Follow a User API | Programmatic Twitter Follow

Follow User follows an account on behalf of your own authenticated X account. It requires a registered X session, since the follow belongs to a real account, and returns ok:true when recorded. Pass the target's numeric user_id or its username (resolved for you) as a query parameter or in a JSON body. This is a write action billed at $0.0008 per call, the same as a standard read.

curl -X POST "https://example.com/user/follow?user_id=44196397&username=elonmusk"

{  "ok": true}

{  "error": "bad_request",  "message": "Missing or malformed parameter. Fix the request before retrying."}

{  "error": "unauthorized",  "message": "The API key is missing, malformed, or revoked. Check the Authorization header."}

{  "error": "insufficient_credits",  "message": "Your balance is exhausted. Top up your credits to continue.",  "top_up_url": "https://www.twitterapis.com/dashboard/buy-credits?utm_source=api&utm_medium=402"}

{  "error": "forbidden",  "message": "X refused this resource for the acting account: on a read, the account is not a participant in the DM thread, the target is protected or has blocked it, or the session was attestation-blocked for calling from a datacenter or rotating IP; on a write, the account is not authorized for the action or has no logged-in session. The credentials are still valid, so do not re-register."}

{  "error": "not_found",  "message": "The resource does not exist, for example a deleted tweet or a private account."}

{  "error": "rate_limited",  "message": "Too many requests. Back off and retry with exponential backoff."}

{  "error": "server_error",  "message": "Something failed on our side. Retry with backoff; if it persists, contact support."}

Pricing

Writes are billed at $0.0008 per call, the same as a standard read. A follow that fails before reaching X is not billed.

When to use

Use it to follow accounts programmatically as your account, for example following back new verified followers.

Related endpoints

• Unfollow User: Unfollow a user on behalf of an authenticated account.
• User Followers: Page through the accounts that follow a user.
• User Following: Page through the accounts a user follows.

FAQ

Does Follow User need a session?

Yes. A follow is added to your own X account's graph, so you must register an X session first or the call returns session_required.

What identifier does it take?

Either the target account's numeric user_id or its username (with or without @), as a query parameter or in a JSON body. A username is resolved to its ID for you through the same cached lookup Check Follow Relationship uses, so there is no need to call User Info first; if both are sent, user_id wins.

How do I unfollow?

Call Unfollow User (user/unfollow) with the same user_id to remove the follow from your account.