On X, you will have to ask for a person’s username before you can be mutuals with them. Sometimes, you can only discover a person’s X handle if your personalised algorithm suggests it to you to follow.
Other times, you may just randomly recognise someone familiar when they comment under a post that you view and simply follow the person. Someone also may decide to follow you, and you do the same.
But automatically having people on your phone contact list as mutuals on X is strange or new. Perhaps that is why an X user, @Maina_Nissi, was bewildered when she shared a post suggesting that one of her phone contacts was on X.
The post as of July 30, 2026, had garnered 182,000 views, 71 comments, 291 retweets, 3,900 likes, and 170 bookmarks.
Screenshot of @Maina_Nissi’s post.
The post, which surprised many users, raised the question “Can people really discover you on X via their contact list?” The answer is yes.
The X Help Centre says you can determine whether others can find you on X by your email address or phone number by adjusting your discoverability privacy settings. However, if you turn off the settings that allow others to discover you by your email address or phone number, X will also not use your contact list if you have chosen to upload them.
Here is how to make people discover you via your email address or phone number;
Step 1: On your X page, go to More on your computer or Your Profile on your mobile phone.
Screenshot of an X page showing how to navigate to be discovered via email address and phone contact.
Step 2: After tapping More or your profile, select Settings and privacy.
Screenshot of an X page showing Settings and privacy.
Step 3: Tap on Privacy and safety.
Screenshot of an X page showing Privacy and safety.
Step 4: Select Discoverability and contacts
Screenshot of X page showing Discoverability and contacts.
Step 5: Tap on the boxes under Discoverability to allow people who have your email address or phone number to find you on X.
Screenshot of an X page showing the boxes to tick if you want to be found on X via email address or phone contact.
Meanwhile, on your mobile phone, you would need to add your phone number if you want people to discover you via email or phone. To do this, select the Add now option under Discoverability, then add your phone number.
Once you do that, other people who have your phone number will be able to find and connect with you on X.
Furthermore, X will use your phone number to personalise its services, including ads (if enabled in your Ads preferences). Otherwise, X will still use your phone number for other public purposes such as account security and spam, fraud, and abuse prevention.
You may also allow contacts from your contact list to be uploaded to X from time to time to help connect you with your friends and personalise content, by making suggestions for you and others.
However, it is important to note that turning off syncing will not remove contacts that you have previously uploaded, unless you tap on Remove all contacts.
