Find friends by uploading your contacts

When you upload your contacts to your account, we can help you find people you may know on Twitter. Then you’ll be able to find and follow contacts who have allowed other people to find them by their email address or phone number. You can learn more about how we use your uploaded contacts to make account suggestions in this article. To learn about other ways of finding people to follow on Twitter, view this article.

To upload contacts on Twitter for iOS:

1. Tap the Connect icon 
2. Tap Find friends. You will see a prompt asking you to sync your contacts. 
3. Tap Sync contacts. (Note: When you sync your contacts, contacts from your device’s address book will be uploaded to Twitter on an ongoing basis.)
4. The accounts of contacts from your address book who are already on Twitter will be shown.

To upload contacts on Twitter for Android:

1. Depending on your settings, tap the Connect icon  or tap the overflow icon  and select Connect.
2. Tap Find friends. You will see a prompt asking you to sync your contacts. 
3. Tap Sync contacts. (Note: When you sync your contacts, contacts from your device’s address book will be uploaded to Twitter on an ongoing basis.)
4. The accounts of contacts from your address book who are already on Twitter will be shown.

To stop syncing address book contacts on your Twitter for iOS or Android app:

You can stop uploading your contacts to Twitter on an ongoing basis by adjusting the Sync address book contacts setting.

Using Twitter for iOS:

1. From the Me tab, tap the gear icon 
2. Tap Settings, then tap Privacy and content.
3. Under Privacy, tap Contacts.
4. Next to Sync address book contacts, drag the slider to turn off.

Using Twitter for Android:

1. Tap the overflow icon 
2. Tap Settings, then tap Privacy and content.
3. Under Privacy, tap Contacts.
4. Next to Sync address book contacts, uncheck the box to turn off.

To remove contacts on your Twitter for iOS or Android app:

You can remove previously imported contacts from your app settings.

Using Twitter for iOS:

1. From the Me tab, tap the gear icon 
2. Tap Settings, then tap Privacy and content.
3. Under Privacy, tap Contacts.
4. Tap Remove all contacts. (Note: You’ll need to confirm the removal of all contacts by tapping the prompt.)

Using Twitter for Android:

1. Tap the overflow icon 
2. Tap Settings, then tap Privacy and content.
3. Under Privacy, tap Contacts.
4. Tap Remove all contacts. (Note: You’ll need to confirm the removal of all contacts by tapping the prompt.)

To upload contacts via the web:

1. Sign in to your account on twitter.com.
2. Look for the Who to follow box located on your Home timeline (Note: you will also see suggestions for Who to follow on the Notifications tab and profile pages.)
3. Click Find friends. You may be asked to allow Twitter permission to access to your contacts.
4. Select Search Contacts.
5. Enter your email login credentials when prompted. (Please make sure your browser enables pop ups.)
6. When asked if you agree to share your information with Twitter, click Agree or Allow access.
7. People who are already on Twitter will be shown. Follow individuals by clicking Follow, or follow all contacts by clicking Follow all.

To view or remove contacts via the web:

You can view or remove previously imported contacts from Twitter at any time. (Note: Your account recommendations may not be as relevant after removing this information.)

1. Sign in to your account on twitter.com.
2. Go to your Security and privacy settings.
3. Under Privacy, look for Address book.
4. Click Manage your contacts. All of your uploaded contacts will be displayed, in addition to where they were imported from, and if they are on Twitter.
5. If you’d like to remove your contacts, click Remove all contacts. Once you confirm this request by clicking Remove, any contacts you’ve previously uploaded will be removed from Twitter and your account’s Sync Address Book Contacts setting will be turned off on any devices from which you previously chose to sync contacts. Please be aware that this takes a little time and you may still notice some suggestions on Twitter (based on your contacts) in the meantime.

Having trouble?

Read our troubleshooting tips in our Common following issues article.