Twitter Features You Might Not Know About

Twitter has been around since 2007, and it's safe to say the social media platform has transformed massively since it launched. But the top minds behind Twitter are working on new features all the time, and while we're sure you've noticed the major changes, there's likely to be a handful of features that you may have missed.

Ready to discover some of Twitter's most useful features you might not know about? Take a look at some of our favourites below.

Swipe left to launch the camera

It's now easier than ever to share a photo, video or stream live directly from Twitter. On the Twitter app, view your Timeline and then swipe left.

From here, you can choose to capture a photo or video or to go live on Twitter - the perfect way to share what you're up to at that moment with your followers. If you choose to take a snap, you'll be able to add a tweet and your location as a caption from the same screen. If you prefer to go live, you'll be able to stream video or audio-only content, and you won't find any Periscope branding like before.

Twitter will also suggest relevant hashtags, which will be used by the platform to identify relevant media that can be added to public 'What's Happening' sections.

Share your profile with a QR Code

Looking for a faster way to share your Twitter profile with someone in person? Just use your unique QR code, available through the Twitter app.

Particularly useful for users that have a complicated Twitter handle, you can access your QR code easily from your Timeline. Just tap your icon located on the top-left corner, and on the menu that pops up press on the QR code symbol on the bottom-right.

If you want to scan someone's QR code, you need to follow the same steps. However, when your own QR code pops up, press the camera symbol underneath and you'll be able to start scanning.

Tapping your own QR code will change its colour, and from this screen you can also save your QR code as a photo for later use, or share it on Facebook, WhatsApp, email and other applications by pressing the arrow icon on the top-right.

Create a list

If you follow a lot of people on Twitter, or use your personal account for work, you may notice that you frequently miss relevant tweets.

Twitter's Lists feature is the best way to organise your Timeline. For example, if you want to view a Timeline that shows tweets from your favourite YouTubers, or one that shows business-related news only, you can create a dedicated list to do just that.

To create a Twitter list, open the Twitter app, tap your profile image on the top-left corner and select Lists. By clicking the button on the bottom-right, you'll be prompted to make a new list.

From here, you have the freedom to make whatever kind of list you'd like. Enter a title for the list, add a description if you wish and choose whether you want to make the list private or public. Press 'Done' once you're happy, and then enter a username into the search bar to start adding profiles.

If you stumble across a new profile you'd like to add to a specific list later on, just click on the profile in question, tap the three dots icon on the top-right and press 'Add to/remove from Lists'.

Or bookmark a tweet

Sometimes you'll stumble across a tweet you love and want to save for a later date, but it's not something you want to retweet or favourite. Twitter has provided a solution in the form of bookmarking.

Working in the same way as regular bookmarking via an internet browser, bookmarking a tweet means you'll always be able to access it easily. To bookmark, just press the share icon on a tweet (the one that has an arrow on, and sits next to the favourite icon) and voila - you're done.

To access your saved bookmarks, open the Twitter app, click your profile picture and press Bookmarks from the pop-up menu.

Activate Night Mode

Night Mode is having a moment in the tech world, and many apps - including Twitter - offer this to reduce eye strain and deliver a more comfortable viewing experience, especially in the evening. Twitter has actually provided the option to change its bright white interface to a darker theme since 2016, and making the switch is a super straightforward process.

Just click on your profile icon, and tap the lightbulb icon. The app will instantly change to a dark blue and grey theme. However, if you want to go even darker head to Settings and privacy > Display and sound > and choose 'Lights out' under Dark Mode, rather than 'Dim'. This is new for 2019 and is currently available for iOS only, but it should be coming to Android devices soon.

You can choose to automatically turn on Night Mode, so the app makes the switch based on your time zone as soon as the evening begins.

Reply with a GIF

Our last hidden Twitter feature is a fun one. Sometimes, GIFs can express how we feel in ways words can’t, and you can now reply to a tweet with one. Just hit the reply icon on a tweet, and tap the GIF icon. Search for a relevant GIF, insert it into the tweet and you're done.

Make sure you don't miss our other blogs, focusing on Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp. And while you're here, if you're after a brand-new smartphone to tweet from, why not take a look at the fantastic deals available right here at Mobiles.co.uk?