X has adjusted its feed algorithm to give greater visibility to posts from users’ mutual followers — people who both follow and are followed back by a given user. The change was announced on Monday, July 14, 2026, by Nikita Bier, X’s head of product.
Bier explained the reasoning behind the update: “We noticed this data was missing from the algo and it made your friends appear less in your replies. This resulted in the reply section feeling more like a battleground with people you don’t recognize.”
The adjustment is designed to make the platform feel more community-oriented. Bier added that the change would also “help clusters form around interests more easily, which many people have asked for.”
While the tweak may not dramatically overhaul the overall user experience, it could make interactions on X feel more familiar and less fragmented for everyday users.
The update is part of a broader series of changes X has introduced recently, many aimed at making the platform more attractive to creators. Earlier in 2026, X revised its creator compensation model to reward original content over aggregation. Earlier this month, the platform also launched a video editor to help users produce content directly on the platform.
The move comes as rival platform Threads has been making its own algorithmic changes focused on community-building. Last month, Threads introduced a “Your Algo” feature allowing users to privately customize their feeds. Threads also recently reported reaching 500 million monthly active users.
Source: TechCrunch