How to Get a Blue Check on Twitter

The blue checkmark on X (formerly Twitter) isn't the elusive status symbol it once was, but understanding how to get one is more important than ever. It's no longer about proving your notability to an anonymous review team, it's now a feature available through a paid subscription. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, covering the new eligibility requirements, the paid subscription model, and whether it's truly worth it for your brand.

From Status Symbol to Subscription: The New Era of the Blue Check

For over a decade, the blue check on Twitter was a digital badge of honor. It meant the platform had independently verified that an account of public interest was authentic. It was primarily for journalists, celebrities, politicians, and brands to distinguish them from parody or fan accounts. The process was often opaque, applications were opened and closed without warning, and millions of users were left wondering what it took to get verified.

Following Elon Musk's acquisition, everything changed. The legacy verification system was dismantled and replaced with a simple proposition: if you want the blue check, you have to pay for it through a subscription service called X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue). This shifted the meaning of the checkmark from verification of notability to verification of identity (and payment).

The Three Checkmarks on X Today

To make things even clearer, X now uses a color-coded system to differentiate between account types:

• Blue Checkmark: Indicates an active subscriber to X Premium who meets the platform's eligibility requirements. This is the mark most individuals and creators will have.
• Gold Checkmark: An official mark for businesses and brands that are verified through the "Verified Organizations" program. This costs significantly more and is designed for established companies.
• Grey Checkmark: Reserved for government accounts, officials, and multilateral organizations, helping users easily identify authentic civic sources.

How to Get the Blue Checkmark on X (Step-by-Step Guide)

Getting the coveted blue check today is a straightforward process, but it involves more than just entering your credit card details. You must first meet a set of eligibility requirements designed to prevent spam and impersonation.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

X wants to ensure that the accounts receiving a blue check are legitimate and active, not spam bots or fake profiles. Before you can even subscribe, your account must meet these standards:

• Complete Profile: You must have a display name and a profile picture set. Your profile doesn't need to be filled out with a bio and header image, but it's highly recommended for building credibility.
• Active Use: Your account must have been active in the last 30 days. You need to have logged in and performed some action, like posting or liking content.
• Security First: The account must be more than 30 days old and have a confirmed phone number associated with it. This is a key step in verifying you are a real person.
• Honesty and Consistency: The account must have no signs of being misleading or deceptive. This includes impersonating another person or brand.
• No Spammy Behavior: You cannot have any signs of engaging in platform manipulation or spam. Buying followers or engaging in coordinated inauthentic activity will disqualify you.

Pro Tip: Once you subscribe and get your blue check, be careful about changing your profile picture, display name, or username (@handle). Any change will cause you to temporarily lose the checkmark while X reviews your account again. This is done to prevent users from misleading others by changing their identity after getting verified.

Step 2: Sign Up for X Premium

Once you are confident that your account meets the eligibility criteria, it's time to subscribe. The process is simple and can be done from a desktop or your mobile device.

On Desktop:

1. Log in to your X account.
2. In the left-hand navigation menu, click on the "Premium" link. You'll see this icon with the X logo.
3. A pop-up will appear asking you to choose between "I am an individual" or "I am an organization." To get the blue check, select "I am an individual."
4. You'll be presented with the available subscription tiers: Basic, Premium, and Premium+. Crucially, the blue checkmark is only available with the Premium and Premium+ plans. The Basic plan does not include it. Carefully review the features of each plan.
5. Choose your preferred billing cycle (monthly or annual for a discount) and click "Subscribe."
6. Enter your payment information to complete the purchase.

On iOS or Android:

1. Open the X app and tap on your profile picture in the top-left corner to open the side menu.
2. Tap on "Premium."
3. Select your desired plan (remember, it must be "Premium" or "Premium+" for the blue check).
4. Your payment will be processed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, using the payment method on file with those accounts.

Step 3: Wait for the Review to Complete

Subscribing does not automatically grant you the blue check. After your payment is processed, X will review your account against the eligibility criteria mentioned in Step 1. They are checking to see if your profile is complete, secure, and not spammy.

This review period is usually quick, often taking anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. Once your account is approved, the blue checkmark will appear next to your name. You won't receive a formal notification, it will simply show up on your profile.

Beyond the Checkmark: Are the X Premium Benefits Worth It?

The blue check itself is the main draw for many, but the X Premium subscription comes with a suite of features that can genuinely enhance your experience and content strategy on the platform. Deciding if it's "worth it" depends on how you use X.

Key Features of X Premium:

• Edit Post: This is a game-changer. You get a window of time (up to 1 hour) to fix typos, change an image, or tag a different account after you've published a post.
• Longer Posts & Videos: Break free from the standard character limit. Premium subscribers can write posts up to 25,000 characters and upload longer, higher-quality videos (up to 3 hours and 1080p). This is huge for creators and brands doing storytelling.
• Prioritized Rankings: X gives a small ranking boost to posts from Premium subscribers in conversations and search. This can help increase the visibility of your replies and content, though it's not a silver bullet for going viral.
• See Fewer Ads: One of the biggest quality-of-life benefits is seeing approximately 50-75% fewer ads in your "For You" and "Following" timelines. It cleans up the user experience considerably.
• Creator Hub: Get access to tools that allow you to monetize your content on X, including receiving a share of ad revenue generated from your post replies (if you meet certain engagement thresholds).
• More Customization: You also get access to features like text formatting (bold and italics), bookmark folders for organizing posts, custom app icons, and an NFT profile picture option.

Building an Account Worthy of Verification (Even If It’s Paid)

While the barrier to entry for a blue check has been lowered, the value of that check is still defined by the quality of the account behind it. A blue check on a spammy, low-quality, or inconsistent account means very little. The real currency on X, as with any social platform, is still trust and authority.

Whether you’re a creator, entrepreneur, or marketer, the goal should be to build a presence that *feels* authoritative, with or without a checkmark. Think of the subscription as a tool to amplify an already strong strategy.

How to Build a Credible Presence on X:

• Define Your Niche and Stick to It: What are you an expert in? What value do you provide? Your content should have a clear focus, whether it's marketing tips, tech news, or industry commentary.
• Post Consistently: An active account is a credible account. Aim to post original content regularly and engage in conversations within your community. Irregular or infrequent posting signals an abandoned account.
• Engage Authentically: Don't just broadcast, participate. Reply to others, ask questions, and contribute to conversations. Social media is a two-way street, and engagement builds relationships and trust.
• Optimize Your Profile: Use a high-quality headshot or logo, write a clear and concise bio that explains who you are and what you do, and include a link to your website, portfolio, or other important social channels. A complete profile is the first sign of a professionally run account.

Focusing on these foundational elements will make your account a valuable resource for your followers, and the blue check will serve as the finishing touch that confirms your commitment to the platform.

Final Thoughts

Getting a blue check on X is now a simple, accessible process for anyone who meets the platform's basic anti-spam requirements and is willing to subscribe to X Premium. It has democratized a once-exclusive symbol, turning it from a marker of notability into a tool for verifying identity and unlocking enhanced features.

Ultimately, a blue checkmark helps legitimize your presence, but it's the quality of your content and engagement that builds a lasting brand. Creating a consistent, high-value stream of content is job number one. At Postbase, we built our platform so you could manage your strategy across all socials from one beautiful calendar. By simplifying the planning and scheduling, we free you up to focus on what really matters: creating conversations and building a community your audience trusts.