How to Switch to a Chronological X (Twitter) Timeline (2024)

Chronological social media feeds allow you to see the content from those you follow, sorted by the most recent posts. X (formerly Twitter) allows you to switch from your algorithmic For You feed, to a reverse chronological feed instead.

Here's how to switch to the chronological X timeline so that you don't see content from those you don't follow.

How to Switch Between Timelines on X (Twitter)

You can easily switch between timelines on your homepage on X. Your algorithmic feed, which includes tweets from verified users mixed in with those you follow, is in the For you tab. Meanwhile, your chronological feed is known as the Following tab.

If you're using the X app, follow these steps to switch between timelines:

1. Open X.
2. At the top of the page, tap on Following. You can also swipe left to switch feeds.
3. X should remember your selected tab whenever you return to the app.

If you're using the X website, simply click on the Following tab when you open your homepage. This preference should be remembered the next time you visit the site.

How to Create a Custom Timeline on X

While contemplating this decision, you should remember one solution that's often overlooked: lists.

Lists allow you to build a custom group of accounts, even if you're not following them. You might have one list for musicians you like, another list full of news accounts, etc.

By creating a list on X, you can browse all the posts from the accounts in that list. This gives you more control over the posts you see, and lets you separate out your browsing. For example, we created a list to easily follow technology news.

You can pin a list to your feed so that it becomes another timeline that you can easily switch to.

To pin a list on X, follow these steps:

1. Tap on your profile picture in the top left of the app.
2. Select Lists.
3. Scroll down to Your Lists and tap the pin icon next to the list you want to create a shortcut for.

Once this is done, a tab with your custom list will appear at the top of your feed. Switch to this tab by swiping left or by tapping on the tab's name.

You can also pin or unpin lists using the X website.

The Pros and Cons of Each Timeline

Now that you know how to switch timelines, which one should you actually use? That depends on your preferences.

Many argue that the chronological timeline is the proper way to experience X. After all, you follow accounts to see what they tweet, and you don't want an algorithm getting in the way of that.

Also, seeing the newest tweets first can help you stay on top of what's going on. When following breaking news, a live sporting event, or similar, seeing up-to-the-second content is important.

On the downside, using the chronological timeline requires you to check X regularly if you want to avoid missing anything. If you didn't see a tweet from your favorite account that's two days old, going back to find it would take forever.

Another potential drawback is that when you see the latest posts first, you're more susceptible to overload from one account. If someone you follow is live-tweeting an event you don't care about, seeing new tweets from them every 10 seconds will quickly get old. But you can turn off retweets from an account on X to get rid of some of the noise.

Regardless of which timeline you choose, you are still going to see ads from accounts you don't follow. But the chronological feed makes sure that every other post you see is from an account you actually follow.

On the other hand, the algorithmic feed can help surface trending posts that are popular on the platform. However with the changes to X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue), a lot of what you'll see is posts from verified accounts.

Choosing the Best Timeline for You

X gives you some freedom when it comes to choosing between an algorithmic timeline and a chronological timeline. And thanks to pinned lists, you can also create your own custom feed.

Switch between timelines to see which one suits you best. You may decide you like to see trending posts, or remain confident in the superiority of a chronological feed.