X custom timelines: What users are saying about the new feature
Social media app X rolled out a new custom timeline feature earlier this week, and so far, user reactions have been positive.
The new feature is reminiscent of TweetDeck, the popular feature that recently rebranded as X Pro. Using the new custom timelines feature, X users will be able to create custom feeds for specific topics.
The new feature, powered by the xAI tool Grok, is now available to Premium subscribers on iOS devices. Nikita Bier, head of product at X, announced the rollout in a post on X and said that Android support would be coming soon.
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"It's powered by Grok's understanding of every post with the algorithm's personalization — meaning every timeline is made just for you. And it works even better when it's a topic you already engage with. This was a huge undertaking across many months, so we're excited for you take it for a spin," Bier wrote.
X also released a short video showing how the feature works.
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Podcaster Aakash Gupta noted that the update lets users create up to "75 custom timelines powered by Grok." Gupta also speculated that the feature would give xAI a lot of new data for AI training."
In general, X users were excited to try the feature, though there was some confusion, which is typical with new-feature rollouts like this.
In response to a user lamenting the lack of an option for a Catholicism-focused custom feed, Bier reminded users to update the X app to try the new feature.
"Update your app," Bier wrote. "That’s the old experimental feature. We’re working on supporting religions in the next 2 weeks. We had it earlier, but the quality/content didn’t meet our bar yet.
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To a user who asked if it was possible to prevent topics from appearing in a feed, Bier pointed users to another new feature — the snooze topics feature, which rolled out at the same time as the custom feeds. That feature is available now for iOS and web Premium users.
Most other comments on Bier's post were from users requesting specific topics, such as Ukraine, manufacturing, Bitcoin, and memes.
Finally, some X users are skeptical of the feature but willing to try it.
"Using it since morning, tbh it's okay," wrote X user @syssignals. "I saw overlapping in between AI, Software and Tech. Also seeing same content again and again on these timelines. I am still on my For you timeline. But hope this custom timeline will be mature as time goes by."
User @Hoxygo shared a similar sentiment: "Finally a way to separate tech from sports without building a whole new account. The real test is whether the algorithm respects the timeline boundaries instead of bleeding the main feed into it."
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Topics Apps & Software Social Media X/Twitter
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
