Short answer
Fleets were disappearing posts that vanished after 24 hours, shown in a row at the top of the timeline; Twitter shut them down on August 3, 2021, so there's nothing to mute or report anymore.
Key takeaways
- Fleets launched worldwide in November 2020 and ended in August 2021.
- Twitter said they didn't bring in new users as hoped.
- The space at the top of the timeline went to Spaces.
If you're looking for how to mute or report a Fleet, the short answer is that Fleets no longer exist. Here's what they were.
What were Fleets?
Twitter's version of Stories: posts that disappeared after 24 hours.
Fleets appeared as circles at the top of the home timeline, like Instagram Stories. You could post text, photos and videos, add stickers and backgrounds. Replies went to DMs. They couldn't be liked or reposted.
When did Fleets exist?
Tests began in Brazil in March 2020; they launched worldwide in November 2020 and ended on August 3, 2021.
Why did Twitter remove them?
Twitter said Fleets mostly reached people already posting, rather than drawing in new users.
The company said it would reuse the lessons in other features. The top-of-timeline row became home to live Spaces.
How did muting and reporting work then?
Long-press the account's Fleet circle to mute, or open the Fleet and use the menu to report.
Today, to manage what you see, use privacy and mute settings. For disappearing messages, X Chat has a disappearing timer; see sending messages.
Why did Fleets matter?
They were Twitter's biggest attempt to make posting feel less permanent, and the lessons shaped later features.
Twitter introduced Fleets because many users said they felt uncomfortable posting: posts were public, permanent and quotable. Disappearing posts were supposed to lower that pressure. In practice, people who already posted a lot used Fleets, and people who rarely posted mostly kept watching. The company also faced criticism that Fleets were used for harassment and spam, which were harder to moderate in a format that vanished.
What exists now that does a similar job?
| Need | Option on X in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Share something temporary | Post, then delete it later; or use disappearing messages in Chat |
| Share only with close friends | A protected account or a group chat |
| Casual behind-the-scenes updates | Regular posts or short videos; Spaces for live audio |
Instagram, Snapchat and other apps still own the Stories format, which is one reason X hasn't brought it back.
Questions people ask
Can I still see old Fleets?
No. Fleets disappeared after 24 hours by design, and the feature was removed in 2021.
How did you mute Fleets?
Long-pressing an account's Fleet icon offered Mute. Muting someone also muted their Fleets.
Does X have Stories now?
No. X hasn't brought back a Stories-style format. Disappearing messages exist in XChat.