Skip to main content

How to secure your Twitter account

Twitter seems to be an easy target for hackers. In late 2019, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s account was hacked and then used to send out racist and anti-Semitic retweets. In a strange turn of events that could only happen in topsy-turvy 2020, Twitter’s competitor, Facebook, had their Twitter account  taken over by a hacker group called OurMine in February. More recently, dozens of major Twitter accounts were hacked in massive Bitcoin scam. That’s only a few of the more high-profile hackings.

This news could leave a devout Twitter user a little nervous. Though there’s no foolproof way to keep hackers at bay, you can make your account much more secure. Here’s how to secure your Twitter account.

Recommended Videos

A girl with a hacked Twitter accountPassword smarts

First, let’s tackle the easiest step: Perfecting your password. Change your password so that it’s different from any other password you use, and make it as random as possible with capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, make your password long. Twitter recommends a password that is at least 10 characters long. If trying to remember a whacky password scares you, get a good password manager to safely store all of your passwords.

Once you have a great password, make sure it can’t be easily changed — select options that require your email address or phone number before a change can be made. Here’s how to set this security feature up:

  • Log in to your account.
  • If you’re using a browser, click More in the menu on the left side of the screen.
  • If you’re using the app, tap your Profile Icon in the upper left.
  • Choose Settings and Privacy > Account > Security.
  • Tick the box beside the Password Reset Protect option.
  • To finish, enter your password and choose OK.

Use two-factor authentication

Next, set up your account to use two-factor authentication. This security measure makes it so your account can only be accessed if you enter your password and a code or a security key to confirm your identity.

Here’s how to set it up:

  • Log in to your account.
  • If you’re using a browser, click More in the menu on the left side of the screen.
  • If you’re using the app, tap your Profile Icon in the upper left.
  • Choose Settings and Privacy > Account > Security > Two-Factor Authentication.
  • Choose which secondary method you would like to use to identify yourself when you log in.

Be smart

While the steps above will keep your account secure from most hackers, there are a few more things you should remember. If your computer has a virus, a hacker may be able to use it to access your account. Be sure to use up-to-date malware protection on your computer to help prevent this type of hack. When you combine all of these tips together, your Twitter account should be very safe from any would-be hackers.

Alina Bradford
Alina Bradford has been a tech, lifestyle and science writer for more than 20 years. Her work is read by millions each month…
No joke: Twitter is taking away your blue check on April 1, unless you pay
Twitter logo in white stacked on top of a blue stylized background with the Twitter logo repeating in shades of blue.

Twitter will soon remove blue verification badges from any accounts that haven’t yet signed up to its premium service, Twitter Blue.

“On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks,” the social media company tweeted on Thursday.

Read more
TikTok CEO to face Congress on Thursday. Here’s how to watch
TikTok icon illustration.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before Congress

TikTok CEO Shou Chew faces the fight of his life on Thursday, when he will try to convince a congressional committee that the hugely popular app poses no threat to national security.

Read more
Twitter will soon be a bit less irritating for many people
Twitter logo in white stacked on top of a blue stylized background with the Twitter logo repeating in shades of blue.

With or without Elon Musk at the helm, Twitter can’t seem to decide what it wants to do with its algorithmic timeline, currently branded as “for you,” which shows tweets it thinks you'll like, whether or not you follow the tweeter.

For years it’s been messing about not only with the algorithm but also with the extent to which it forces the timeline on users.

Read more