2026 · 30+ operators · copy-ready

Every X search shortcut, in one place

X has 30+ hidden search operators (filter:videos, min_faves:1000, from:user…). They turn the search bar into a research weapon.

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Learn the syntax

Build your own custom searches

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Copy-ready examples

For Tweetdeck, Buffer, your notes

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Power combo recipes

6 ready-made research queries

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Decode a query

What does filter:blue_verified mean?

Just want to run a search? Skip the docs — fill out a visual form, get the URL.

Open Search Builder →

👤User & account

Filter posts by who wrote them, who they're to, or who they mention.

from:username

Posts written by a specific user.

Example:from:elonmusk Tesla

-from:username

Exclude a specific user from results.

Example:AI -from:spam_account

⚠ Useful when one creator dominates the niche search.

to:username

Posts that are replies to a specific user.

Example:to:nasa "thank you"

@username

Posts that mention the user anywhere in the text.

Example:@OpenAI breakthrough

list:LIST_ID

Posts from a public X List. Use the numeric ID from the list URL (the older owner/slug format is deprecated).

Example:list:1234567890 bitcoin

filter:verified

Posts from verified accounts only.

Example:AI filter:verified

⚠ Coverage is broader than blue tick — includes legacy verified too.

filter:blue_verified

Posts from Premium (blue tick) accounts only.

Example:crypto filter:blue_verified

filter:follows

Posts from accounts you follow (must be logged in).

Example:launch filter:follows

🔥Engagement & virality

The most underused operators. Filter by likes, replies, retweets — the fastest way to find viral content in any niche.

min_faves:N

Posts with at least N likes. Best operator for finding viral takes.

Example:AI agents min_faves:1000

min_retweets:N

Posts with at least N reposts.

Example:startup min_retweets:500

min_replies:N

Posts with at least N replies — finds debate threads.

Example:controversial min_replies:100

min_bookmarks:N

Posts with at least N bookmarks.

Example:AI guide min_bookmarks:500

⚠ Added 2024 when bookmarks became publicly searchable. The single best "worth saving" signal — high-bookmark posts are usually frameworks, checklists, or reference content.

min_quote_tweets:N

Posts that triggered at least N quote tweets — QT chains signal viral debate.

Example:hot take min_quote_tweets:50

-min_faves:N

Posts with fewer than N likes (find new accounts, less-seen posts).

Example:AI -min_faves:10

⚠ Note the minus sign.

📅Date range

Constrain results to a specific period. Format is YYYY-MM-DD (UTC).

since:YYYY-MM-DD

Posts on or after the date.

Example:AI since:2026-01-01

until:YYYY-MM-DD

Posts on or before the date.

Example:AI until:2026-05-30

since:YYYY-MM-DD_HH:MM:SS_UTC

Posts after a specific UTC timestamp (hour granularity).

Example:AI since:2026-05-30_09:00:00_UTC

within_time:Nh

Posts within last N hours/days (e.g. 6h, 3d, 2w).

Example:launch within_time:24h

🎬Media & content type

Find specific kinds of media — videos, images, links, polls.

filter:media

Posts with any media attached (video, GIF, or image).

Example:tutorial filter:media

filter:videos

Posts with any video — includes external links (YouTube, Vimeo).

Example:demo filter:videos

filter:native_video

Only videos uploaded directly to X (no YouTube/Vimeo links).

Example:demo filter:native_video

⚠ Higher engagement on average — the ranker boosts native uploads over external video links.

filter:images

Posts with images (excludes GIFs).

Example:design filter:images

filter:links

Posts containing a URL.

Example:article filter:links

filter:replies

Replies only (no original posts).

Example:AGI filter:replies

-filter:replies

Original posts only (no replies).

Example:AGI -filter:replies

filter:quote

Posts that are quote-tweets.

Example:crypto filter:quote

card_name:poll4choice_text_only

Posts containing polls.

Example:poll card_name:poll4choice_text_only

🧩Phrase, exclusion & matching

Standard query syntax — the bread and butter of search.

