You can leave a Twitter thread in which you’ve been @mentioned using the Unmentioning feature. With Twitter mentions, other users can tag you on Tweets that you might find useful, funny, or shocking.

Unfortunately, you can also be trolled and bullied with Twitter mentions. Previously, people reacted by muting or blocking the attackers, going private, or leaving Twitter.

In this article, you'll learn how to exit awkward Twitter threads in which you’ve been tagged, whether by friends, colleagues, or trolls. You'll also learn what Twitter’s Unmentioning feature is, how it works, and when to use it.

How Does Twitter's Unmentioning Feature Work?

In June 2021, Twitter’s Dominic Camozzi teased a new feature that would allow you to “unmention” and remove yourself from Twitter conversations.

Like a Facebook mention, Twitter mentions allow you to draw a user’s attention by essentially adding an @ to their username, e.g., @username. But unlike Facebook (which also allows you to untag yourself), Twitter had no Unmention feature.

Starting from July 2022, everyone have access to the Unmention feature on Twitter, allowing users to undo an @mention.

What Happens When You Unmention Yourself From a Twitter Thread

Twitter app on mobile phone

Say you wake up to find yourself trending on Twitter for a not-so-good reason, you can easily unmention yourself from the thread. Learn how to hide a trend on Twitter.

However, when you do, five major things will happen:

Firstly, you’ll be untagged from the original Tweet and all replies, but your username will remain. Secondly, unmentioning yourself will prevent future mentions on that same thread so that people can’t mention you again in the conversation.

Thirdly, although you can still see the conversation, you will not receive further notifications since you’ve been untagged. Fourthly, and most importantly, you can leave quietly as no one will be notified about you leaving the conversation.

Lastly, if you unmention yourself and leave a conversation, you will not be able to rejoin the conversation. That being said, let’s now see how to unmention yourself from a Twitter thread.

Use Unmentioning to Leave a Conversation on Twitter

Unmentioning yourself and leaving a Twitter conversation is easy and straightforward. Plus, it works on desktop and on the mobile app.

Here’s how:

  1. Open Twitter and click on the bell icon or on Notifications.
    Twitter Notifications button
  2. Click on the Mentions tab to access all your mentions. You should see a banner introducing the Unmentioning feature.
  3. Select the particular mention you want to unmention.
  4. Click on the three dots button.
  5. From the menu options, click on Leave this conversation.
    Twitter unmentions more actions
  6. When you do that, a warning message will pop up advising you on the step you’re about to take. Review the information and click on Leave this conversation, and you’re literally good to go.
    Twitter unmentions Leave conversation button

If you return to your Mentions tab and click the three dots button again, you’ll notice that, although you can still see the previous mentions notification, the “Leave this conversation” option is gone.

When to Unmention Yourself From a Twitter Thread

There are different scenarios that may warrant you to unmention and remove yourself from a Twitter thread.

The most obvious would be cyberbullying. It is so bad that numerous people have committed suicide following sustained online verbal attacks. This includes popular figures like Goo Hara, as reported by ABC.

Other reasons to unmention yourself from a conversation include when other users are being bullied, you don’t find the subject amusing, the subject offends your values, and when you don’t want to engage.

You can also unmention yourself when you don’t want to receive endless notifications from a thread you’re not into. You can equally filter out toxic comments on Twitter and other social networks.

Take Control of the Conversations Involving You

With Twitter Unmentions, you can gain more control over Tweets and threads that directly mention you or your brand. You can use this in combination with other privacy measures such as muting a user or muting the conversation.

If all else fails, there’s no crime in blocking and reporting a bully. At the end of the day, all that matters is your mental health and well-being. You shouldn't compromise on that.