Help with locked or limited account
We may lock an account or place temporary limitations on certain account features if an account appears to be compromised or in violation of the Twitter Rules or Terms of Service. If you log in or open your app and see a message that your account is locked or that some of your account features have been limited, follow the instructions to restore it or continue reading for more information.
Your account has been locked for security purposes
If you are logged in to your account and see a message that your account has been locked for security purposes, this means that we have detected suspicious behavior and it appears as though your account may have been compromised. To unlock your account, please secure it by changing your password now.
If you have an email address associated with your account, we also sent instructions to that address. If you don’t see an email from us, please check your spam, junk and, social folders.
Read tips on how to keep your account secure.
Contact our support team if you need additional help unlocking your account.
Your account is locked and we need to confirm you are the valid owner
If your account appears to have exhibited automated behavior that violates the Twitter Rules, we may lock it and request that you confirm you are the valid owner of the account.
To unlock the account:
- Log in to your account.
- Look for the message letting you know Your account has been locked.
- Click or tap Start.
- Enter your phone number. Please note that we will associate this phone number with your account.
- We will send you a text message, or you will receive a phone call, with a verification code. It may take a few minutes for the code to be delivered to your phone.
- Once you’ve entered the verification code, click or tap Submit to unlock your account.
If you have an email address associated with your account, we also sent instructions to that address. If you don’t see an email from us, please check your spam, junk and social folders.
Contact our support team if you need additional help unlocking your account.
If your account is in this state, people who visit your profile may see a message letting them know the account has displayed unusual activity and asking them to confirm they still want to view it.
Your account is limited because it may have violated the Twitter Rules
If your account has been limited because it may have violated the Twitter Rules, you can still browse Twitter, but while in this state, you can only send Direct Messages to your followers. You will not be able to engage in actions such as Tweeting, Retweeting, or liking, and only your followers can see your past Tweets.
We may ask you to complete certain actions before we start the countdown on your limited state. These actions may include verifying your email address, adding a phone number to your account, or deleting Tweets that are in violation of our rules.
To restore your account, log in and look for the message letting you know We’ve temporarily limited some of your account features. Click or tap Start and follow the instructions to complete the requested actions.
Note: Repeat violations of the Twitter Rules may lead to permanent suspension.
If you feel that your account has been limited in error, you can appeal by contacting our support team.
If your account is temporarily restricted, people who visit your profile may see a message letting them know the account may have violated the Twitter Rules and asking them to confirm they still want to view it.
Some of your account features are limited due to suspicious activity
If your account appears to have exhibited aggressive following or aggressive engagements (such as, like, Retweet, and Quote Tweet), which violates the Twitter Rules, you will see a message that your account’s features have been limited for a specified time.
You will have two options to choose from:
- Use Twitter in a temporary, limited state for the specified time listed.
- Complete our instructions to verify your phone number or email address.
To use Twitter in a temporary, limited state, you can simply click or tap Continue to Twitter. During your limited state, your account and Tweets may be filtered out of certain places on Twitter, including from search results and notifications. If you choose Continue to Twitter, you will not be able to go back and choose the verify option.
To restore your account by verifying your phone number or email address, click or tap Verify, and follow the instructions we provide. Verifying your phone number and email address helps reduce potentially automated or scripted activity on Twitter.
Note: If your account appears to have engaged in repeated violations of the Twitter Rules, or has aggressively engaged with other accounts, you may not be presented with the option to verify by phone. In this case, you will only be able to use Twitter in a limited state for the specified time listed.
If you feel that your account has been locked in error, you can appeal by contacting our support team.
Some of your account features are temporarily limited
Conversations are core to Twitter, but if we detect behavior that may violate the Twitter Rules or inhibit other people’s ability to express themselves freely, we may temporarily limit certain account features. For example, this could mean only your followers are able see your activity on Twitter, including Tweets, likes, Retweets, etc. Limiting the reach of potentially abusive content creates a safer environment and stronger Twitter community.
When you log in and see this message, click or tap Continue to Twitter to initiate the countdown to restore your account features. You can read more about Twitter’s abusive behavior policy, and find guidelines for our hateful conduct policy.
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