The way of verifying a Twitter account has changed over the years, so we considered a good idea to write an up-to-date article about which are the current procedures to request or acquire verification, especially because there are much of fake information around. This is updated information that includes changes made by Elon Musk in 2023.
How to verify a Twitter account through direct request
It used to be possible to complete a form to request verification from Twitter. The option was available in the account menu, and we were given the chance to include in our verification request some links to provide evidence of authenticity and notoriety. Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the requirements to get verified have changed, so that is no longer possible.
The only current way to get the coveted blue tick is by buying Twitter Blue. It is expected that accounts that have been verified by other methods, whether it is by direct request or notoriety, will lose their blue ticks at some point in the future.
Twitter Blue
Twitter is the only platform that allows you to obtain verification simply by paying a fee. The service is called Twitter Blue and it costs $8 USD through the website, or $11 USD if it is purchased through the App Store. Once activated, the blue tick usually appears in the account in a couple of days, after it has been manually reviewed.
Keep in mind that there are some requirements: the account has to be at least 90 days old, not violate any of the Twitter Rules, and it should have a verified phone number. Also, once the account has been verified, you should not change its name, username or profile photo. If you do, you will lose the blue tick and the account will have to be revised again.
At the moment Twitter Blue is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Gold and gray verifications
Apart from the blue tick, you might have noticed that there are also gold and gray verifications for some accounts. Gold ticks represent businesses, while the gray ones represent government agencies. So depending on the type of account you manage, you might get one of those verifications. Apart from the gold tick, businesses also have square avatars, instead of the normal circular ones.
Twitter continues to make changes to the different verification badges and to the verification process, so keep in mind that these are not fixed in stone. Many recent changes that Elon Musk made in the platform are experimental.
How NOT to verify a Twitter account
It is worth noting that there is a way to NOT obtain the verification, and that is by requesting it by tweet to @verified, the official Twitter verifications account. By checking @verified mentions, we can easily note the large quantity of people who continuously tries to obtain the verification by this means with no success. Even if a verified Twitter account mentions us and requests our verification, that fact does not help at all and does not imply a revision by the Twitter verification department.
Hi! Thank you for the information. I’ve bought Twitter Blue, but still didn’t get the blue tick. I’ve been waiting for a week. What could be the problem? Will I get verified? Thank you.
Hi! There are many reasons why the verification might be delayed or not received. It could be that Twitter is getting too many requests at the moment, or there might be a problem with your specific account that prevents it from getting verified. I’ll contact you by email to ask you for your username.
Great article! One question: I bought Twitter Blue from the App Store where it’s more expensive. Now I want to cancel the subscription and get it again but on the web to pay less. Is that possible? Will I lose the blue tick? Thanks.
Hi! Yes, you can cancel and buy the service again. I’d recommend doing it close to the end of the paid month to avoid paying twice. Once you have cancelled, the blue tick won’t immediately disappear, so you might be able to continue with the verification uninterruptedly.
How long does it take to get verified once I bought Twitter Blue?
Hi! It depends. The quicker I’ve seen is 48 hrs. But it depends on how many people are signing up to Twitter Blue and how notable your account is.
What kind accounts can be verified? Do I have to put my real name, or it could be a fake one? Cheers.
Hi! At the moment there is no requirement for a real name. I’ve seen many accounts with random names getting the blue tick. But remember it’s not recommended you change it after getting verified, so I recommend choosing the definitive one before buying Twitter Blue.
Hello. If I get Twitter Blue, is it 100% sure I’ll get verified with the blue tick? Or it might not happen?
Hi! If your account meets the eligibility criteria, it’ll get verified. It has to be at least 90 days old, comply with Twitter Rules and have a verified phone number.
Hi! Thank you for your article and the kind responses to our questions. I have one remaining question: can Twitter accounts with few followers get verified? Or my account needs to be popular?
Hi! There’s no requirement on the number of followers the account must have. I’ve seen Twitter accounts get verified with only 5 followers.
Hi! I want to get verified but I don’t see a way to subscribe to Twitter Blue in my account. The option doesn’t show up. Can you help?
Hi! The most common reason for that is that you’re not residing in a country where Twitter Blue is available (the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK). But there are ways to subscribe anyway. Contact me via contact form on the website so I can help you.
Twitter Blue is not available in my country. Can you verify my Twitter account?
Hi! Yes, it’s possible. Please contact me via contact form.
My Twitter account has been verified years ago, through the old method. It now says “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable”. I’ve heard that only Twitter Blue verifications will remain. Will I lose the blue tick?
Hi! It does seem that Elon Musk is planning to remove all legacy blue ticks and leave only Twitter Blue verifications. However, considerable backlash would ensue from celebrities if he does that. So it’s uncertain at the moment.
Hi, thanks for the info. Once my account got the verified badge, will it stay indefinitely? Or should I keep paying the subscription for it to remain? Thank you.
Hi! You have to stay subscribed to Twitter Blue for the blue tick to remain in your account. If you cancel your subscription, it’ll disappear in a couple of days.