How to DM on X (Twitter): Chat, Message Requests and Limits

Q: "How do I send a DM on Twitter?"

"In the app, tap the messages icon, then the new message icon, type a name or @username, write your message and send it. On the web, click Messages in the left menu, then New message. A group conversation can include up to 256 people."

Q: "Why can't I DM someone on X?"

"You can message anyone who follows you. To message someone who doesn't, they need to accept messages from everyone (or from verified accounts, if you're verified), or you must have messaged before. Accounts with a closed inbox only accept people they follow, existing chats, or their X Number."

Q: "How many DMs can you send per day on X?"

"X caps Direct Messages at 500 per day. Message requests to people who don't follow you are capped separately per 24 hours: 7 on a free account, 35 with Premium, 75 with Premium+ and 500 with Premium Business."

Q: "What is X Chat?"

"Chat is X's end-to-end encrypted messaging, inside the X app and in the separate X Chat app. Messages are encrypted when both people have registered for Chat with a PIN; otherwise they're sent unencrypted."

Q: "If I delete a DM on X, does the other person still see it?"

"Yes for regular DMs: deleting removes the message from your account only. Encrypted Chat messages can be unsent, which removes them from the recipient's inbox, though X notes the recipient may still see them."

November 8, 2026

To send a DM on X (formerly Twitter), tap the messages icon in the app, or click Messages in the left menu on x.com. Then select New message, type a name or @username and write your message. You can message anyone who follows you. To message someone who doesn’t, they have to accept message requests, and the number of requests you can send per day depends on your plan: 7 on a free account.

X’s messaging is changing: next to classic Direct Messages, X now runs Chat, an end-to-end encrypted version that also works in a separate X Chat app. The steps below come from X’s help pages, updated in September and October 2026 (About Direct Messages, About Chat).

How to send a DM on X (app)

Tap the messages icon to open your inbox.
Tap the new message icon.
In the address box, type the name or @username of the person, or several people for a group. A group can include up to 256 people.
Write your message. You can add a photo, a video or a GIF.
Tap the send (paper airplane) icon.

In Chat, if the other person hasn’t registered for encrypted Chat, your message is sent unencrypted, and an unlock icon appears next to the send button.

How to send a DM on Twitter from a computer

On x.com, click Messages in the left menu.
Click the New message icon at the top.
Enter the name(s) or @username(s), then click Next.
Write your message, and add a photo, video, GIF or emoji if you like.
Click Send or press Enter.

To start a new line without sending, press Shift + Enter.

Who can you DM on X?

You can start a conversation with anyone who follows you. Someone who doesn’t follow you can still get your message if:

they accept messages from everyone;
they’re verified and accept messages from verified users, and you’re verified too;
you’ve messaged them before;
you’re both in the same Premium Business or Premium Organization.

Messages from people the recipient doesn’t follow arrive as message requests, kept apart from their inbox until they accept. They can accept, ignore, or block you. X uses Grok to sort requests into Priority and Hidden inboxes.

Some accounts have a closed inbox: then you can only message them if they follow you, you already have a chat with them, or you enter their X Number, an optional private code they can share to let people reach them.

You also can’t be in a one-on-one conversation with an account you’ve blocked. To stop someone from following you without blocking them, remove them as a follower.

How many DMs can you send per day?

Limit	Free	Premium	Premium+	Premium Business
Message requests per 24 hours (people who don’t follow you)	7	35	75	500
Direct Messages per day	500	500	500	500

Sources: X Help (About Chat for message requests; X rules and limits for the 500 a day). Hitting a limit shows an error: see rate limit exceeded on X for what each limit means and how long it lasts.

How to let anyone DM you on X

To open your inbox to everyone (X Help):

iPhone: navigation menu → Settings and privacy → Privacy and safety → under Direct Messages, turn on Allow messages requests from everyone.
Android: navigation menu or profile icon → Settings and privacy → Privacy and safety → under Direct Messages, check Receive messages from anyone.
Web: the same option is in your Privacy and safety settings on x.com.

With this on, anyone can message you and add you to group conversations. To close it again, turn the same option off. Creators can also turn on Allow messages from my subscribers, which lets their subscribers message them whatever the other settings.

Deleting DMs and encrypted Chat

Classic DMs: deleting a message or a conversation removes it from your account only. The other people in the conversation still see it.
Encrypted Chat: you can unsend a message, which removes it from the recipient’s inbox, though X notes “the recipient may still be able to see the encrypted message or conversation you have deleted.” Chat also offers disappearing messages, set from the conversation info screen.
What’s not encrypted: message requests stay unencrypted until accepted, and so does content you send to Grok from a chat. X also keeps metadata such as the recipient and the time.

Links in DMs are shortened to t.co links, and anyone with the link to media you shared can view it.

Stay safe in your DMs

Never share your password or a login code in a DM, and be wary of messages offering to “unsuspend” or verify your account for a fee. The route X gives to get an account back is its free appeal form: see our guide to accounts suspended or locked on X.

To keep strangers out entirely, turn off message requests from everyone, or make your account private.

Frequently asked questions

How do I send a DM on Twitter?

In the app, tap the messages icon, then the new message icon, type a name or @username, write your message and send it. On the web, click Messages in the left menu, then New message. A group conversation can include up to 256 people.

Why can't I DM someone on X?

You can message anyone who follows you. To message someone who doesn’t, they need to accept messages from everyone (or from verified accounts, if you’re verified), or you must have messaged before. Accounts with a closed inbox only accept people they follow, existing chats, or their X Number.

How many DMs can you send per day on X?

X caps Direct Messages at 500 per day. Message requests to people who don’t follow you are capped separately per 24 hours: 7 on a free account, 35 with Premium, 75 with Premium+ and 500 with Premium Business.

What is X Chat?

Chat is X’s end-to-end encrypted messaging, inside the X app and in the separate X Chat app. Messages are encrypted when both people have registered for Chat with a PIN; otherwise they’re sent unencrypted.

If I delete a DM on X, does the other person still see it?

Yes for regular DMs: deleting removes the message from your account only. Encrypted Chat messages can be unsent, which removes them from the recipient’s inbox, though X notes the recipient may still see them.

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