You can edit a tweet for up to 30 minutes after posting it

Twitter's edit feature lets you change the text, add or remove images, or fix links in a tweet you've already posted. The edit window closes 30 minutes after you hit send, so you need to catch mistakes or second thoughts quickly. Once that window closes, the tweet is locked and you can only delete it.

The edit button appears in the menu on your own tweets — not on tweets from other people. You'll see it as three dots in the corner of the tweet, and "Edit Tweet" is one of the options in that menu.

Key Takeaways

  • You have 30 minutes from the time you post to edit a tweet; after that, the edit option disappears.
  • Edits are visible to everyone, and Twitter shows that a tweet was edited with a small label and timestamp.
  • You cannot change who can reply to the tweet or switch it between public and private after posting.
  • If you need to change the tweet after 30 minutes, deleting and reposting is your only option.

How to find and use the edit button

Open the tweet you want to change. In the top right corner of the tweet, you'll see three dots arranged vertically (called the "more" menu). Tap or click those dots, and a small menu will pop up with several options including "Edit Tweet."

Click "Edit Tweet" and the text box will become editable. You can now change the words, add or remove images, or update links. The character count and any media you've attached will show at the bottom of the box, just like when you first wrote the tweet. Make your changes and click "Save" when you're done.

Your edited tweet will post immediately. Everyone following you or viewing your profile will see the updated version, and Twitter adds a small "Edited" label with a timestamp so people know the tweet was changed after it originally went live.

What you can and cannot change in an edit

You can change the text of the tweet, add or remove images and videos, and update or remove links. You can also add or remove polls, though the votes on an existing poll will remain even if you edit the poll text.

You cannot change the reply settings after posting — if you posted it as a public tweet, it stays public, and if you limited replies to certain accounts, that setting stays locked. You also cannot change who originally posted the tweet or move it to a different account. If you need to make those kinds of changes, you'll need to delete the tweet and post a new one.

What happens when you edit a tweet

When you save an edit, the change goes live immediately for everyone. The "Edited" label appears on the tweet with the date and time you made the change. If someone clicks that label, they can see the edit history — what the tweet said before and what it says now.

People who already saw the original tweet won't get a notification that you've edited it. They'll only see the updated version if they look at the tweet again. Retweets and likes stay attached to the tweet even after you edit it, so the engagement history doesn't reset.

Editing on mobile versus desktop

The process is the same whether you're using Twitter on a phone, tablet, or computer. On mobile, tap the three dots in the corner of your tweet. On desktop, hover over the tweet and click the three dots. Either way, "Edit Tweet" will be in the menu that appears.

The editing window itself works the same way too — you'll see your text in an editable box with the character count and any media shown below. The 30-minute timer starts from when you originally posted, not from when you open the edit screen, so don't wait too long to make changes.

When you cannot edit a tweet

If 30 minutes have passed since you posted, the edit option will no longer appear in the three-dot menu. At that point, your only option is to delete the tweet and post a new one if you want to correct it.

You also cannot edit tweets from other accounts, even if you're logged into multiple accounts. The edit button only appears on tweets you posted yourself. If you see a mistake in someone else's tweet, you can reply to point it out, but you cannot change their words.

Why Twitter limits edits to 30 minutes

The 30-minute window is designed to catch typos and honest mistakes without letting people change the meaning of a tweet long after people have already seen and shared it. This prevents someone from posting one thing, letting it spread, and then editing it to say something completely different while keeping all the original retweets and likes.

The edit history feature — where people can see what the tweet said before — makes the change transparent. This balance lets you fix a link or correct a spelling error quickly, but protects the conversation from being rewritten after the fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit a retweet?

No. You can only edit original tweets that you posted yourself. If you retweeted someone else's tweet and want to change your comment, you'll need to delete the retweet and post a new one with the corrected text.

Do people get notified when I edit a tweet?

No notifications are sent when you edit. People who follow you or see the tweet again will see the updated version, but they won't receive an alert that something changed. The "Edited" label is visible on the tweet itself.

Can I edit a tweet after I delete it?

No. Once you delete a tweet, it's gone and cannot be recovered or edited. If you need to post a corrected version, you'll have to write and post it as a brand new tweet.

What if I edit a tweet and then want to undo the edit?

Twitter doesn't have an undo button for edits. If you edit a tweet and then change your mind, you'll need to edit it again to restore the original text. The edit history will show both versions.

Does editing a tweet change when it appears in people's feeds?

No. Editing doesn't bump the tweet back to the top of feeds or change its timestamp. It stays in the same position it was originally posted, just with updated content and an "Edited" label.