How to Embed Your X (Twitter) Feed in WordPress

Twitter is now X, and most of the old ways to show tweets on a WordPress site have stopped working. The popular Kebo Twitter Feed plugin was closed on wordpress.org in February 2023 at its author's request, and jQuery scripts like Tweetie and ClassyTwitter read tweets through the free Twitter API, which X shut down in 2023. If your sidebar widget has gone blank, that is why.

The good news: X still supports embedding on websites. Here are the four ways that work today, from the simplest to the most flexible.

1. Embed a single post

This is the easiest option and needs no plugin. WordPress has a built-in embed for X posts.

1. Open the post on X and copy its link.
2. In the WordPress editor, paste the link on its own line. WordPress turns it into the embedded post automatically.
3. If nothing happens, change x.com to twitter.com in the link and paste it again.

That last step matters. WordPress (including the current 7.1 release) only recognises twitter.com links for automatic embeds, not x.com links. X's embed service still accepts the old address and shows the post exactly the same way, so https://twitter.com/username/status/123... works where https://x.com/username/status/123... does not.

Embedded posts are a good fit for quoting a post inside an article, showing an announcement, or citing a source.

2. Embed your profile or a List timeline

If you want a live feed of your latest posts, X offers embedded timelines. There are two kinds:

• Profile timeline: the latest posts from one account, such as your own.
• List timeline: posts from all the accounts in an X List, useful for a curated news feed.

To add one:

1. Go to publish.x.com, X's embed generator.
2. Paste your profile link or List link and choose the embedded timeline option.
3. Set the options you want (theme, height, width) and copy the code.
4. In WordPress, add a Custom HTML block (or a Custom HTML widget for the sidebar) and paste the code.

A timeline can be between 180 and 520 pixels wide, so it fits a sidebar or the main column. Likes, Collections and Moments timelines were retired by X on 13 January 2023, so older tutorials that mention them no longer apply.

Test it before you rely on it. Open your page in a private or incognito window, where you are not logged in to X. Some site owners report that embedded timelines show an empty box to visitors who are not logged in. If yours is blank, use one of the options below instead.

3. Use a feed plugin

A plugin gives you a styled feed that matches your theme, with caching so the page stays fast. Most old Twitter feed plugins needed your own Twitter API keys, which is exactly what broke in 2023. The ones below are still maintained.

Custom Twitter Feeds (Smash Balloon)

The most widely used option, with over 100,000 active installs and regular updates. The free version connects through Smash Balloon's own service, so you do not need an X developer account or API keys. You confirm your email to get a site token and you are set up.

• Free version: one feed from one account (your user timeline). Hashtag and home timeline feeds are not available. The feed refreshes every few days, not in real time.
• Pro version: multiple feeds, media and more frequent updates. Pricing starts at $49 for the first year.

Custom Twitter Feeds on wordpress.org

Easy Feeds for X/Twitter

A lightweight plugin that wraps X's official embeds (timelines, posts and buttons) in shortcodes, so you do not have to paste embed code by hand. Its own description notes that it only works with X Premium accounts, so check that before installing.

Easy Feeds for X/Twitter on wordpress.org

Avoid plugins that have not been updated in a long time or that ask for Twitter API keys from the old free tier. Those keys no longer give free access.

4. Add a Follow button or a simple link

Sometimes a full feed is more than you need. If the goal is to grow your followers, a Follow button is lighter and always works. X still provides an official Follow button: get the code from publish.x.com and paste it into a Custom HTML block or widget. A plain "Follow us on X" link with your profile URL works too, and never breaks.

What about Twitter trends widgets?

Older guides showed how to add a "Twitter trends" widget to a sidebar. X does not offer a trends embed today. Its website tools cover embedded posts, profile and List timelines, the Post (share) button and the Follow button. Any trends widget you find would rely on unofficial methods and is likely to break.

Which option should you use?

• Quoting one post in an article: embed a single post (option 1). Free and built into WordPress.
• Showing your latest posts in the sidebar: try an embedded timeline (option 2), and test it logged out. If it is blank, use Custom Twitter Feeds (option 3).
• A styled feed that matches your theme: Custom Twitter Feeds, free for one account.
• Just more followers: a Follow button or link (option 4).

FAQ

Why did my old Twitter widget stop working?

Most older widgets and jQuery plugins read tweets through the free Twitter API. X ended free access in 2023, and plugins like Kebo Twitter Feed were closed. Replace them with one of the options above.

Do I need an X developer account to embed posts?

No. Embedded posts, embedded timelines and the Follow button all work without a developer account or API keys. The free version of Custom Twitter Feeds also works without your own keys.

Why does pasting an x.com link not embed the post?

WordPress only recognises twitter.com addresses for automatic embeds. Change x.com to twitter.com in the link and it will embed.

Will an embedded feed slow down my site?

Embeds load X's script and content from X, which adds some weight to the page. If speed matters, embed single posts only where they are needed, or use a plugin with caching.