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Originally Posted On: https://www.twtdata.com/blog/everything-you-need-know-about-twitter-account-deactivation-and-reactivation/
We have all been there – sometimes you just need a break from everything and deactivating your social media seems like the best thing you could do for your mental health or simply, you have had enough and want to move to another platform. Don’t worry, deactivating your Twitter account is not exactly the same as deleting it. If you decide to get back your account, you have thirty days to do so before it is deleted forever. If you want to know more about Twitter account deactivation and reactivation, you came to the right place – we will tell you everything you need to know.
Read on if you would like to know the following:
How to deactivate your Twitter account and can you reactivate it?
How long does it take to reactivate your Twitter account?
What happens if you deactivate and reactivate your Twitter account?
Does deactivating your Twitter account delete everything?
Is deactivating your Twitter account the same as deleting it?
How to Deactivate Your Twitter Account and Can You Reactivate It?
If you are thinking about taking a short break from Twitter to take care of your mental health or (more recently) moving to another platform (#TwitterMigration). Whatever your reason, Twitter gives you a chance to deactivate your profile for up to 30 days. No, this is not the same as locking or deleting your Twitter account. Deactivating your Twitter means that all your tweets, posts, likes, and comments disappear from the public view until you decide to reactivate your account. However, deactivation only lasts for 30 days, so make sure that you reactivate your account before it’s too late.
If you decide to do this, all it takes is a couple of steps and you can give your mind a well-deserved rest. The whole process usually takes minutes, or it could take a few days if you own a bigger and more prolific account. Although it is not a really complicated process, we are here to help you and guide you step by step until you successfully deactivate your account. Keep in mind that this option is only possible via the website, as Twitter hasn’t yet made it possible to deactivate your account using their mobile app.
Once you log into your account and your home page opens, you should be able to see different options given to you on the left side of the page. Some of the options listed are Explore, Notifications, Messages, Bookmarks, etc. This time, we are interested in the option titled More at the bottom of the list, which will open up a new bubble with more options.
After you choose the option More, a new list of options should pop up. Some of the options listed are Follower requests (only if your account is private), Topics, Moments, etc. You should choose the option titled Settings and privacy, which will take you to a new page.
A new page with different settings options should open. Here, you should choose the option titled Your account at the very top of the list of options. By choosing this, you will open a new list with different options related to your account. At the very bottom of the list, there should be an option titled Deactivate your account. Your job is to click on the option and then there’s only one more step left for you to take.
After this, Twitter will ask you to confirm your password. Once you type it in, you should click on the ‘Deactivate’ option – and that’s it! You have successfully deactivated your account until you decide to reactivate it again.
Once you decide that you miss your dear Twitter followers and wish to go back to the platform, you can do it in no time. All it takes is for you to type in your login details, that is your email address or your username, and your password, just like you would usually do when you want to log into your account. Once you type in your login information, Twitter will tell you the exact time when you deactivated your account and ask you if you would like to reactivate it. Simply confirm the action by clicking on ‘Yes, reactivate’ and you should have your account back. It’s that simple!
How Long Does It Take to Reactivate Your Twitter Account?
As we have already mentioned, you have 30 days to reactivate your Twitter account after deactivating it. Once 30 days pass, you will no longer have the possibility to restore your Twitter account, so make sure you jot down the date when your deactivation expires.
If you forgot your login details – don’t panic. You can always contact Twitter’s support team and they will assist you with your account reactivation. After you successfully reactivate your account, you can request a password reset email. You can do so here: https://twitter.com/account/begin_password_reset. When contacting Twitter’s support team, make sure to use the email address you previously used for your account.
As opposed to account deactivation, reactivating your account is possible through Twitter for iOS or the Android app. Once you reactivate your account, it shouldn’t take longer than 24 hours for your follow lists and other data to be fully restored.
Twitter mentions a few reasons why you may not be able to reactivate your account. Some of the possible reasons are:
- you forgot your login details;
- you deactivated your account more than 30 days ago;
- you believe your Twitter account was hacked and deactivated;
- you tried to reactivate, but it says that reactivation is disabled.
