Technologies

Delete your Twitter history. It’s time to erase those cringeworthy tweets for good

Whether you’re looking to get rid of a handful of posts or mass delete your tweets, here are four apps that can help.

Twitter is an easy way to get a wide range of information. You can catch up on breaking news, spot honest reviews of products and services, and find funny memes and viral threads. (You can even check out Twitter Blue, the social media company’s new subscription service that lets you undo tweets and read ad-free articles.) But, Twitter has been around for well over a decade now, and if you scroll back long enough through anyone’s Twitter history, it could get a bit embarrassing.

Twitter’s popularity bloomed in the late aughts, when many millennials were still in the MySpace mindset — sharing vague sad statuses for attention, angsty song lyrics and selfies in a dirty bathroom mirror. Most people prefer a more polished social presence these days and may want to wipe those outdated posts. You might also want to clear out tweets from a painful time in your life or make your internet presence a bit more private.

Does the thought of someone finding your cringeworthy Twitter origins keep you up at night? Don’t worry — your friends might remember your emo days, but there are several ways to wipe your emo phase from the annals of Twitter. Keep in mind if you use one of these apps, deleting your tweets is permanent and unless you subscribe to a premium tier, the service will usually limit you to deleting 3,200 tweets. We’ll tell you how:

TweetDelete: Mass delete tweets using age and keyword filters

TweetDelete is a free web tool that lets you mass delete your Twitter posts with age and text filters. You can also set the tool up to mass delete on a schedule. Here’s how to get started with TweetDelete:

1. Visit TweetDelete.net.

2. Sign in with Twitter.

3. Read application permissions, privacy settings, T&C.

4. Authorize app.

From there, you can delete up to 3,200 of your most recent tweets with some limitations. There are dropdown menu options to delete tweets older than one week, three months, a year and more. If you’re looking to delete a specific topic, you can use the text field to delete tweets containing a word or phrase. Finally, you can tell TweetDelete to wipe your tweets one or every few days. But be warned: Unless you backed up a data file your tweets can’t be recovered after you delete them.

TweetDelete also offers a premium experience for a one-time $15 payment. Premium includes extra features like unlimited tweet deletion, more customization during mass deletes, an advanced mode to delete tweets by their numeric ID, and more.

TweetEraser: Filter by date, retweets or likes to choose what to mass delete

TweetEraser is a webtool meant to help you clean up your Twitter timeline. With the app, you can filter and mass delete Tweets. Here’s how the service works:

1. Visit tweeteraser.com.

2. Choose your plan. If you choose the free tier, simply click Sign in with Twitter.

3. Enter your Twitter login information and click Authorize App.

4. Enter the authentication code sent your phone and click Log in.

5. Click Authorize App again.

6. TweetEraser will ask for your email address to make communication easier, but you don’t have to enter it to continue with the service.

7. Click Get Latest Tweets to see a chart of your Twitter activity.

TweetEraser will tell you the date and time you posted, how many retweets and likes you earned and whether you added a photo. It also offers the ability to view the original post on Twitter. From there, just check the box to delete individually or all the records on the page — you can customize from 10 tweets per page to 3,200 (the max import for the free version).

TweetEraser’s free tier says it offers no recurring charges, no timeline spam, a maximum Twitter data import of 3,200 tweets and limited search filters. The tool also offers subscription plans — the Standard Eraser is $7 for 30 days and the Premium Eraser is $10 for 30 days. Both include an ad-free experience, more search filters, the ability to add multiple Twitter accounts and more features.

TweetDeleter: A way to browse, unlike and permanently delete tweets

TweetDeleter lets you browse, search and delete tweets, as well as unlike tweets. The app lets you search tweets by likes, keyword, profanity, date, media and more. You can also access an archive of your tweets and likes. TweetDeleter also lets you keep deleted tweets on the app, even though they’re permanently deleted from Twitter.

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit tweetdeleter.com.

2. Click Sign in with Twitter.

3. Enter your Twitter login information.

4. Click Authorize App.

From there, you’ll be directed to your dashboard where you can search, delete, set up automatic deletes, upload archives and see the deleted tweets you saved on the app.

