Guide · 3 min read
How to use X Lists as a community feed
Short answer
An X List is a hand-picked timeline of accounts. Create it from Lists in your profile menu, name it (25 characters, not starting with a number), add up to 5,000 accounts, then pin it so it appears as a tab on Home. Public lists can be followed by anyone; private lists are visible only to you.
- Up to 1,000 lists per account and 5,000 accounts per list.
- List names: 25 characters at most, and they can't start with a number.
- A reply shows on a list only when both the replier and the person replied to are on it.
Lists are one of X's oldest features and, since Communities closed, the closest thing the platform has to a group membership roll. They are free, they don't depend on an algorithm, and the feed they produce is just the members' posts in time order. Here is how to make one that works for a community.
The limits worth knowing
These come from X's Help Center:
| Limit | |
|---|---|
| Lists per account | 1,000 |
| Accounts per list | 5,000 |
| List name | 25 characters, can't start with a number |
| Visibility | Public by default; private lists are seen only by the owner |
| Replies on a list | Shown only if both people in the exchange are on the list |
| Messaging members | Not available |
The reply rule surprises people. If a member replies to someone outside the list, the reply doesn't show in the list timeline. That keeps the feed tidy but hides conversations with newcomers. The knot builder's "conversations with members" search fills that gap.
Creating the list
- Open your profile menu and choose Lists.
- Tap or click the new-list button.
- Give it a name. The knot builder trims long names to 25 characters and removes leading numbers, so "2026 Indie Game Devs Club" becomes "Indie Game Devs Club".
- Add a short description: what the list is for and the hashtag people should use.
- Leave it public if it's meant to be a community others can follow. Turn on Private if it's only your reading list.
You can add a header image on most versions of X. Use something recognisable; it's the closest thing the group has to a logo.
Adding members
There are two ways in:
- From the list editor. Open the list, choose edit or manage members, and search for accounts by name or handle.
- From a profile. Open someone's profile, open the menu (the three dots) and choose Add/remove from Lists.
For a big group, the profile route is slow. Paste your members into the knot builder and it gives you a column of profile links you can work down, plus a count so you know when you are getting close to 5,000.
Pinning: making the list a tab
A list is only useful if you open it. Pin it from the list page and it appears as a tab on your Home timeline next to For you and Following. Ask your members to do the same; a pinned list is the nearest thing to "joining" a community now.
Public, private and the etiquette
A public list is a statement. Being added to "Brilliant Designers" is flattering; being added to "People I Disagree With" is not, and they can see it. Name public lists for what the group is, not for what you think of its members.
Private lists are useful for reading lists you don't want to announce, such as competitors, sources or a shortlist of people you might invite to a group. Nobody else sees a private list, not even its members.
Lists and searches work together
A list answers "what are my members saying?" A search answers "who else is talking about this?" A community needs both, because new people arrive through the hashtag long before anyone adds them to the list.
That's why the knot builder generates both: a List checklist, and the search feeds (topic, members, members on topic, replies to members) as Latest and Top links. See search operators for community feeds for how those queries work.
Common mistakes
- One giant list. A list of 3,000 people moves too fast to read. Split it: one core list of regulars, one wider list.
- Never pruning. Accounts go quiet, get suspended or change topic. Review the list every few months.
- Using a list as a mailing list. There's no group message. Post announcements with the hashtag and pin them.
- Forgetting the description. Without it, a public list is just a name. Say what it's for and how to get on it.
Questions
Do people know when I add them to a list?
Adding someone to a public list is visible: the list appears on the lists they are a member of. Private lists are not visible to anyone but you.
Can I message everyone on a list?
No. Lists have no group-message feature. Use a pinned post, the hashtag, or a separate group chat.
Can I add protected accounts?
Yes, but you only see their posts if they have approved you as a follower, and the same goes for anyone else viewing your list.