in to X via on a web browser or on your X mobile app.
On the X website: Enter the name or username of the person or account you're looking for in X's search box and then select the name to view their X page.
In the X app: Tap the magnifying glass, enter the name or username of the person you're looking for in the search box and then tap the search result.
On the X website, if you don't see the user you're searching for, press Enter to view a more complete search results page. In the app, tap the search box again to bring up your device's keyboard, then tap the Enter icon to bring up a more complete search results page.
On the complete search results page, select the People tab to narrow down your results to just X accounts that have your search term.
Once you find your person, select Follow next to their name or select their result to view their X account page.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/001-how-to-use-twitter-to-search-for-people-576ae8f631aa40d59be47bc8ce743e65.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/002-how-to-use-twitter-to-search-for-people-b8eb8c424f4544ed8353272baf4b1eca.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (4)")
How to Find Someone on X Using an Email or Phone Number
Even if you upload your friends' phone numbers or email addresses to the app, you still may not be able to find them if their X account privacy settings don't allow their accounts to be found by their contact info.
From any tab, tap the Menu button at the top left.
Tap Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety.
Scroll down and tap Discoverability and contacts.
Tap Sync address book contacts to enable it.
The X app will then show you the X accounts associated with your contacts.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/003-how-to-use-twitter-to-search-for-people-ff33c93c57874660bd1510c168822c10.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (5)")
Using X's Who to Follow
If you're using the X website to find suggestions for X accounts to follow, you'll be using the Who to Follow feature on the X desktop website:
Navigate to the X website and log in to your account if you haven't already.
On the Home page of your X account, find the Who to Follow on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can either choose an account from the limited list of suggestions in this section, select Show more to show different accounts, or select View all to view a full page of suggestions.
Once you find an account you like, select Follow next to their name to follow their posts.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/004-how-to-use-twitter-to-search-for-people-c7515c8c952741f699127a71b03b6814.jpg "How to Use X (formerly Twitter) to Search for People (6)")
FAQ
Can people see what you search on X?
No. People can't see your searches on X, and you can't see X searches made by other users. X does keep your search history. However, only you can see your X search history.
How do I search other people's posts on X?
To search other people's posts, go to the person's X profile and select Search (magnifying glass icon). Enter a term or phrase, and view the results X presents. To see the person's top posts, tap Top. To see newer tweets, tap Latest. To see photo posts, tap Photos. To see video posts, tap Videos.
How do I search my own posts in X?
To search your own posts in your X feed, go to the X advanced search tool, look for From These Accounts, and enter your X username. Then, narrow your search by entering other information, such as a search term or hashtag.
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for letting us know!
Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day
Subscribe
Tell us why!