TweetDeleter has a free version, but it only lets you delete up to five tweets per month, use five free keyword searches per month, and filter profanity. To use a broader range of TweetDeleter’s features, the app has subscription plans. Standard ($4 a month) lets you delete up to 500 tweets a month and unlocks all search filters and keywords. TweetDeleter Advanced ($5 a month) includes everything in Standard, but lets you delete 3,200 tweets and 1,000 likes per month. The Unlimited tier unlocks the entire app. No matter what subscription you choose, saving deleted tweets to the app is an extra $5 a month.

TwitWipe: Delete all the tweets posted to your Twitter account

The TwitWipe app deletes all the tweets — retweets, likes, replies, media, mentions too — posted on a Twitter account. Followers remain intact, as well as tweets that other people mentioned you in. This one might be helpful if the Twitter account is passed from one person to another.

At the time of publication, TwitWipe’s website was undergoing maintenance. Here’s how the steps were listed on the site:

1. Visit twitwipe.com

2. Click Get Started

3. Click Sign in using Twitter

4. Confirm or cancel the «TwitWipe This Account» button. Make sure to read the disclaimers before confirming the wipe.

For more, check out the 7 things data privacy experts wish you knew about app security, browser privacy settings you need to change right away in Chrome, Firefox and more, and 6 Facebook privacy settings you need to check right now.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 18, #677

Horror-movie buffs, it’s your day to shine. Here are hints and the answers for Connections for April 18, #677.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Movie buffs, you’ll see a topic right up your alley in today’s Connections puzzle. And Gen Xers raised on Schoolhouse Rock? The yellow group might remind you of a fun video. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Rats!

Green group hint: Blob is another one.

Blue group hint: You might do this to flowers.

Purple group hint: Your stuff.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Interjections.

Green group: Horror movies, with «the.»

Blue group: Things you can pick.

Purple group: Personal property minus «S.»

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is interjections. The four answers are boy, goodness, man and wow.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is horror movies, with «the.» The four answers are Birds, Exorcist, Haunting and Shining.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is things you can pick. The four answers are apple, banjo, card and nose.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is personal property minus «s.» The four answers are belonging, effect, good and possession.

Quick tips for Connections

#1: Say the clue words out loud, pausing before and after each. That helps you hear the words in the context of a phrase. The Connections editors love to group words together that are used in similar phrasing, like ____ Up.

#2: Don’t go for the obvious grouping. These editors are smart. Once, they offered SPONGE, BOB, SQUARE and PANTS in the same puzzle. None of those words were in the same category. If you like, hit the «shuffle» button to give yourself a different perspective on the words.

#3: Break down any compound words and look for similarities. «Rushmore» was once in a puzzle where the connection was that each word started with the name of a rock band.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 18, #411

Do you want to play a game? Here are hints — and the answers — for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 411 for April 18.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Todays NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one, especially if you like board games. I initially thought it might just be the names of some games, but other related words also fit in, which makes it a bit trickier. If you’re looking for hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: On the board.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Let’s play.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

CHEEK, GAME, LOPE, LOPES, NIGHT, SOLD, MOLT, BAGS, DOME, SHIP, SHAME, CHEER, DIME, POLE, DOLE.

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TILE, TOKEN, DOMINO, KNIGHT, CHECKER, BATTLESHIP

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is GAMEPIECES. To find it, start with the G that’s four letters over from the far left and three letters down, and twist over and back across.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.

Technologies

Your Phone Is Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat. Now Clean It the Right Way

Using the wrong products can damage the screen and protective coatings. Here’s the safest way to clean your grimy phone.

Americans spend more than 5 hours a day on their phones, according to a December 2024 survey. With that much handling, it’s no surprise your phone becomes a hotspot for bacteria — in fact, it’s often dirtier than a toilet seat. Since you hold it constantly and press it to your face, making regular phone cleaning part of your routine is more than just smart, it’s necessary for your health.

The FCC suggests disinfecting your phone daily, but not all cleaning methods are safe. Harsh chemicals and abrasive materials can damage protective coatings and potentially harm your screen. To keep your phone both clean and intact, it’s crucial to use the right cleaning techniques.

