Twitter initially offered the option to quickly switch between the algorithmic feed and the most recent tweet feed. But in early 2023, Twitter launched a TikTok-style “For You” tab that was pinned next to the “Following” tab at the top. And well, there is no native option to disable the “For You” tab on Twitter. However, users now run around; looking for ways to remove the “For You” tab on Twitter.
Recently, this need has become an urgency due to the Elon Musk’s tweet. According to Musk’s tweet, “From April 15, single [Twitter Blue] verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations.That means recommended tweets based on likes or interests will now only include results from verified accounts. This move has users concerned about the quality of the tweets in the “For You” tab, including me. Therefore, I searched and found a way to make the “For You” tab disappear forever. So, without wasting any more time, let’s see how to disable the Twitter “For You” tab on the web, Android and iOS.
Remove Twitter “For You” tab on web/desktop
The ability to remove the “For You” tab has been made possible by the amazing developer Jonathan Buchanan. He made The Control Panel for Twitter browser extension, which has been around for quite some time. Its main purpose is to give users granular controls and add (or remove) features and bring improvements to the Twitter user interface.
The control panel for Twitter is a browser extension which is available for Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge. You can install the extension on most Chromium-based browsers like Opera, Brave, and others. As for Safari users, you should discharge the Control Panel for the Twitter application from the Mac App Store for $5.99.
For the purposes of this guide, I’ll be using the Chrome browser on my MacBook to show how the Twitter Control Panel can help you get rid of the “For You” tab. Let’s start!
1. From the Chrome Web Store, install the Extension “Control Panel for Twitter” clicking on the “Add to Chrome” icon.
2. Once installed, view the list of extensions by clicking on the “puzzle” icon next to the address bar. Then click on the “Control Panel for Twitter” extension.
3. In the settings popup menu that opens, make sure that Hide the “For You” timeline (algorithmic) is enabled. Also, be sure to set the status of “Retweets” to “Hide”.
4. And that’s it. Your Twitter feed will now only show the “Following” tab. As shown below, this is how your Twitter feed will look like after enabling the Control Panel for the Twitter extension.
Disable Twitter “For You” Tab on iPhone
On your iPhone or iPad, you will need to use the “Dashboard for Twitter“Safari extension to disable Twitter “For You” tab. For this process, you will need to use the Safari browser on your iOS device. So without further ado, let me show you how it’s done.
1. From the iOS app store, download the Dashboard for Twitter extension (Paid, $5.99) for Safari.
2. Once installed, go to “Settings -> Safari” on your iPhone.
3. Then tap on “Extensions” and enable the Control Panel for the Twitter extension.
4. Next, allow the “Web page content and browsing history” permission for mobile.twitter.com and twitter.com, respectively. This is set to “Deny” default.
5. Now click on “Settings” in the extension menu “Control Panel for Twitter”. This will redirect you to the Safari browser, where you will need to make some changes.
6. Make sure that the option “Hide the timeline “For you” (algorithmic)” is enabled.Also, set the “Retweets” in “Hide” from the drop down menu.
7. Finally, sign in to your Twitter account in the Safari browser. You will no longer see the “For You” tab on your iOS device.
Note, however, that you’ll need to rely on the Safari browser for this solution and stop using the main Twitter app, which might be smoother.
Note: I also logged into my account using the Twitter app for iOS. However, this solution only works on the web version of Twitter. Also, remember that if you’re looking to create a home screen shortcut for easy access, you won’t be able to use the Control Panel for Twitter extension there, which is annoying.
Remove the “For You” tab from Twitter on Android
If you are an Android user, the developer has made sure that you are not left behind. While the process is easy, it is not as straightforward as iOS. However, you do get the extension for free on Android, which is surely a plus.
Before we start, remember that we can’t install Chrome extensions in Google Chrome on Android. I know it’s about time, but it is what it is, unfortunately. So, to successfully disable Twitter’s “For You” tab, we’ll use a third-party browser called kiwi browser. So, this is how it works:
1. Download Kiwi Browser from Google Play Store (Free).
2. On the Kiwi Browser home page, click the three points icon in the upper right corner. From the drop down menu, select “Extensions”.
3. From the extension menu, enable “Developer mode” at the top right and click “+ (from the store)” here.
4. From the Chrome Web Storelook for Control Panel for Twitter and touch the name of the extension.
5. Here, install the extension by tapping on the button “Add to Chrome” button in the Kiwi browser.
6. You will notice that the extension has been successfully added to the extension list.
7. Next, open the Twitter website in the Kiwi browser and click on the three dots icon at the top right corner. Here, scroll down to the bottom of the dropdown menu and tap on Control Panel for Twitter.
8. In the Twitter settings menu control panel, enable “Hide timeline “For you” (algorithmic)” if it is not already on. Be sure to set the “Retweets” option to “Hide” in the dropdown menu.
9. Finally, go back to the Twitter website to see only the “Following” tab. You have successfully disabled the Twitter “For You” tab on your Android device using the Kiwi browser.
Now, it would be a hassle to open a new browser every time you want to access the Twitter website. So, to make sure you don’t have to go through this hassle, let me show you how to create a home screen shortcut for Twitter on your Android device:
10. With the Twitter website open, click on the three dots icon and then select the “Install app” option from the drop down menu.
11. When prompted, install the “mobile.twitter.com” Progressive Web App (PWA) on your Android phone.
12. Click “Add to the home screen” to successfully add the Twitter app shortcut to your home screen. Now you can launch Twitter directly from your home screen with a single tap; that too without the “For You” tab. Enjoy!
Like the Twitter Control Panel, there are many third-party apps and extensions that can support customization options and capabilities. For example, there are some third-party websites, extensions, and apps that allow you to download Twitter GIFs and videos. You should check them out.
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