Help Center

Twitter for Mac

Twitter for Mac gives Mac users a fast and convenient way to stay connected on Twitter––additional app features include keyboard shortcuts and simple multi-account management ability.

How do I get started?

Download Twitter for Mac from the Mac App Store. Launch the application, and then enter your Twitter account credentials. If you don’t have an account yet, click the Sign Up button to get started.

Once you’re logged in, you will be able to conveniently navigate to your Home timeline, profile, mentions, Direct Messages, lists, and search.

How to refresh your timeline, mentions, Direct Messages, lists, and profile

New updates for these features will auto-refresh, but you can also select Refresh from the File drop-down menu at any time.

How to follow people

  1. Use the search icon  to look for account(s) you want to follow.
  2. Click on the profile icon or username of the account(s) you’d like to follow.
  3. Click Follow from the account’s profile page.

How to post and delete Tweets

To compose a new Tweet:

  1. Click the compose Tweet icon  
  2. Type your desired text into the Tweet box.
  3. Click Tweet to post.
Note: You can have multiple New Tweet windows open at the same time.

To delete Tweets:

Click on the Tweet to select it. You can then delete the Tweet in any of the following ways:

  • Right-click to select Delete Tweet.
  • Click the Tweet menu at the top of your screen and select Delete Tweet from the drop-down menu.
  • Highlight the Tweet and press ⌘ + Delete.

How to change your account’s settings or profile photo

  1. Click the profile icon 
  2. Click Edit profile.
  3. Change the desired settings. 
  4. Click the Save icon.

How to sign out

To sign out completely, you’ll need to remove your account from the application.

  1. Click on the Twitter menu and select Preferences, or use the keyboard shortcut Command +, and click Accounts.
  2. Select the account you wish to remove and click the - sign at the bottom of the prompt.
  3. Confirm removal by clicking Remove.

How to add additional accounts to Twitter for Mac

Click on the Twitter menu and select Preferences. Click Accounts and select + to add as many Twitter accounts as you'd like to manage from the Twitter for Mac application.

Tip: You can add multiple accounts to Twitter for Mac. You will be logged in to all of them whenever the app is open, but will only see the timeline for the account you've currently selected.

How to search for other people

To search for people, click the search icon  and type in the person you’re looking for.

How to upload photos, GIFs, or videos

You can upload photos and videos by clicking on the camera icon when composing a new Tweet, or drag and drop the photo into the New Tweet window.

How to send and delete Direct Messages

To send a Direct Message:

  1. Click the envelope icon  to go to your Direct Messages inbox.
  2. Click the compose message icon 
  3. Enter the username(s) of the people you’d like to Message.
  4. Type the desired text into the Message composer.
  5. Use the keyboard shortcut Command + Enter to send your Direct Message.

To delete a Direct Message:

  1. Click on the envelope icon  to see a list of all of your Direct Message conversations.
  2. Right-click on the conversation and select Delete Conversation.
  3. You can delete individual Direct Messages by right-clicking on the Message and selecting Delete.

How to view a person's account profile

There are also navigation elements you can click within someone's profile. To view User Details, click their profile photo.

  • You’ll be taken by default to their timeline to view their Tweets.
  • Clicking the Media tab shows you their photos and videos.
  • Clicking Likes tab shows you the Tweets that they liked.

About Moments

  • When you click the Moments tab you’ll land on Moments from Today. From the top of the guide, you can click to select Moments categorized by News, Sports, Entertainment, and Fun.
  • When you see a Moment you’d like to explore, click it to view the collection of Tweets that tell the story. 
  • To share a Moment, click the more icon and click Share this Moment to Tweet the link.

About Twitter Polls

To vote in a poll:

  1. When you see a poll in a Tweet, click your preferred option. The results are instantly displayed after you vote. Your vote is indicated with a checkmark next to the choice. 
  2. You can vote in a poll one time. The current total vote count and the amount of time remaining in the poll are displayed under the poll choices.

To view final results:
A Twitter Poll ends between 5 minutes and 7 days after it has been posted, depending on the duration set by the person who Tweeted it. The winning choice is shown in bold. If you vote in a poll, you may receive a push notification alerting you to the final results.

Vote in private:
When you vote in a poll, your participation is not shown to others: neither the poll creator nor other participants can see who has voted or how they voted.

Create a Twitter Poll

  1. Click into the compose box at the top of your Home timeline, or click the Tweet button in the top navigation bar.
  2. Click the Add poll icon 
  3. Type your poll question into the main compose box. You can use up to 116 characters in your poll question.
  4. Insert your first poll option into the Choice 1 box, and your second poll option into the Choice 2 box. You can use up to 20 characters for each option.
  5. Click + Add a choice to add additional options to your poll. Your poll can have up to four options.
  6. Click Tweet to post the poll.

How to view conversations

Click on a Tweet to view not only that Tweet, but the conversation history leading up to that Tweet.

How to view and search for trends

You can view trends by clicking the search icon  You can then search for the most recent Tweets on those emerging topics with a single click, using the search bar at the top of the list.