Luckily, there are safe and effective ways to sanitize your phone without causing any damage. We’ll guide you through the best methods and products for keeping your device germ-free, no matter if you have an iPhone or a Samsung or whatever its level of water resistance.

For more cleaning tips, here’s how to clean wireless earbuds and AirPods.

What are the best products for daily cleaning?

After touching surfaces that see a lot of action from the public — such as door handles, seats on public transportation, grocery carts and gas pumps — you might think you need a heavy-duty cleaning agent to use on your phone. However, you should avoid rubbing alcohol or products made of straight alcohol, since they can damage the protective coatings that prevent oil and water from harming your screen.

Some suggest making your own alcohol-water mix, but getting the concentration wrong can damage your phone. The safest option is using disinfectant wipes with 70% isopropyl alcohol. For daily cleaning, consider a UV light product like PhoneSoap, which kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria. We can also turn to phone manufacturers and cell service companies for guidance, too.

Apple now approves using Clorox Wipes and similar disinfectants, which was not recommended before the pandemic since they were thought to be too abrasive on the screen’s coating. AT&T advises spraying a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution on a soft, lint-free cloth and wiping your device down. Samsung also recommends using a 70% alcohol solution with a microfiber cloth. Always make sure your phone is powered off before cleaning it.

What are the best methods for removing fingerprints, sand and makeup?

Sometimes your phone needs a more specific treatment when washing up. The recommended process for daily cleaning may not be enough to remove pesky grains of sand after a beach vacation or tough foundation stains.

Get rid of fingerprints

Fingerprint smudges are inevitable since your skin produces oils. Every time you pick up your phone, your screen will get fingerprints. The safest way to make your screen print-free is with a microfiber cloth. For a deeper clean, dampen the cloth with distilled water (never apply water directly to the screen) and wipe down the surface. This works for the back and sides of your phone as well.

Alternatively, try a microfiber screen cleaner sticker that sticks to the back of your phone for easy wiping.

Remove sand and small particles

Grains of sand and lint can easily get stuck in your phone’s ports and crevices. To remove it, we recommend you use Scotch tape. Press it along the creases and speaker, then roll it up and gently insert it into the ports. The tape will pull out any debris. You can then just simply throw away the tape for easy cleanup.

For smaller speaker holes, use a toothpick gently or a small vacuum crevice tool to suck out the debris. These tools work well for other small appliances or hard-to-reach areas in your car too.

Cleanse makeup off your phone screen

When you wear makeup and skin care products, such as foundation and moisturizers, you’ll leave residue on your phone screen. While makeup remover works for your face, it’s not safe for screens due to potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, try a screen-safe makeup remover like Whoosh, which is alcohol-free and gentle on all screens.

Alternatively, use a damp microfiber cloth to clean your phone, then wash the cloth afterward. Make sure your cloth is only slightly wet to avoid soaking your phone in water.

What if my phone is waterproof?

For waterproof phones (IP67 and above), it’s best to clean the device with a damp cloth instead of submerging or running it under water — even if the phone advertises that it can withstand submersion for a certain amount of time.

Afterward, dry your phone with a soft cloth, ensuring all ports and speakers are patted dry. While your phone can withstand water, submerging it can lead to water in the ports, delaying charging. Remember, water resistance is meant for accidents, not swimming or regular cleaning.

Things to avoid when cleaning your phone

We’ve already covered why you should avoid makeup remover and rubbing alcohol, but those aren’t a comprehensive list of harmful cleaning agents. Here are a few other items and products you should never use to clean your phone:

Hand sanitizer: Fragrances and ethyl alcohol found in many sanitizers can harm your phone.
Window or kitchen cleaners: Harsh cleaners can strip the protective coating on your phone and leave it more vulnerable to scratches.
Paper towels: Paper can shred, making the debris on your phone much worse, and the rough texture can leave scratches on your screen.
Dish and hand soap: Most soaps require you to combine them with water, and since you should keep water away from your phone, it’s best to stick to a damp cloth.
Vinegar: Like cleaners and alcohols, vinegar will strip your phone screen’s coating.
Compressed air: Blowing intense and direct air into your phone’s portals can cause damage, especially to your mic. Apple specifically warns iPhone owners not to use compressed air.