Find the old tweets that could hurt you
You don't need to wipe your account. You need to find the few posts that read badly today. Here are three ways to do it, from quickest to most thorough.
1. Search your own posts on X
Type these into the X search bar, replacing yourhandle:
from:yourhandle drunk: one risky word at a timefrom:yourhandle (hate OR stupid OR idiot): several words at oncefrom:yourhandle until:2019-01-01: only posts from before a datefrom:yourhandle filter:replies: only your replies, where most arguments livefrom:yourhandle "my boss": an exact phrase
Search is quick but incomplete. X doesn't always return very old posts, and you have to guess the right words.
2. Know what to search for
Words to try, grouped by what a reader might take from them:
- Work: your past employers' names, "my boss", "hate my job", "calling in sick", "quit"
- Partying: drunk, hungover, wasted, high, and the slang you used at the time
- Insults: swear words, "idiot", "stupid", and words aimed at groups of people
- Arguments: handles of people you used to fight with, and political topics you posted about heatedly
- Oversharing: confidential work details, other people's private information
Context matters. A swear word in a joke with a friend is different from one aimed at a stranger. Read each match before you decide.
3. Scan your archive for full history
Your X archive contains every post you've made, including ones search won't show. You can open it and search the text yourself, or upload it in the paid A Clean Slate full report (from $9, archive upload included), which reads it in your browser and adds the flagged posts to your checklist.
Paste your handle and see, free, how many recent posts look risky and why.
Scan my recent posts4. Decide: delete, keep or leave it
For each match, ask whether a stranger reading it today would see it the way you meant it. If not, delete it. If it's just dated or a bit silly, it's usually fine to keep. A normal history with a few posts removed looks better than an empty profile.
5. Don't forget the rest of the profile
Check your reposts, your pinned post, your bio and your profile photo. Then search your name and handle on Google in a private window, since screenshots and copies can live on elsewhere.
Common questions
Can I search my own old tweets by keyword?
Yes, with from:yourhandle plus a word. For a complete check, use your archive.
Do I have to delete all my tweets to be safe?
No. Most people only need to remove a handful. Keeping the rest shows you're a real person.
What about replies and reposts?
Check them too. Replies hold most old arguments, and reposts show on your profile as if you posted them.
Search operators checked against X as of Oct 2026 and may change.