X now lets you select topics to customize recommended feed
19 Feb 2026

Elon Musk's social media platform X has launched a new feature in its 'For You' tab. The update allows users to select broad content topics, thereby customizing their recommended feed.

The feature was confirmed by Musk himself, who noted that after updating the app, users can tap on the For You section and choose general interests like "Technology."

Users can now select broad topics for recommendations
User empowerment

The latest update marks a major shift from an entirely algorithm-driven timeline to one that gives users more control over the content they see.

With this feature, users can open the For You feed and select from broad topic categories.

Once chosen, the recommendation system prioritizes posts related to those interests instead of mixing in unrelated or trending content.

Example of how the update works
Practical application

For instance, if a user selects technology as their interest, they will see more updates on gadgets, artificial intelligence, start-ups and software.

At the same time, posts about politics or entertainment may be less frequent.

The update is meant to complement existing following-based timelines and provide an alternative way to browse content without having to follow individual accounts.

Response to user feedback on feed relevance and content overload
User-centric approach

The introduction of topic-level filtering seems to be X's response to user feedback about feed relevance, content overload, and unwanted political or controversial material.

The feature also fits into a larger industry trend where social platforms are giving more control over algorithms rather than relying on fully automated ranking systems.

This could help users spend less time scrolling through unrelated posts and more time engaging with content that matches their interests.

Gradual rollout and potential challenges
Feature growth

The new feature is being rolled out gradually and requires the latest app update to appear.

More topic categories are expected to be added over time, giving users even more options for customizing their feeds.

However, this change also raises questions about content diversity as users may stick within specific interest bubbles instead of encountering a wide range of viewpoints.