How Twitter Blue Works: From Check Verification To Legacy Accounts

It’s been a long and winding road for Twitter Blue, but (some) questions finally have answers. After its initial rollout was paused on Nov. 11, the paid subscription tier made its return on Dec. 12, which means any Twitter account can try to buy a blue verified checkmark. Twitter’s Elon Musk era has had no shortage of shake-ups, so it’s no surprise that Twitter Blue’s relaunch has come with plenty of changes that may have you a little confused. Here’s what you need to know about Twitter Blue, including how to get it, what the difference between old and blue checkmarks is, what perks come with the monthly payment, and more.

Soon after acquiring the platform on Oct. 27, Elon Musk announced that Twitter’s coveted blue checkmarks would no longer be reserved exclusively for public figures, and that anyone could “verify” their account by subscribing to Twitter’s subscription program, Twitter Blue, for a monthly fee. The perk rolled out on Nov. 9, but after two days of nonstop trolling from parody accounts and their newly purchased verification badges, Twitter Blue was pulled from the platform indefinitely on Nov. 11.

Flash forward to Dec. 12, and the paid tier officially re-relaunched — but there’s still plenty of confusion to go around. From legacy verified accounts that “may or may not be notable” to two different prices for the program depending on where you buy Twitter Blue, there are few things that you might need cleared up to full understand what Twitter Blue 2.0 is all about.

If you were pondering a Twitter Blue purchase, here’s a rundown of how it works and what to expect, as well as restrictions you should be aware of, like Twitter Blue’s new verification requirements and more.

How To Get Twitter Blue

You can subscribe to Twitter Blue via the iOS app by tapping on your profile icon in the top-left corner, selecting the “Twitter Blue,” and tapping the Subscribe button. If you’re making the switch on your desktop, all you have to do is choose “Twitter Blue” in the side menu above Profile and below Bookmarks.

How Much Does Twitter Blue Cost?

Despite having access to Twitter Blue on all supported platforms (iOS, Android, and web) once you subscribe, the cost to join via the Twitter iOS app is more expensive than if you join from the web on your desktop. It costs $11 per month to subscribe on the Twitter app, while it’s a little cheaper at $8 per month via desktop. According to Macrumors, the $3 higher price tag for subscribing via iOS is to make up for the 15-30% that Apple makes from subscriptions in the App Store.

If you’re an existing Twitter Blue subscriber who was paying $2.99 when the subscription tier initially launched in Nov. 2021, you’ll have to upgrade, cancel, or auto-renew your subscription at the new price.

Twitter Blue Features

Along with the coveted blue checkmark, Twitter Blue subscribers will also have access to exclusive features like editing tweets, uploading videos at 1080p, and reader mode. Future perks are also set to include seeing fewer ads and getting higher up in replies.

How To Get Verified With Twitter Blue

Once you’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue, don’t expect to show off your blue checkmark right away. According to a Dec. 12 blog post, users won’t receive their verification badge until their “accounts are reviewed to ensure they meet all of our requirements, including [Twitter’s] rules against impersonation.” It’s unclear how long the review process may take, but as long as you meet the verification requirements, you should have nothing to worry about.

If your account is flagged for breaking Twitter’s rules after you’ve been verified, there’s a chance your account may be “suspended without a refund.”

Why Can’t I Get Twitter Blue?

Some users have reported running into issues when signing up for Twitter Blue, namely receiving a message that says, “Sorry, your account is not eligible for Twitter Blue at this time.” If you received this message, it may be because your account doesn’t meet the standard rules against impersonation or your profile information has been recently changed. According to a Twitter blog post, users may also be ineligible for the upgrade if an account was created within the last 90 days, an account has been inactive, or the account has not been verified with a phone number.

Another reason why you may be having issues is because Twitter Blue is not available for Android as of Dec. 13, but a Twitter blog post claims the company plans to offer subscriptions on Android devices soon.

Can You Change Your Name On Twitter With Twitter Blue?

Seeing that it didn’t go so well last time, Twitter Blue’s relaunch has come with plenty of rules and regulations in what is likely an attempt to keep the impersonation accounts at bay. One of the new Twitter Blue rules is that the company will temporarily removing an account’s blue checkmark after changing key profile information like a display name, profile picture, or username until the changes have been reviewed and approved by Twitter.

TL;DR: Yes, you can change your name once you have Twitter Blue, but you will lose your blue checkmark for a bit.

What Is A Legacy Verified Account?

After the first iteration of Twitter Blue, the company used explanations to differentiate which accounts were verified with the old process. Accounts that had a blue check before the days of Twitter Blue had an explanation that read, “This account is verified because it’s notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.” Twitter began referring to these accounts as “legacy verified accounts.”

Accounts That “May Or May Not Be Notable”

As of Dec. 13, some legacy accounts noticed the verification explanations changed to: “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.”

Other legacy Twitter verified accounts kept the old description that explains the account is “verified because it’s notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.” Some Elite Daily editors with legacy checkmarks noticed they had the old description if they looked at their own Twitter account, but if someone else searched it, it would say it “may or may not be notable.”

The mixed messaging may have something to do with Musk’s recent announcement that the platform will remove all legacy blue checks “in a few months.” Musk tweeted on Dec. 13, “The way in which they were given out was corrupt and nonsensical.”

It’s unclear when legacy accounts will officially switch from “notable” to “may or may not be notable,” as well as when Twitter will begin revoking legacy checkmarks.

Accounts that earned a verification badge through Twitter Blue have a message that reads, “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue.”

As for accounts that earned a badge during the first iteration of Twitter Blue, you can expect those users to keep their blue checkmark at this time, according to a Twitter Support tweet.

What Do Different Checkmarks Mean On Twitter?

After Twitter was overrun by trolls and parody accounts during the first launch of Twitter Blue, the company decided the best way to delineate whether an account actually belongs to a company or politician is to offer different colored checkmarks besides the classic blue check. So, if you’ve been seeing some gold-colored checkmarks on your timeline recently, it’s not a glitch — according to a Dec. 10 tweet from the official Twitter account, gold checkmarks are meant to represent verified businesses.

The rainbow of checkmark colors doesn’t end there, because Twitter also has plans to replace “Official” labels (which were implemented after the parody accounts took the app by store in November) with a “grey checkmark for government and multilateral accounts,” according to the Dec. 10 thread.

Given that Twitter Blue has only been out for a day, there will likely be more to learn about how it might change your Twitter experience. Now that the Twitter Blue account is active (with a gold check), though, you can keep an eye there for any updates.