You can read more about these here: https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/trouble-reactivating-twitter-account
To avoid losing your Twitter data forever, we recommend you do regular backups using our platform. At twtData, we offer you a fast and easy way to save your tweets and your followers/following lists. Don’t delay backing up your account any longer when you can export your Tweets and followings and store that information forever!
What Happens if You Deactivate and Reactivate Your Twitter Account?
As we have already mentioned, deactivating your Twitter account is convenient for when you are not able to focus on it. Once you decide to do this, your account, together with your information such as your Tweets, likes, and following/followers lists, disappears from the site.
If you notice your followers/following numbers fluctuate – don’t worry! It usually takes up to 24 hours for your account to go back to normal and for your data, such as your Tweets, followers, likes, etc., to be fully restored. Once that period passes, your account will be fully restored and you can go back to tweeting just like you did before you decided to take a short break.
If more than 48 hours have passed and your account is still not back to normal, you can contact Twitter’s support team for further assistance. Clicking on the link provided will take you to Twitter’s Help Center. There, they will ask you How can we help you with your account? two times, and both times you should choose answers related to reactivation, that is, I’m trying to reactivate my account and I need help reactivating my account.
If the links they provide once you answer these questions don’t help you, you should contact them directly by filling out the form given. All you need to do is type in your Twitter username, the email address Twitter Support can use to contact you and describe the problem you’re facing. Make sure you explain clearly the issue you’re having so that Twitter can help you better, and that should be it! They will contact you as soon as possible.
Does Deactivating Your Twitter Account Delete Everything?
Although it might seem like your Twitter account and all your data are deleted and gone forever, that is not exactly the case. All your information is still stored somewhere on Twitter servers waiting for you to come back, but it is completely hidden from the public view.
Some might say that it does delete everything because other people won’t be able to find you, or your tweets. If that is what you are wondering, then yes – Twitter hides all your information, including your account, your tweets, and replies, from the public view. In a way, it ‘deletes’ everything you ever did on the platform, but you still have a chance to restore every bit of information if you decide to come back to Twitter under the 30-day period given to you. After 30 days, you won’t be able to retrieve your data ever again, so if you change your mind, it’s good to have a backup.
Is Deactivating Your Twitter Account the Same as Deleting It?
In short – no, deactivation is not the same as deleting your account. Deleting your account would mean that all your Twitter account information is gone forever and there would be no way for you to get it back. For other users, it might seem like you deleted your account because they won’t be able to find it anywhere. You, on the other hand, have a chance to come back anytime you want in that period of 30 days given to you.
There are a few differences between deleting and deactivating your account, such as:
Deleting your account means that it is gone forever – yes, you would have to say goodbye to your account for good. All your tweets, followers, likes, and your whole Twitter presence would be gone. Once deleted, you would not have the chance of getting it back.
Deactivating your account gives you a chance to get it back – the main difference between deleting your account and deactivating it is the 30-day period during which you can simply log into your account and reactivate it again. However, if you forget to do so and 30 days pass, your account will be deleted forever and the only way to go back on Twitter would be to create a whole new account. It’s a fresh new start!
Deleting your Twitter account means you can use your old username when creating a new one – since deleting your Twitter account means it is gone forever and with it your Twitter presence, your username, and email are no longer used on the platform. That means that, once your account is deleted, your old username is free to use, not only for you but for other people, as well.
Deactivating your Twitter account means your username is still taken – as opposed to deleting your account, deactivating your account keeps your email and username safe. When you deactivate your current account, it doesn’t change the fact that you are still using your username and email address and therefore no one can use them to create a new one.
It is common for people to forget to log into their accounts during the 30-day period so they end up losing their accounts forever. When that happens, there is absolutely nothing you can do to get your tweets and data back. That is why we recommend you backup your account regularly, or before you decide to deactivate it. Here at twtData, we offer you a chance to do so in the quickest and easiest way possible. All it takes is a couple of clicks and all your Tweets, followers, and other data can be stored forever and you no longer have to worry about losing everything.
Conclusion
It is important to keep in mind that there is a chance for you to forget to reactivate your account at the right time, which would lead to you losing everything. That is why we offer you the opportunity to save all your tweets and important data before deactivating so that you don’t worry about losing everything you worked for on your account. Backup your account today, in a week, or a month, and give your mind a well-deserved rest. Your tweets and Twitter data will be safely stored and your mind free of worry!
