You cannot delete followers directly, but you can block them or make your account private
Twitter does not give you a button to remove individual followers. Instead, you have three ways to stop someone from seeing your posts: block them (they cannot follow you again without you unblocking), mute them (you stop seeing their posts but they can still follow you), or make your account private (all new followers need your approval). Which one you choose depends on whether you want to stop one specific person or control who can follow you going forward.
Blocking is the most permanent option. When you block someone, they lose access to your profile, cannot see your posts, and cannot follow you again unless you unblock them. They will know they are blocked because they cannot find your account when they search for you. Muting is quieter — the person has no idea you muted them, and they can still see your public posts if they search for you directly, but their posts will not show up in your feed.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking a follower removes them immediately and prevents them from following you again without your permission.
- Muting a follower hides their posts from your feed without notifying them or removing them from your followers list.
- Making your account private forces all new followers to ask for permission before they can follow you.
- You can block or mute someone from their profile page or from a post they made in your feed.
How to block a follower on Twitter
Go to the follower's profile page. You can find them by searching their username or by going to your followers list. On their profile, tap or click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of their header. Select "Block @[username]" from the menu. Twitter will ask you to confirm — select "Block" again.
Once you block someone, they are removed from your followers immediately. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them by going back to their profile and selecting "Unblock @[username]" from the same menu. Unblocking does not automatically re-follow them — they have to follow you again if they want to.
How to mute a follower on Twitter
Muting is useful when you want to stop seeing someone's posts without the finality of blocking. Go to their profile or find one of their posts in your feed. Tap or click the three-dot menu icon and select "Mute @[username]". You will see a confirmation that you have muted them.
When you mute someone, their posts will not appear in your home feed, but you can still see them if you visit their profile directly or if someone retweets them. They will not know you muted them. You can unmute them at any time by going back to their profile and selecting "Unmute @[username]".
How to make your account private to control new followers
If you want to prevent certain types of people from following you in the future, making your account private is more efficient than blocking individuals one at a time. Go to your account settings by tapping your profile picture, then select "Settings and privacy". Tap "Privacy and safety", then toggle on "Protect your posts". From that point forward, anyone who wants to follow you will have to send you a follow request, and you can approve or deny them.
Making your account private does not remove your current followers — it only affects new follow requests. If you want to remove followers you already have, you still need to block them individually. Your existing followers can continue to see your posts unless you block them or they unfollow themselves.
Removing followers from your followers list
You can also remove a follower without blocking them by going to your own profile, tapping "Followers", finding the person you want to remove, and tapping the three-dot menu next to their name. Select "Remove this follower". They will not be notified, but they may notice they are no longer following you if they check your profile.
Removing a follower is different from blocking because they can follow you again if they want to. Blocking prevents them from following you unless you unblock them first. Use "Remove follower" when you want to clean up your followers list but do not need to prevent someone from following you in the future.
What happens when you block someone on Twitter
When you block a follower, several things happen at once. They are removed from your followers count. Any retweets or likes they made on your posts disappear from your timeline. They cannot see your profile, your posts, or your followers list. If they try to visit your profile directly, they will see a message saying "You are blocked" or "You cannot follow this user".
The blocked person can still see your public posts if they log out or use a different account, but they cannot interact with them. They cannot like, retweet, or reply to anything you post. If you block someone and then unblock them later, the previous interactions (likes, retweets, replies) do not come back — they stay deleted.
Blocking vs. muting vs. removing followers
| Action | They know? | Can they see your posts? | Can they follow you again? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | Yes | No (unless logged out) | Only if you unblock |
| Mute | No | Yes, if they search | Yes, anytime |
| Remove follower | Maybe | Yes, if public | Yes, anytime |
Choose blocking when you want to stop someone from interacting with you entirely. Choose muting when you want to avoid their posts but do not need to prevent them from following you. Choose removing a follower when you want to clean up your followers list but do not need to prevent them from following you again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block someone without them knowing?
No. When you block someone, they will eventually notice because they cannot find your profile when they search for you, and any previous interactions with your posts will disappear. However, Twitter does not send them a notification saying "you have been blocked" — they have to discover it themselves.
What if I block someone and then unblock them later?
Unblocking removes the block, but it does not restore the relationship. They will not automatically follow you again, and any likes or retweets they made on your posts before you blocked them will not come back. They can follow you again if they choose to.
Can I see who I have muted?
Yes. Go to your Settings and privacy, select "Muted accounts", and you will see a list of everyone you have muted. You can unmute anyone from that list by tapping the three-dot menu next to their name.
Does making my account private remove my current followers?
No. Making your account private only affects new follow requests going forward. Your current followers stay unless you block them or they unfollow themselves. If you want to remove specific people, you need to block or remove them individually.
What is the difference between blocking and removing a follower?
Blocking prevents someone from following you again without your permission and hides your profile from them. Removing a follower just takes them off your followers list — they can follow you again anytime. Use blocking when you want to prevent someone from accessing your account, and use removing when you just want to clean up your followers.