The Symbols and Icons on Twitter (X): What Are They?

Key Points

• Twitter has undergone significant changes, including rebranding to ‘X’ and introducing Twitter Blue.
• There are various symbols and icons on Twitter, which differ between the web browser and mobile app.
• Symbols and icons on Twitter allow users to customize tweets, add media, create polls, use emojis, schedule tweets, tag locations, and format text.
• Symbols and icons on other people’s tweets allow users to comment, repost, like, bookmark, and share tweets.
• The symbols and icons on the Twitter mobile app differ between iOS and Android devices.

We’ve seen a lot of changes on Twitter over the past few months. Even Twitter’s symbols and icons have changed drastically. From the introduction of Twitter Blue to Twitter’s rebranding to ‘X,’ even seasoned users may find it challenging to navigate the symbols and icons.

There are a lot of different symbols and icons on Twitter. What’s more, they vary depending on whether you’re using the desktop site or the mobile app. Regardless of how long you’ve been a Tweeter (we aren’t sure what to call you after the site was rebranded), it’s helpful to learn about all of Twitter’s symbols and icons.

Note: We will be using X and Twitter interchangeably in this article due to the recent rebranding. But the two are the same platform. If you want to learn more about Twitter, check out our complete guide here.

Twitter Symbols & Icons on the Web Browser

While the X (formerly Twitter) website and mobile app have the same features, the placement of icons and symbols varies. So, we’ll cover the symbols and icons on a web browser first.

There are so many X symbols and icons that we had to break them down into sections. Feel free to scroll to the section that piques your interest, or read all of them and get a well-rounded understanding of Twitter’s (X’s) symbols and icons.

Symbols & Icons: Tweet & Reply Creation

You’ll see a few symbols and icons during the tweet creation process. Essentially, these allow you to customize your tweets and add value to them. If you want to start tweeting, check out what these icons do:

1. Media

The first icon at the bottom of the tweet pop-up is the Media icon. Click on this to add pictures and videos.

2. GIFs

X’s GIFs are legendary. If you have no words, you can insert a GIF. Tap the second icon and scroll through the GIFs on the initial page, or type a keyword and find the perfect one.

3. Polls

The third icon represents Polls. If you want to get an idea of what your followers and other Tweeters think, tap the Poll icon and input the choices. Then, hit Post to publish it.

4. Emojis

Web browser users will see an emoji icon in the fourth spot from the left. Click on the icon and choose your emoji. You can choose one or many.

5. Scheduling

Twitter has peak times for posting. If you want to type up a tweet in the morning and have it posted around 3 pm, click on the fifth icon. It looks like a calendar and lets you select a date and time for your tweet to go live.

6. Location

If you have location services enabled and want to tag your current position, click on the sixth icon. This is a great way to promote restaurants, stores, and any other location you enjoy.

7. Bold

The seventh and eighth icons are pretty self-explanatory. If you want to make a statement, click on the Bold icon. If you want to add emphasis to a word, tap the Italics icon.

Twitter Symbols & Icons: Other People’s Tweets

So, what can you do with the symbols and icons you see on other people’s Tweets? Fortunately, the icon and symbol list isn’t nearly as long as the one above. If you’re curious about the symbols and icons on other people’s Tweets, this section will teach you everything.

Note: The symbols and icons you see will vary depending on whether you’ve expanded the tweet or not. We’re showing the expanded view because it covers all of the options. If you don’t see the one you need, click on the tweet to expand it.

1. Comment

The first icon you see looks like a chat bubble. Click on that to reply to a tweet. If you want to respond to someone else’s reply, tapping the chat bubble will ensure your response appears under the correct reply.

2. Repost

Next, you’ll see the Repost option (formerly the Retweet option). Click on this to Retweet or Quote Retweet a post.

Note: Quote Retweet means you get to add your own text to the OP’s post.

3. Like

Naturally, the third icon (the heart icon) is the Like button. Tap this to show your support for a post.

4. Bookmark

If you see a tweet you want to save, tap the fourth icon. This is the bookmark icon and allows you to revisit the tweet in your Bookmarks folder (explained further in the next section).

