xWhat this checker tests
The checker runs three tests on public data: an account check, a search test and a search suggestion test. It never logs in and never touches your account.
Search ban: we take your latest original posts (not replies or reposts, older than 15 minutes and newer than three weeks) and run a “from:username” search sorted by latest. If X returns nothing for an account that is posting, your posts are hidden from search.
Search suggestion ban: we search for your username in X's people search. If your account doesn't appear for its own exact name, X is likely hiding it from suggestions, which makes you harder to find and mention.
Everything else on the result card is context, not a verdict. The sections below explain what each line means and what to do about it.
Types of shadowban on X
“Shadowban” isn't an official X term. X calls it limiting visibility or reach, and its help center lists what that can mean: keeping posts out of search, trends and recommended notifications, removing them from the For you and Following timelines, limiting likes, replies and reposts, and in more serious cases putting an account in read-only mode. People usually group these effects into four types:
| Type | What happens | Tested here? |
|---|---|---|
| Search ban | Your posts don't appear in search, not even for “from:username”. | Yes |
| Search suggestion ban | Your account doesn't show up in the search box or people search when someone types your name. | Yes |
| Ghost ban / reply deboosting | Your replies drop behind “Show more replies” or rank so low that few people see them. | No: it depends on who is viewing |
| Read-only / limited account | You can't post, repost or like for a while, or X asks you to verify the account. | No: X tells you in the app |
A search ban is the easiest to spot. If a search for your posts shows nothing while your profile shows recent ones, anyone looking for what you wrote won't find it, and neither will people searching a topic you posted about.
A search suggestion ban is quieter. Your posts may still appear in search, but your account doesn't pop up when someone starts typing your name, so new people have a harder time finding and tagging you.
Ghost bans and reply deboosting are the ones people worry about most, and the ones nobody can measure from outside. Reply order depends on who is viewing, whom they follow, what they have muted and how X ranks that conversation at that moment. A reply that's visible to one person can sit under “Show more replies” for another. That's why this checker shows the row as “Not measurable” instead of inventing a score.
Read-only mode doesn't need a checker at all. When X limits what an account can do, it shows a notice in the app, and a locked account is asked to verify with a phone number, email or a challenge. X also says that since April 2023 it labels individual posts whose visibility it limited for breaking its rules, and that authors can appeal those labels.
How to read your result
- Account: “Active and public” means the tests could run. “Not found” means no visible account has that name; it may be suspended, deactivated or renamed. “Protected” means the posts are private, so search tests can't run.
- Search ban: “No ban detected” means X search returned your posts. The line under it, “N of your M latest posts appeared in search”, shows the sample: up to five recent original posts. A latest-first search only returns a limited batch and your own replies can fill it, so 2 of 5 isn't a warning sign by itself. Zero results for an active account is what we report as “Possible ban”.
- Search suggestion ban: “No ban detected” means people search returned your account for its exact username. “Possible ban” means it didn't. Brand-new accounts and very generic usernames can miss this without any restriction, so check again the next day before drawing conclusions.
- Ghost ban / reply deboost: always “Not measurable”. Use the manual reply test below instead.
- Couldn't test: neither a pass nor a fail. It usually means there were no original posts from the last three weeks, or part of the check didn't finish. Post something, wait 15 minutes and check again.
- Result from the last 6 hours: results for the same account are cached for up to 6 hours, so checking again inside that window usually shows the same answer.
How to check for a shadowban yourself
You can repeat these tests by hand in about five minutes. Use a private browser window or a second account that doesn't follow you, because X always shows you your own posts.
- Open a second view. Open a private window, or ask a friend who doesn't follow you to help. If X asks you to sign in before searching, use a second account.
- Search for your posts. Type “from:yourusername” into X search and open the Latest tab. Your recent posts should be listed, newest first.
- Search for your account. Type your username into the search box and watch the suggestions, then open the People tab. Your account should appear at or near the top.
- Check your replies. Pick a recent reply you left under a busy post, open that post from the second view and scroll through the replies. If yours only appears after “Show more replies”, or not at all, it's ranked low for that viewer.
- Look for notices from X. In the app, check your notifications and any labels on your posts. An official notice about limited features or reduced visibility outweighs any outside test.
Why accounts get shadowbanned
Most of the behaviour that leads to these limits is covered by X's rules on platform manipulation and spam. The usual patterns:
- Bursts of follows, unfollows, likes or replies in a short time, especially toward accounts that don't follow you.
- Posting the same text or link again and again, or the same reply under many different posts.
