How to Send a Direct Message on Twitter

Another way to have a conversation on Twitter is by direct messaging. Direct messaging is a way to privately message another Twitter user – just like email – to speak without having the rest of your followers see what you two are talking about. These messages are just as short as tweets, which are limited to 140 characters.

To send a direct message on Twitter

Unlike email, where you can send an email to anyone if you have his or her email address, a direct message on Twitter can only be sent to someone who is following you.

Go to www.twitter.com and log in (if you haven’t already). When you get to your home page, click Messages on the left-hand side of the header.

A window will pop up that will show you any previous direct message conversations, if you’ve had any. Click New Message in the top right corner of this window.

Click inside the search bar at the top of the screen and type in the name of the person you want to send a message to, then click their name to select them. Repeat for any other users you want to send the same message to. When you’re done, click Next.

After that, sending a direct message is pretty similar to tweeting. Just click in the empty box at the bottom, type in your message (making sure to watch your character count), and then click Send Message.

How to Delete a Direct Message

Go back to your direct messages window by clicking Messages on the left-hand side of the header, and then click on the conversation that contains the message that you’d like to delete.

Move your mouse cursor over the text of the message that you want to delete, and you will see a trash can icon appear. Click it.

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll have to confirm you want to delete the message (in case you accidentally clicked the trash can). Click Delete Message to delete the message.

Note: deleting a direct message only deletes it from your account; the other person in the conversation will still be able to see the message unless they also delete it.

And that’s how you send and delete direct messages on Twitter!