5. Share Outside of Twitter

If you want to share a tweet on another platform or messaging service (or you want to retweet it in someone else’s comments) click on the fifth icon. Then, you can choose which app you want to share it with or copy the link to that tweet.

Bonus: Analytics

You’ll see a little graph if you don’t expand the tweet. This graph icon represents the tweet’s analytics. Click on it to reveal how many impressions (views) the tweet has.

Symbols & Icons: Twitter Menu

Here’s where things get really intense. On the left side of the X webpage, you’ll see many icons and symbols. These are the action icons that help you moderate your account and access menus. Here’s what these symbols represent, starting from the top to the bottom:

1. Home

The first icon in the menu list is the home button. Click on this to refresh your X feed or leave a page and go back home.

2. Search

The second symbol is the magnifying glass. Click on this icon to search for other people, tweets, topics, and more.

3. Notifications

Next, the bell icon symbolizes your notifications. Click on this if you have a small red number next to it to see responses, likes, and reposts.

4. Direct Messages

The fourth icon looks like a piece of mail. Click on it to check your direct messages.

Note: Some messages may be hidden depending on your settings.

5. Lists

If you have a list of people, click on the fifth icon. You can see all of your lists and the people you’ve added to them here.

6. Twitter Communities

Twitter Community is a subsection of Twitter that lets users communicate with other, like-minded individuals. Click on the sixth icon that looks like two people to join communities.

7. Verified Organizations

The seventh icon helps verified users apply for badges and reach more people on Twitter. If you’re verified and want to pursue going further, click on the Verified Organizations icon and follow the prompts.

Note: Even if you don’t have Twitter Blue, this icon will appear along with the rest of the symbols mentioned in this section.

8. Profile

Near the bottom of the page, you’ll see an icon of a person. This takes you to your Twitter profile. Click on the icon to view your profile, as well as edit your bio, username, profile picture, etc. You can also view all of your followers, likes, and replies by clicking on this symbol.

9. Settings Menu

The three-dot icon on the left takes you to bookmarks, follow suggestions, drafts, monetization opportunities, and more. You can click on this to change your privacy settings, account settings, and your Creator Studio. If you have Twitter Blue, you can even access your premium features here.

10. Create a New Tweet

You’ll also see a blue feather icon. You can click on this to create a new tweet.

11. Profile Image

Finally, you can click on your profile image at the bottom. This button will let you switch between your X accounts. It also gives you the option to sign out of Twitter.

Twitter Symbols & Icons: The Mobile App

Now, if you’re an X mobile user, this section is for you. Most of the icons and symbols have the same functions as those above, so we won’t make this section incredibly detailed.

The only difference is that some of the symbols and icons have different locations. So, let’s get to know the Twitter (X) symbols and icons on the mobile app.

Twitter Symbols & Icons: iOS

The symbols for the iOS mobile app are a bit different than those for the Android app. If you use an iPad or iPhone, here are the symbols and icons:

1. The Home button
2. The Search button
3. The Twitter Communities button
4. The Notifications icon
5. The Direct Message icon
6. The Comment icon (to make comments)
7. The Repost or Quote Repost icon
8. The Like icon
9. The Analytics icon

These are the basic icons that you’ll use most often. However, if you need to access any settings, tap your profile icon in the top left corner.

Twitter Symbols & Icons: Android

Android users have nearly identical symbols to iOS users. However, there is one that is different. Here is the list of Twitter symbols and icons for our Android readers:

1. The Home button
2. The Search button
3. The Twitter Spaces button
4. The Twitter Communities button
5. The Notifications icon
6. The Direct Message icon
7. The Comment icon (to make comments)
8. The Repost or Quote Repost icon
9. The Like icon
10. The Analytics icon

As you can see, the third icon from the left is the Spaces button. If you want to listen in on conversations from your favorite Tweeters, tap this option and you’ll find them there.

Twitter Symbols & Icons: The Wrap-Up

Twitter’s symbols and icons represent different actions. Knowing what these icons do is imperative to your ability to enjoy the app. These symbols and icons are current in 2023, but with so many changes happening with X right now, who knows how many there will be in the future?

Fortunately, if you’re on a computer, you can hover your cursor over any icons you don’t recognize to reveal their action.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©sdx15/Shutterstock.com.