- Many reports, blocks or mutes in a short window, for example after a heated argument.
- Automation or third-party apps that like, follow or reply for you on a schedule.
- Stuffing posts with hashtags, or adding trending hashtags that have nothing to do with the post.
- Posts that break X's rules. X says it can keep these out of search and recommendations and label them.
- A new account with no photo, no bio and no confirmed email or phone that suddenly becomes very active.
None of these is a guaranteed trigger, and X doesn't publish thresholds. The safe reading is simple: anything that makes an account look automated to an automated system can cost it reach.
How long does a shadowban last?
X doesn't publish a fixed duration for search or reply limits, so be careful with any page that quotes an exact number of days. Read-only limits are the exception: when X restricts features, it tells you in the app.
What users consistently report is that the limit fades once the behaviour that caused it stops, and that it can come back or last longer if the behaviour continues. Check every few days, not every hour; checking more often won't speed anything up.
How to fix a shadowban
- Stop whatever changed recently. If you started using an automation tool, a follow/unfollow app or a much faster posting pace, pause it first.
- Remove access for apps you no longer use, in your X settings under connected apps.
- Delete repeated posts and copy-paste replies, especially ones with the same link.
- Complete your account: a profile photo, a bio, and a confirmed email and phone number. If X asks you to verify, do it.
- Post normally for several days: original posts and real replies at a human pace, without mass liking or following.
- If a post carries a label or your features are limited, use the appeal option X shows there, or contact X through help.x.com.
- Run the checker again after a few days and compare it with your first result.
How to avoid a shadowban
- Grow your activity gradually. A sudden jump in volume looks less human than steady activity.
- Write each reply for the post it sits under. The same “Great point!” under dozens of posts reads as spam to people and to filters.
- Use hashtags only when they fit the post, and only one or two.
- Don't keep dropping the same link. Add a sentence or two of your own context.
- Only connect apps you trust, and avoid ones that act on your account without you.
- Get long posts right the first time: check the length with the character counter or split long text with the thread generator instead of deleting and reposting.
When it isn't a shadowban
Most drops in reach have nothing to do with a restriction. X ranks posts for each viewer, so a quiet week, a topic your audience cares less about or posting at an off hour all show up as lower numbers. If both tests pass and X hasn't shown you any notice, look at the posts rather than the account.
That's the part xVirals helps with. It's an AI writing assistant for X that drafts posts, replies and quotes in your own voice, and you review and post every one yourself. It never posts, likes or follows on your account, so it adds no automated activity to it. See how xVirals works.
More free tools: Twitter character counter · Twitter thread generator · all free Twitter tools
Frequently asked questions
What is a shadowban on X?
It's the unofficial name for X limiting how visible an account or its posts are, without suspending it. X calls it limiting visibility or reach: posts can be kept out of search, recommendations and timelines, and replies or reposts can be limited.
Is this shadowban checker free?
Yes. You can run 5 checks per day without signing up. Results for the same account are cached for 6 hours.
Do you need access to my X account?
No. The checker only reads public data: your profile, your recent public posts and public search results. It never asks for a password or login.
Does X tell you if you're shadowbanned?
Sometimes. X says it labels posts whose visibility it limited for breaking its rules, and it shows a notice in the app when it limits features or locks an account. Changes in search and reply ranking usually come without any message, which is why outside tests exist.
Why does it say “Couldn't test”?
The search test needs at least one original post from the last three weeks that is older than 15 minutes. Protected accounts show “Protected” instead, because their posts never appear in public search and can't be tested.
Can it detect a ghost ban or reply deboost?
No, and no outside tool can do it reliably. These depend on the viewer and on X's ranking, so the checker marks them as not measurable instead of guessing. The manual reply test on this page is the most honest check.
How long does a shadowban last?
X doesn't publish a fixed duration. Users commonly report that search limits fade once the behaviour that caused them stops, and that they can return if it continues. Check again after a few days of normal posting.
How do I get rid of a shadowban?
Stop what triggered it (automation, mass following or liking, repeated posts), delete repeated content, complete and verify your account, and post normally for several days. If X shows a label or a limit notice, appeal it there.
Is a drop in likes and views a sign of a shadowban?
Not on its own. Reach changes with the topic, the timing and how X ranks posts for each viewer. If both search tests pass and X shows no notice, your account isn't restricted in any way that can be measured from outside.
How often should I check?
Every few days is enough. Limits don't change minute to minute, results are cached for 6 hours, and checking more often only uses up your 5 daily checks.