How to Get Verified on Twitter (X): Blue, Gold and Grey
Verification on X is paid now: the blue check comes with a Premium subscription, not an application. X began winding down its legacy verification program on 1 April 2023. Today the blue checkmark goes to Premium and Premium+ subscribers who pass X’s review, gold to organizations on Premium Business, and grey to government and multilateral accounts. Checked against X Help Center: About X Blue CheckmarkArchived copy, 21 September 2026 View the archived copy
So how to get verified on Twitter in 2026 depends on who you are; every official route is below. The wider rebrand is covered in Twitter is now X.
Table of Contents
- How to get verified on Twitter (X) now
- What do the blue, gold and grey checkmarks mean?
- Blue checkmark requirements
- How to get the blue check, step by step
- Is a blue check the same as ID verification?
- Why did my checkmark disappear?
- How businesses get the gold check
- FAQ
How to get verified on Twitter (X) now
Subscribe to X Premium or Premium+, meet X’s eligibility rules and wait for its review. You can also get a blue check as an affiliate of an organization on Premium Business. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy X no longer accepts applications under its old criteria and isn’t offering free trials of Premium. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy
On the web, X lists Premium from $8/month or $84/year and Premium+ from $40/month or $395/year, while Basic, from $3/month or $32/year, has no checkmark; all are before tax and local pricing, and our X Premium guide compares the tiers. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ: How much does Premium cost?)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy
There’s no shortcut: X’s Authenticity policy bans buying or selling accounts, and using third-party services that do. Checked against X Help Center: Authenticity
What do the blue, gold and grey checkmarks mean?
Blue means an active Premium subscription plus X’s review, gold an official organization, and grey a government or multilateral organization or official.
| Badge | What it means | How an account gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Blue checkmark | An active Premium subscription that meets X’s eligibility rules; a person or an organization | Premium or Premium+, or affiliation with a Premium Business |
| Gold checkmark and square profile picture | An official organization account | Premium Business, for businesses, non-profits and other organizations |
| Grey checkmark | A government or multilateral organization, or an official | Some of these accounts may be subscribed to Premium Organizations |
| Affiliation badge | The account is connected to an organization on X | Added by an organization on Premium Business Full Access or Premium Organizations |
Checked against X Help Center: About profile labels and checkmarks on X.Archived copy, 1 October 2026 View the archived copy.
Blue checkmark requirements
A Premium or Premium+ subscription, a complete profile, recent activity, a confirmed phone number and a clean record. X checks them before the check appears, and they apply to keeping it too:
- Subscription: only accounts actively subscribed to Premium or Premium+ are eligible.
- Complete profile: a display name and a profile photo.
- Active use: activity on the account in the past 30 days.
- Security: a confirmed phone number.
- Non-deceptive: no recent changes to your profile photo, display name or @handle, no signs of being misleading or deceptive, and no signs of platform manipulation or spam.
Checked against X Help Center: About X Blue Checkmark.Archived copy, 21 September 2026 View the archived copy.
How to get the blue check, step by step
Open Premium from your profile menu or the x.com sidebar, choose Premium or Premium+, pay, and wait for the review. X’s steps:
On x.com or in the X app:
- Open the Profile menu on your app or the side navigation on x.com.
- Select Get Premium+ on your app or Premium on x.com.
- Select the tier, then select Subscribe & Pay button.
- If you haven't already, you'll be prompted to verify your phone number.
- Then, follow the in-app purchase instructions for iOS or Android and confirm your subscription payment on web.
- Your account will be reviewed, and if approved, you will receive a blue checkmark.
Checked against X Help Center: X Premium how to.
X’s Premium FAQ adds that accounts that changed their profile photo, display name or @handle in the previous 3 days may be unable to sign up, and that X may impose waiting periods for new accounts in future. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy Some Premium features, such as reduced ads, also switch on only after the review, once the checkmark is applied. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy
Is a blue check the same as ID verification?
No. X says the blue checkmark “does not mean that the account has been ID verified.” ID verification is a separate Premium feature: you provide a government-issued ID and get an “ID verified” label on your profile. It isn’t one of the blue-check requirements. Checked against X Help Center: About X Blue CheckmarkArchived copy, 21 September 2026 View the archived copy
For Meta’s paid verification on Instagram, see our Meta Verified guide.
In the EEA, blue checks are labelled Premium
In the European Economic Area, X now calls blue-check accounts “Premium” users rather than “verified”, after the European Commission’s Decision of 5 December 2025 under the Digital Services Act, which X is appealing. X’s page calls the rest “business as usual.” Checked against X Help Center: About X Blue CheckmarkArchived copy, 21 September 2026 View the archived copy
Why did my checkmark disappear?
Most likely because you changed your profile photo, display name or @handle. X removes the check after any of those changes until it re-reviews the account, and allows no further changes to those fields meanwhile. X can also remove a check at any time, including for rule violations or a suspension, without a refund. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium
Planning a new handle? See how to change your X username first.
How businesses get the gold check
Subscribe the organization’s account to Premium Business and pass X’s review. Premium Business, previously named Verified Organizations, is for organizations such as businesses, non-profits and political parties, not personal accounts, except some businesses built around a personal brand. In the U.S., Basic costs $200/month and Full Access $1,000/month or $10,000/year plus $50/month per extra affiliate, before tax and fees; prices may vary by region.
Only Full Access includes affiliations. X’s onboarding steps on the same page:
- Go to the Premium Business sign-up page on x.com.
- Add your payment details (credit cards only).
- Wait for the review. Until approval you get Premium+ features, but no gold check or affiliates.
- Once approved, the account is verified and Full Access subscribers can add affiliates.
The organization needs a matching active X account it manages, a current organization email address and website domain, and a complete profile with an accurate photo, bio and display name.
Checked against X Help Center: Premium Business.Archived copy, 23 September 2026 View the archived copy.
Governments and multilateral organizations get the grey check through X’s Premium Organizations packages instead, though X says only some grey-check accounts may be subscribed. Checked against X Help Center: About profile labels and checkmarks on XArchived copy, 1 October 2026 View the archived copy
Next, get found: see our X SEO guide and the best time to post on X.
Try Outfeed AI for scheduling X text posts
FAQ
Can you get verified on X for free?
Not with a blue check. It needs an active Premium or Premium+ subscription, or affiliation with an organization on Premium Business, plus X’s review, and X isn’t offering free trials of Premium. X began winding down legacy verification on 1 April 2023 and no longer takes applications under the old criteria.
What are the requirements for the blue checkmark on X?
An active Premium or Premium+ subscription, a display name and profile photo, activity in the past 30 days, a confirmed phone number, no recent changes to your photo, display name or @handle, and no signs of deception, platform manipulation or spam. X reviews the account before the check appears.
What do the gold and grey checkmarks mean on X?
Gold, with a square profile picture, marks an official organization account on Premium Business, such as a business or non-profit. Grey marks a government or multilateral organization or official; X says some of those accounts may be subscribed to Premium Organizations. Affiliated accounts can carry any of the three.
Why did I lose my blue checkmark on X?
Usually because you changed your profile photo, display name or @handle: X removes the check until it re-reviews the account, with no further changes allowed meanwhile. The check also needs an active subscription, and X can remove it at any time, including for rule violations, without a refund.
Do you need ID verification to get the blue check on X?
No. ID verification isn’t one of X’s blue-check requirements, and X says the blue checkmark does not mean an account has been ID verified. It’s a separate Premium feature: you provide a government-issued ID and get an ‘ID verified’ label on your profile.