X (Twitter) bookmarks vs likes: what's the difference?
A like notifies the author. A bookmark isn't on X's list of notifications. Who can see each one, what it keeps, and which to tap to get a post back.
You want to keep a post on X, and there are two buttons for it. One of them definitely tells the author.
X bookmarks vs likes: what's the difference?
A like is a signal to the author and to X. A bookmark is a note to yourself.
| Bookmarks | Likes | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can see that you did it | Only you | You and the post's author |
| Is the author notified? | Not among X's listed notification types | Yes, likes are in Notifications |
| Public count on the post | Yes, a total with no names (X has said iOS-only) | Yes, and only the author can see the names |
| Organize | Folders, on X Premium | No folders documented |
| Search | Keyword search, reported on web and iOS | No search documented |
| Keeps a copy if the post is deleted | None documented | None documented |
| In your X data archive | Not listed by X; at least one archive tool says no | Not listed by X, but archive tools find them |
This rests on X's bookmarks, bookmark counts, and notifications help pages, plus press coverage. We read those help pages through search extracts because they wouldn't load directly, and we didn't test with a second account.
On deletion, X says a deleted post is removed from your profile and from search, and it doesn't describe either list keeping a copy.
Should you like or bookmark a tweet?
- Like it when you want the author to know you appreciated it, or you want more like it. When likes went private, X's pop-up reportedly told users that liking more posts would make their For you feed better.
- Bookmark it when you want to find it again, or you'd rather the author not get a notification. Our X bookmarks guide covers finding them, search, folders, and limits.
- Do both when both are true. They're separate buttons.
The short version: like for the author, bookmark for yourself.
Are X likes private?
Mostly. X's engineering team announced on June 11, 2024 that likes were going private for everyone, and the change took effect the next day. Other people can no longer see your likes or who liked someone else's post. Two things stayed: the author can still see who liked their post, and posts still show a like count.
Your own likes may have moved. In May 2026, X launched a History page on iOS with tabs for Bookmarks, Likes, Videos, and Articles, private to you. X gave no date for Android, and its help page still describes a Likes tab on your profile, so check both.
For how this compares with other apps, see who can see your saved posts.
Keep a post even if the author deletes it
X doesn't document either button keeping a copy of a deleted post. Stashr does keep one: when you bookmark a post on X in a desktop browser, it stores the text, author, and photos in your private library, so they stay readable after the original is gone. Its import brings in the bookmarks you already have, and you can search them in plain English. Stashr follows the bookmark button, not likes, so to keep a post you've only liked, bookmark it too.
Videos keep their poster frame and play from X. The extension runs on desktop, so bookmarks made in the X app arrive the next time you run an import.
Common questions
Does the author know you bookmarked their tweet?
Not as far as X documents. The total count can go up (X's count page has said iOS-only), but it shows no names, and bookmarks aren't among the notification types X lists. X doesn't explicitly rule it out.
Do bookmarks count more than likes in X's algorithm?
Nothing X has published shows that. As of October 2026, the parameters file in X's open-sourced ranking code lists default weights for predicted actions, with 0.66 for a like, and has no bookmark entry. Those weights apply to predicted probabilities, not raw counts, and the file is a mirror of default settings, so it doesn't prove how live ranking works. Bookmarks do appear elsewhere in that code as one of the actions counted as positive engagement, but we found no published bookmark weight, so be wary of any "a bookmark is worth X likes" figure.
Does the X archive include my bookmarks and likes?
Likes yes, according to tools that read the archive, though mostly as post IDs and text. Bookmarks not as far as we can confirm: X doesn't list them, and at least one tool that parses the archive says they aren't included. Our X archive guide has the details.
Your likes won't save it. A copy will.
Stashr copies the text and photos of each post you bookmark on desktop, imports your backlog, and lets you search it in plain English. 14-day trial, no card required.
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