Short answer
Realistic mockups come from consistency: the current layout, a checkmark that fits the account type, numbers in proportion, a plausible time, sharp 2x images and nothing that mixes eras.
Key takeaways
- Write the post like the account would: real brands sound specific and a little dull.
- Keep likes at roughly 1 to 5 percent of views; keep reposts and bookmarks below likes.
- Export at 2x for slides and documents, 3x for print or heavy cropping.
A mockup that looks fake distracts from what you're showing. A client reviewing a launch post shouldn't be wondering why the likes outnumber the views. This guide is about the small decisions that make an X post mockup look like a screenshot of the real thing, using our generator or any other.
Which layout should I start from?
Use the opened-post layout for a single important post, the timeline row for anything meant to look "seen in the feed", and classic only for pre-2023 dates.
The opened post (x.com, 2026) shows the name and username stacked beside a 40-pixel photo, text at 17 pixels, the time and date with the view count, and one row of actions with counts. The timeline row is denser: name, username and relative time on one line, 15-pixel text, views as an icon. Pick the one your audience would actually see in context.
How should the post itself read?
Like the account wrote it on a normal day: specific, slightly plain, with the details a real person would include.
Real brand posts mention a date, a place, a product name, a link. "Big news coming soon!!! 🚀🚀🚀" reads like a template. "Our Elm Street store reopens Saturday at 9 with the new espresso bar. Parking is around the back" reads like a real shop. For people, give them a voice: lowercase, an aside, a typo they didn't fix. Use the character counter to check length; most effective posts are well under 280 characters.
Which checkmark fits?
None for most accounts, blue for individuals who pay for Premium, gold for businesses and organizations, gray for governments.
A checkmark on every account is a common tell. Most accounts on X have none. Businesses with a gold check use a square profile photo, which the generator applies automatically. If the mockup is for an organization's staff, the small affiliate badge (the organization's logo next to the name) adds credibility.
How do I set believable numbers?
Start from views, then scale everything else down from there.
| Count | Typical share | Example for 48,200 views |
|---|---|---|
| Likes | 1 to 5% of views | 600 to 2,400 |
| Reposts | 5 to 25% of likes | 100 to 400 |
| Bookmarks | 5 to 20% of likes (higher for guides) | 100 to 350 |
| Replies | 2 to 10% of likes (higher for questions) | 40 to 200 |
These aren't laws, just what ordinary posts look like. Viral posts break the pattern, and that can be the point of your mockup. Use the Short number style so counts show as 1.9K rather than 1,960, as X does.
What date and time should I use?
A time the account would really post, and a date consistent with the features shown.
Brands post in business hours in their time zone. Edited labels need a date after late 2022. View counts need a date after December 2022. Polls show "Final results" only after they close, so a poll dated an hour ago should still show time left.
How do I keep images sharp?
Feed the generator images at least as large as the output, and export at 2x or 3x.
A 598-pixel card at 2x is about 1,200 pixels wide, so photos should be at least that wide. For multi-image posts, X crops each image to fill the grid; keep the subject centered. Export as PNG when there's text in the image. JPG is fine for photo-heavy posts where file size matters.
How do I present it?
Give the post room: a solid or gradient background, a margin, and the right frame size for the channel.
For slides, use the 16:9 size and a soft background. For Instagram, see our Instagram sizes. For documents, a transparent PNG drops cleanly onto any page color. If the mockup goes anywhere public, keep the MOCKUP label on, or relabel it EXAMPLE.
Questions people ask
What resolution should a mockup be?
For slides and social posts, 2x (about 1,200 pixels wide for a standard post card). For print, 3x. Anything smaller looks soft on modern screens.
Should I use a real company's name in a mockup?
Only for internal work for that company, with permission. For portfolios and public examples, invent a brand; it avoids trademark trouble and nobody mistakes it for a real post.
Light or dark mode?
Match where it will be shown. Dark posts stand out on bright slides; light posts read better in printed documents. Dim (navy) is a good middle ground on colorful backgrounds.