Everything that was removed, changed, or added since Elon Musk acquired Twitter — and what it means for your content.
If you haven't been paying close attention, the changes between Twitter and X might seem cosmetic — a new logo, a new name. But for people who relied on the platform's tools and ecosystem, the shift was substantial.
This is a comprehensive account of what changed, what stayed the same, and what it means for how you use the platform in 2026.
The Timeline of Changes
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Oct 2022 | Elon Musk completes $44B acquisition of Twitter |
| Nov 2022 | Twitter Blue relaunched with paid blue checkmark; API rate limits begin tightening |
| Feb 2023 | Free API tier eliminated; developers must pay for access |
| Apr 2023 | Legacy verification (blue checkmarks for notable accounts) removed |
| Jul 2023 | Twitter rebranded to X; bird logo replaced with X; domain begins transitioning to x.com |
| Aug 2023 | TweetDeck becomes X Pro (paid); significant rate limiting for free users |
| 2024 | Long posts (25,000 chars) for X Premium; creator revenue sharing; Grok AI integration |
| 2025–2026 | X Payments, X TV, continued Premium feature expansion |
Features Removed or Degraded
Free API access
The single biggest change for the developer and research ecosystem. Previously, Twitter's API was free at the basic tier, enabling thousands of tools, bots, researchers, and archives. Since February 2023, even read access requires a paid subscription starting at $100/month. This eliminated most third-party Twitter tools, academic research pipelines, and archiving services.
Legacy verification (blue checkmarks)
Previously, blue checkmarks identified verified journalists, public figures, politicians, researchers, and organizations. This made it easier to identify authentic voices. Since April 2023, checkmarks are purchased via X Premium. Legacy blue checks were removed from non-paying accounts. Gold checkmarks were introduced for organizations, and gray for government accounts.
TweetDeck → X Pro
TweetDeck, the multi-column professional Twitter client, was a free tool used extensively by journalists, social media managers, and power users. It's now X Pro, available only to X Premium subscribers. Many professionals who relied on TweetDeck for real-time monitoring migrated to third-party alternatives like HootSuite or Tweetbot alternatives.
Fleets
Fleets were Twitter's ephemeral Stories-style posts, similar to Instagram Stories. They were removed in August 2021, before the acquisition — but worth noting as part of the broader feature history.
Rate limits for unregistered and free users
Starting in 2023, X implemented strict rate limits on how many posts users can view per day. Unregistered users were initially blocked entirely; free users faced limits of 600 posts per day. These limits have been adjusted over time but represent a structural change in how the platform treats non-paying users.
Save threads before rate limits interrupt your reading
Tweet Thread Saver captures the full thread text in one click — so you have it even when rate limits kick in or content disappears.
Install Tweet Thread SaverNew Features Added by X
Long-form posts (up to 25,000 characters)
X Premium subscribers can now write posts up to 25,000 characters — roughly 5,000 words. This reduces the need for threads for long-form content, though threads remain the dominant format for narrative and structured writing. Non-Premium users still have the standard 280-character limit.
Post editing
X Premium subscribers can edit posts within a 30-minute window after publishing. The edit history is visible to other users. This was one of the most-requested features Twitter never shipped.
Creator revenue sharing
X now pays creators a share of ad revenue from their posts. Eligibility requires X Premium subscription, 500+ followers, and meeting monthly impression thresholds. This has attracted some content creators to the platform while skepticism about payment amounts persists.
Grok AI assistant
X Premium subscribers have access to Grok, an AI assistant built by xAI. Grok can answer questions, summarize content, and has access to real-time X data — something competitors like ChatGPT and Claude lack by default. Grok is integrated directly into the X interface.
Audio and video calls
X added encrypted audio and video calls between users. This positions X as a broader communication platform rather than just a public feed service.
What Stayed the Same
The core public feed functionality remains largely intact:
- Posts (tweets) with 280-character limit for free users
- Thread structure — consecutive connected posts
- Replies, retweets, and quote-tweets
- Bookmarks (though still no export functionality)
- Twitter Spaces (audio rooms)
- Lists
- DMs
- Search and hashtags
- Both twitter.com and x.com URLs work and redirect to the same content
X Premium: Is It Worth It?
| Feature | Free | X Premium ($8/mo) | X Premium+ ($16/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post length | 280 chars | 25,000 chars | 25,000 chars |
| Post editing | No | Yes (30 min window) | Yes |
| Checkmark | No | Blue | Blue |
| Grok AI | Limited | Full access | Priority access |
| X Pro (TweetDeck) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Creator revenue | No | Eligible | Eligible |
| Reduced ads | No | Half ads | No ads |
The Impact on Thread Culture
Threads remain one of the most distinctive formats on X. The addition of long-form posts for Premium users created an alternative for those willing to pay, but most users still compose threads because they:
- Work for free-tier accounts
- Create a natural reading cadence through individual tweet pacing
- Allow engagement at each tweet with replies and likes
- Show up in the feed more granularly — each tweet can get boosted individually
If anything, the quality of threads has increased as the platform has matured. The format has become a recognized medium — comparable in some ways to newsletters or essay formats, but with the interactive layer of replies and quote-tweets.
The platform changed. The need to save good content didn't.
Whether it's called Twitter or X, great threads still disappear. Tweet Thread Saver works on x.com and captures everything.
Add to Chrome — FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What features did Twitter have that X removed?
Twitter removed or degraded: free API access, Tweetdeck (now X Pro, paid), legacy verification (blue checkmark for notable accounts), easy bookmark export, Fleets (ephemeral posts), and the Twitter Bird branding. The algorithmic feed now defaults on, making chronological timeline access less prominent.
Is X the same as Twitter?
X is the renamed version of Twitter, launched in July 2023. The underlying platform is the same, but the branding, features, and business model have changed significantly. The app URL changed from twitter.com to x.com, though both still work. Core functionality like tweets (now called posts), replies, and retweets remains.
Can you still save Twitter threads on X?
Yes. Tweet Thread Saver works on both twitter.com and x.com. The thread structure (a series of connected posts from one account) still exists on X, and the extension captures the full thread content exactly as before.
What new features does X have that Twitter didn't?
X added: long-form posts (up to 25,000 characters for X Premium subscribers), revenue sharing for creators, passkey authentication, audio and video calls, X Spaces improvements, the ability to edit posts (Premium), and an AI assistant called Grok. X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) was expanded.
Did X change how threads work?
The thread format (sequential connected posts) remains the same. However, X Premium subscribers can now write single posts up to 25,000 characters, reducing the need for threads for long-form content. Threads remain the standard format for non-Premium users who want to publish long content.
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