How to schedule X (Twitter) posts

X moves fast, and an account that only posts when someone remembers goes quiet for days at a time. Scheduling lets you write the week's posts in one sitting and keep the timeline ticking over while you get on with the work. There are three ways to go about scheduling tweets, now called posts.

1. On X's website

On a computer, the post box on X's website has a schedule button beside the media buttons. Write the post, choose a date and time, and it goes out then. It is free and fine for the odd post, but it only covers X.

2. In X Pro

X Pro, the dashboard that used to be TweetDeck, schedules posts and lets you watch several timelines at once. It comes with an X Premium subscription, so it suits people who already pay for Premium and post only to X.

3. With a scheduler

A scheduler earns its place when X is one of several networks, or when you want help writing posts short enough for it. X charges apps for each post they publish, so tools differ on how they handle X: some cap it, some bill it separately. Our guide to the best X scheduling tools compares them on that and on price.

Get the post right before it is queued

• A standard account gets 280 characters, and X counts every link as 23 of them whatever its length. Check a draft with our free character counter.
• Lead with the claim or the news: the first few words decide whether anyone reads on.
• One image makes a post stand out in a busy timeline. X takes up to four images or one video, not both.
• Give X its own shorter version of news you post everywhere, rather than the full Facebook text.

When to schedule them

X is read through the day, so spread posts out rather than queueing three at nine o'clock. Watch which of your own posts get replies and move towards those times. Our post on how often to post on social media covers the rhythm.

Scheduling X with Optimate

Optimate's X scheduler puts X on one calendar with your other platforms, counts the limit X's way as you type, and includes a monthly allowance of X posts on every paid plan. X posting is in the 14-day free trial too, no card needed.