What are Twitter (X) trends?
Trends are the topics, phrases and hashtags that X highlights because a lot of people are talking about them at that moment. They appear in the Explore or Trending area of the X app and website. A trend can be a news event, a sports match, a TV show, a meme or an ordinary word that suddenly appears in many posts.
The name “Twitter trends” is still what most people search for, even though the platform is now called X. This page shows trends for the whole world and for the United States, side by side, so you can see both the global picture and one large market. Click any trend and it opens the matching search on X, where you can read the posts behind it.
How does X choose what is trending?
X does not publish the exact formula, so nobody outside the company can tell you precisely how the ranking works. What is generally known is that trends depend on location, and that inside the X app they can also be personalized, which means the list you see on your own account may not match anyone else's. Promoted trends, which are paid placements, can also appear in the app.
That is why a list like this one is best used as a quick overview and not as a perfect mirror of your own feed. It shows X trends for the locations listed on this page, refreshed about every 30 minutes, with promoted trends left out. The data reaches us through a third-party data provider, so it is not an official X feed, and it can differ from what you see in the app at the same moment.
How do you use a trend to write a timely post?
Joining a trend works when you have something real to add, not when you only attach the hashtag. A short routine helps:
- Open the trend and read a handful of posts, sorted by the latest and by the most popular, so you understand what people are reacting to.
- Ask what you know that most people in that conversation do not: a first-hand experience, a relevant number you can source, a practical tip or a calm counterpoint.
- Write one clear post around that angle. Put the point in the first line, because that is what appears in the feed.
- Use the trend's keyword or hashtag once, where it fits naturally, and skip the rest of the tags.
- Check the length before posting. X allows 280 characters, and the character counter shows the exact count.
How do you check a trend before you join in?
Trends move fast and are often built on incomplete information. Before you post, find out what the trend is really about. A word you recognize may refer to something entirely different today, and some trends exist because of a joke, a rumor or a coordinated push rather than a real event.
Look for a reliable source behind the claim, read the replies for corrections, and wait if the facts are still unclear. If you cannot verify something, say that you are not sure or leave it alone. A late, accurate post is usually better than a quick one that you later have to delete. If you want help turning your angle into a draft, xVirals is an AI writing assistant that can draft a post on a topic in your own voice, and you review it before you publish anything yourself.
What is the difference between hashtag trends and keyword trends?
A hashtag trend is built around a tag that starts with #, for example a campaign, an event or a joke that people agreed to tag. A keyword trend is a plain word, a name or a phrase that appears in many posts without any tag. Trends list both kinds, and the list on this page shows them as X names them.
In practice, a hashtag is easier to follow because everyone uses the same string, while a keyword trend often includes several spellings and mixed contexts. When you open a keyword trend, expect more noise. To narrow the results to one account, a date range or a minimum number of likes, build a query with the Twitter advanced search tool.
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Frequently asked questions
What is trending on Twitter right now?
The list at the top of this page shows the current X trends worldwide and in the United States. It is refreshed about every 30 minutes, and each trend links to its search on X.
Is Twitter still called Twitter?
The platform is now called X, but many people still search for “Twitter trends”. This page covers the trends on X.
Why is my own trending list different from this page?
Trends depend on location and, inside the X app, can be personalized. This page shows the lists for worldwide and the United States and is refreshed about every 30 minutes, so it can differ from your account at any moment.
Is this official data from X?
No. The trends come from X through a third-party data provider and are cached for about 30 minutes. Promoted trends are not shown.
How can I use a trending topic in my posts?
Read what people are saying first, then add something of your own: an experience, a fact you can source or a useful tip. Use the keyword once and keep the post within X's 280-character limit.
Is it good to jump on every trend?
No. Join only when the topic fits your account and you can verify the facts. A trend that does not match your audience, or one built on a rumor, usually does more harm than good.