"exact phrase"

Posts containing the exact phrase.

Example:"prompt engineering"

word1 OR word2

Posts containing either term. Must be uppercase OR.

Example:GPT OR Claude OR Gemini

-keyword

Excludes posts containing the term.

Example:AI -crypto

(group)

Group terms with parentheses for logical clarity.

Example:(AI OR ML) -crypto

#hashtag

Posts containing the hashtag.

Example:#BuildInPublic

$ticker

Posts mentioning the cashtag (stock ticker).

Example:$NVDA earnings

🌍Language & location

Narrow by language code (ISO 639-1) or geographic radius.

lang:CODE

Posts in a specific language. Codes: en, tr, es, ar, ja, ko, zh, de, fr, pt, it, nl, ru, sv, etc.

Example:AI lang:tr

near:"City" within:Nmi

Posts geotagged near a location (limited coverage — most users don't geotag).

Example:coffee near:"San Francisco" within:15mi

geocode:lat,lon,radius

Posts near a coordinate (radius in mi or km).

Example:food geocode:37.78,-122.41,5km

🔗URL & domain

Find posts that link to specific sites.

url:domain.com

Posts that contain a link to the given domain.

Example:url:github.com

url:keyword

Posts that contain a URL with the keyword in it.

Example:url:openai

🎭Sentiment & misc

Lesser-known filters worth experimenting with.

filter:safe

Excludes sensitive content from results.

Example:topic filter:safe

source:"client"

Filter by posting client (X Web, iPhone, etc.).

Example:launch source:"Twitter Web App"

conversation_id:N

All posts in a conversation thread (replies + quotes).

Example:conversation_id:1815040326068666679

🧪Power combo recipes

Stack operators for real research jobs.

Find viral posts in your niche this month

YOUR_TOPIC min_faves:1000 since:2026-05-01 -filter:replies lang:en

Track a competitor's most-shared posts

from:competitor_handle min_retweets:100 since:2026-01-01

Find videos in your niche to study

YOUR_TOPIC filter:videos min_faves:500 -filter:replies

See what people are asking about a product

"product name" filter:replies min_replies:5

Find Turkish creators in a topic

YOUR_TOPIC lang:tr min_faves:200 -filter:replies

Find threads (high reply count, original posts)

YOUR_TOPIC min_replies:50 -filter:replies since:2026-01-01

Don't want to memorize syntax?

Use the visual builder — pick filters from a form, get the X URL.

Open Search Builder →

X Search Operators — FAQ

How do I use X advanced search operators?+

Just paste them into the X search bar (top-right magnifying glass) and hit Enter. You can chain multiple operators with spaces — for example, "AI from:elonmusk min_faves:1000 since:2026-01-01" finds Elon's posts about AI from January 2026 onwards with at least 1,000 likes.

Which operators are most useful for content research?+

min_faves:N (find viral takes in any niche), filter:videos (study what video content performs), min_retweets:N (track what gets shared), and the date operators (since:/until:) for time-bound research. Combine them: "your_niche min_faves:500 -filter:replies since:2026-01-01" gives you the season's top originals.

Do these operators work for everyone or only logged-in users?+

Most work for both — anyone can use phrase, exclusion, from:, to:, filter:media etc. A few require login: filter:follows, filter:safe (preferences-based), and visibility of posts from accounts you're blocked by.

Why does min_faves sometimes return zero results?+

X's search index is incomplete — older posts (especially pre-2022) or posts from low-engagement accounts may not be indexed at all. min_faves works best on recent content (last 12 months) from active accounts.

Is there a UI builder for these operators?+

Yes — try our /advanced-search builder. It generates the right X search URL from a visual form so you don't have to remember the syntax.

Are these operators officially documented?+

Partially. X documents the basics (from, to, since, until, filter:media) in their Help Center. The engagement filters (min_faves, min_retweets, min_replies) and several others are undocumented but widely used and have worked reliably for years.