How to Create a Twitter (X) Account: Email, Phone, Google or Apple

That's the short version. The part that trips people up isn't the form, it's the username and the 'already in use' errors, so most of this guide is about those. Everything below comes from X's own Help Center, as of October 2026. X (formerly Twitter) still gets searched as Twitter, so I'll use both names.

Four ways to sign up for X, and how each one is checked

Sign up with	How X confirms it	Worth knowing
Email address	A confirmation email you have to open	It isn't shown publicly, and one email can only be on one X account at a time
Phone number	An SMS text with a code, or a voice call if you ask for one	To use the account on x.com later, you add an email and password
Google (X for iOS)	You pick the Google account in a pop-up	You're asked whether X can track where you see X content across the web
Apple (X for iOS)	Your Apple ID	If you share your email, X uses it for things like password resets

X may also ask some people for extra details at sign-up. Its Help Center says you may be asked for a phone number, an email address, or both, to keep the platform safe. If you can't provide what it asks for, the only route X gives is its support team.

Signing up with Google on the X iPhone app

1. Open the X for iOS app and tap Continue with Google.
2. A pop-up asks whether X can use google.com to sign in. Tap Continue.
3. Choose the Google account you want. If it isn't listed, tap Add account.
4. In Customize your experience, decide whether X can track where you see X content across the web, then tap Next.

Apple works the same way: tap Continue with Apple, a Create your account box appears, and you use your Apple ID. One thing I'd think about here. If you hide your email from X when you sign in with Apple, you're giving up the address X would use to send you a password reset.

Picking a Twitter username that X will accept

Your username, or handle, is what people type to reply to you or mention you, and it becomes the web address of your profile. X suggests a few when you sign up, but you can choose your own. These are the rules X lists:

Rule	What X says
Length	No longer than 15 characters. Your display name can run to 50 characters.
Characters	Letters A to Z, numbers 0 to 9 and underscores only. No symbols, dashes or spaces.
Banned words	Nothing containing X or Admin, unless it's an official X account
Taken names	Pick another, or add an underscore before or after, like @lindsay_ or @_lindsay
Suspended or deactivated names	Not immediately available, so you'll need a different one
Inactive names	X says it can't release inactive usernames at this time

Here's a detail most guides miss. X's sign-up article says usernames must be 'fewer than 15 characters', while its username rules page says a username 'cannot be longer than 15 characters'. Those aren't quite the same thing. If you want to avoid a rejected name, keep it to 14 characters or fewer and you're safe under both wordings.

You can change your username later in your account settings, as long as the new one isn't taken. Just know that X says changing it isn't supported in its mobile apps. You'll need x.com or mobile.x.com.

When X says your email, phone or username is already in use

This is the error that sends most people to Google. X's Help Center gives these explanations:

• It's on an account you deactivated. The username and email stay unavailable for 30 days after deactivation. After 30 days, X's support team can clear your details, though it won't restore the old account.
• It's on a suspended account. X says usernames, phone numbers and email addresses attached to suspended accounts aren't available under any circumstances.
• Another active account uses it. One email can only sit on one account at a time, and you may already own that account without remembering it.
• The phone number stayed on an old account. If you didn't delete your phone number before deactivating, you can't use it on another account for 30 days.

Two quick checks from X itself. To test an email, send yourself a password reminder: if one arrives, that email is already on an account. To test a username, type it into a web address as x.com/ followed by the name. If no account shows up there, X says the name is most likely held by a deactivated or suspended account.

Signed up by text message? Add web access

1. Go to x.com/login.
2. Click Activate your account, next to Already using X via text message?
3. Enter your phone number, then type in the code X texts you.
4. Add your email address, a password and a name. Your username is filled in already.
5. Click Create my account.

What to do first on a new X account

X suggests a simple order: add a profile photo and header, write a bio, follow some people or Topics, then post. It also suggests following its official @Support account for product news and how-tos.

Then open your settings. X points new users at three of them: whether people who have your email or phone number in their contacts can find you, whether X emails you about activity and recommendations, and whether it uses your activity off X for personalised ads. Your email and phone number aren't shown publicly either way. You can change all of this later on x.com, X for iOS or X for Android.

While you're there, I'd turn on two-factor authentication straight away. If you plan to run a business account too, you can add a second account and switch between them without logging out.

Some brands, such as alcohol advertisers, ask for a birth date before you can follow them. If your birth date is already on your profile, X detects it and lets you follow straight away. You can set it and choose who sees your birthday at any point.

Made the account but can't log in?

X's advice is to check your inbox for the confirmation email it sends when sign-up succeeds. No email usually means sign-up didn't finish, and you can simply sign up again. If you did create it and still can't get in, request a new password and check your spam and junk folders for X's email.

My verdict

I'd sign up with an email address you'll still be using for years, even if you also add a phone number. It's the address X sends password resets to, it can only belong to one account, and it's the thing you'll need if you're ever locked out. Pick a handle short enough to pass both of X's length rules, and you're done in a few minutes.

This guide is part of my Twitter (X) Help: 21 Guides to Features, Verification, Video Fixes and Tools.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a Twitter account without a phone number?

Yes. X says you can sign up with an email address or a phone number. Some people may be asked for a phone number, an email address or both at sign-up, to keep X safe.

How long can a Twitter username be?

X says a username can't be longer than 15 characters, and its sign-up page says fewer than 15. Keeping it to 14 characters or fewer is the safe choice. Your display name can be up to 50 characters.

Why does X say my email is already in use?

An email can only be on one X account at a time. It may be on another account you own, on an account you deactivated in the last 30 days, or on a suspended account, which X says can't be reused.

Can I change my X username after signing up?

Yes, in your account settings, as long as the new username isn't taken. X says you can't change it in the mobile apps, so use x.com or mobile.x.com.

Is my email address shown on my X profile?

No. X says your email address and phone number aren't publicly displayed, even if you let people find you by them.