You can edit a tweet for up to 30 minutes after posting it
Twitter's edit feature lets you fix typos, add context, or change wording on any tweet you've posted — but only within a 30-minute window. After that, the tweet is locked and can't be edited. The edit appears as a small label below your tweet so people know it was changed, and anyone who saw the original version can tap that label to see what you altered.
This is different from deleting and reposting, which removes the original tweet entirely and loses all the likes, replies, and retweets it had gathered. Editing keeps your engagement history intact while letting you correct mistakes or clarify what you meant.
Key Takeaways
- You have 30 minutes from the moment you post a tweet to edit it; after that, editing is no longer possible.
- An edited tweet shows a label that lets readers see the version history and understand what changed.
- Editing preserves all the likes, replies, and retweets your original tweet received.
- The edit feature works on Twitter's web version, mobile app, and third-party apps that support it.
- If you need to change a tweet after 30 minutes have passed, deleting and reposting is your only option.
How to edit a tweet on the web or mobile app
On Twitter's website or the official mobile app, find the tweet you want to edit and look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the tweet. Tap or click that menu, and you'll see an "Edit tweet" option near the top of the list. Select it, and the tweet text will open in an editing box where you can change the wording, fix spelling, or adjust anything else.
Make your changes in the text field, then click or tap the "Save" button. Your edited tweet will post immediately, and the "Edited" label will appear below it with a timestamp showing when the change was made. Readers can tap that label to see what the original text said.
What happens when you edit a tweet
When you edit a tweet, the new version replaces the old one on your timeline and in anyone's feed who hasn't refreshed yet. The edit label appears right away, and it includes the date and time of the edit. If someone clicks or taps that label, they see a popup showing the full version history — the original text and any edits you've made, in order.
Your engagement numbers (likes, retweets, replies) stay exactly the same. This is why editing is useful for fixing mistakes without losing the conversation that's already started around your tweet. If you had 500 likes on the original, those 500 likes remain after you edit.
When you can't edit a tweet anymore
Once 30 minutes have passed since you posted, the edit button disappears and you can no longer change the tweet. At that point, your only option is to delete it and post a new version. Deleting removes the original tweet entirely, which means you lose all the likes, retweets, and replies it had collected.
If you notice a mistake after the 30-minute window closes, you can delete the original tweet and post a corrected version, then reply to your own new tweet with something like "Correction to my earlier tweet" so people understand what happened. This is less clean than editing, but it's the only way to fix a mistake after the time limit expires.
Editing tweets with media, links, or polls
You can edit tweets that contain images, videos, or links the same way you edit text-only tweets — just open the edit menu and change the text. However, you cannot swap out the media itself. If you posted a tweet with the wrong image, you'll need to delete it and repost with the correct one.
Polls and quoted tweets also cannot be edited. If you posted a poll with a typo in one of the options, you cannot fix it; you must delete the poll and create a new one. The same applies to quoted tweets — if you quoted someone else's tweet and made an error in your own text, you can edit the text but not the quoted tweet itself.
Editing tweets on third-party apps
Some third-party apps that connect to Twitter, like TweetDeck or Hootsuite, support the edit feature if Twitter's API allows it. However, not all third-party apps have added edit functionality yet, and support varies depending on which app you use and when it was last updated.
If you're using a third-party app and don't see an edit option, your best approach is to open the tweet in the official Twitter app or on Twitter's website, where the edit feature is may provide to work. Check your app's settings or help section to see whether it supports editing; if it doesn't, the developers may add it in a future update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see that I edited a tweet?
Yes. An "Edited" label appears below your tweet with the date and time. Anyone can tap that label to see the original text and all versions you've posted. There's no way to hide that a tweet was edited.
What if I edit a tweet and then delete it?
Once you delete a tweet, it's gone completely — the edit history goes with it. Deleting removes the tweet from your profile and from most people's feeds, though cached versions may exist elsewhere on the internet.
Can I edit a retweet or a quoted tweet I posted?
You can edit the text of a quoted tweet (the comment you added when sharing someone else's tweet), but you cannot edit a retweet. A retweet is just a share of someone else's original tweet, so there's no text to edit. If you need to change a quoted tweet, edit the text portion using the same three-dot menu.
Does editing a tweet notify people who liked or replied to it?
No. Editing a tweet does not send notifications to people who interacted with it. They'll only see the edit if they visit your profile or see the tweet in their feed and notice the "Edited" label.
What if I edit a tweet multiple times within the 30-minute window?
You can edit a tweet as many times as you want within 30 minutes. Each edit updates the tweet and adds a new timestamp to the edit label. The version history shows all the changes you made, in order.