You can't delete followers directly, but you can block them or make your account private
Twitter (now called X) does not have a button that removes a specific follower from your account. You have two real options: block the person, which removes them as a follower and prevents them from seeing your posts, or make your account private, which requires anyone new to ask permission before following you. If you want to remove someone without them knowing, blocking is the cleaner choice because the person won't receive a notification that you removed them — they'll only see that they can't follow you if they try.
The difference matters. Blocking is permanent until you unblock; making your account private is reversible and lets existing followers stay. Most people block when they want to stop one person from seeing their content. Most people go private when they want control over who follows them going forward.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking a follower removes them from your follower list and hides all your posts from them, and they won't receive a notification that you blocked them.
- Making your account private requires new followers to ask permission, but does not remove people who already follow you.
- You can unblock someone later if you change your mind, and they can follow you again if your account is public.
- If you want to remove all followers at once, making your account private and then public again will clear your follower list, though this is rarely necessary.
How to block a single follower
Open Twitter on your phone or computer and go to your profile. Find the person you want to remove in your follower list — you can search for them by name or scroll through. Tap or click their profile to open it.
Look for the three dots (•••) in the top right corner of their profile. Tap or click it, then select "Block @[their username]" from the menu. Twitter will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, that person is removed from your followers and cannot see your posts, retweets, or likes. They also cannot send you direct messages.
The person you blocked will not receive a notification saying you blocked them. If they visit your profile, they'll see a message saying "You're blocked" but no explanation. You can unblock them later by going back to their profile and selecting "Unblock" from the same menu.
How to find your follower list and search for someone
On the web version of Twitter, click your profile icon in the top right, then select "Profile." On your phone, tap the profile icon at the bottom of the screen. Once you're on your profile page, look for the word "Followers" and tap or click it. This opens a list of everyone following you.
If your follower list is long, use the search box at the top to type the person's name or username. Twitter will filter the list to show matches. If you don't remember their exact username, type what you do remember — Twitter will show partial matches. Once you find them, tap or click their name to open their profile, then follow the blocking steps above.
How to make your account private to control new followers
Making your account private means anyone who wants to follow you must send a request first, and you decide whether to accept or decline. This does not remove your current followers — they stay unless you block them individually. Go to your profile and tap or click the three dots (•••) next to your name. Select "Settings and privacy," then "Privacy and safety."
Look for the option that says "Private account" or "Protect your posts" (the exact wording varies depending on whether you're on phone or web). Toggle it on. From that moment forward, new people cannot follow you without your permission. You'll see a notification each time someone requests to follow you, and you can accept or decline from that notification.
If you change your mind, you can make your account public again by toggling the same setting off. Your existing followers will stay, and new people can follow you without asking.
How to remove all followers at once
If you want to clear your entire follower list instead of removing people one at a time, the fastest way is to make your account private, then make it public again. This removes everyone who was following you. Go to Settings and privacy, then Privacy and safety, and toggle "Private account" on. Wait a few seconds, then toggle it off. Your follower count will drop to zero.
This method works because Twitter treats a switch from private to public as a new state — your old followers are not automatically re-added. However, this is a drastic step and is rarely necessary. Use it only if you want a completely fresh start. People who were following you will not receive a notification; they'll simply see that they're no longer following you if they check your profile.
What happens when you block someone
When you block a follower, several things happen at once. They are removed from your follower list. They cannot see your public posts, retweets, or likes. They cannot send you direct messages, and any existing messages between you are hidden from their view. If they try to visit your profile, they see a message saying "You're blocked" instead of your posts.
The blocked person can still see your posts if they log out or use a different account, because blocking only affects that specific account. They also cannot see that you blocked them — Twitter does not send a notification. However, if they try to follow you or visit your profile, they'll discover the block themselves. You can unblock them at any time, and they can follow you again if your account is public.
The difference between blocking, muting, and making your account private
Blocking removes someone as a follower and hides your posts from them completely. Muting is different — a muted follower stays on your follower list and can still see your posts, but you won't see their posts in your feed. Muting is useful when you want to follow someone but don't want to read their content. Making your account private prevents new followers from following you without permission but does not remove existing followers.
Choose blocking if you want someone to stop seeing your posts entirely. Choose muting if you want to follow someone but hide their posts from your feed. Choose private if you want to control who can follow you going forward. You can use all three tools on different people — there's no limit to how many people you can block, mute, or follow with a private account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Twitter does not send a notification when you block someone. However, if they try to visit your profile or search for you, they'll see a message saying "You're blocked" and will figure it out themselves. If you want to remove someone without them knowing, blocking is still your best option — they won't get a direct alert.
Can I remove a follower without blocking them?
No. Twitter has no "remove follower" button that hides the action. Blocking is the only way to remove someone from your follower list. If you want to remove someone without them knowing you did it, blocking is still the answer because they won't receive a notification — they'll only discover it if they try to interact with your account.
If I make my account private, will my current followers see my posts?
Yes. Making your account private only affects new followers — they must ask permission to follow you. Everyone who already follows you will continue to see your posts. You can make your account private and public again without losing existing followers, unless you specifically block them.
Can I see who I've blocked?
Yes. Go to Settings and privacy, then Privacy and safety, then "Blocked accounts." This shows everyone you've blocked. You can unblock anyone from this list by tapping or clicking their name and selecting "Unblock."
What if someone keeps trying to follow me after I block them?
If someone creates a new account to follow you after you block them, that's considered harassment. Report the new account to Twitter by going to their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting "Report @[username]." Choose "It's abusive or harmful" and explain that they're evading a block. Twitter can take action against repeat offenders.