X, formerly known as Twitter, has deployed a new update for its iOS applicationintroducing customizable swipe gestures and an option to hide engagement buttons.

The standout feature of this update is the ability to enable swipe gestures for actions like liking and replying to posts. Users can enable these gestures in the app’s “Timeline” settings.

This feature allows for faster interactions, allowing users to define what each swipe direction achieves, whether it’s adding a bookmark, replying, or taking no action at all. This customization provides flexibility and responds to individual preferences, making interactions more intuitive and streamlined.

Another major addition is the ability to hide engagement metrics, such as likes and replies, directly below posts. This feature appeals to users who prefer a cleaner interface without being distracted by numerical measurements.

While X previously hinted that these buttons would be removed altogether, the new approach gives users a choice, a move likely to encourage gradual adoption of a simplified interface.

Engineer Mai Ly shared the following video showing how to enable side swipe like and reply options, by enabling them in their app settings.

New iOS feature

You can now hide engagement buttons and numbers under each post and interact with posts via custom swipe gestures!

Try it! pic.twitter.com/lkYXp2RBLM

– Mai Ly (@mayxlyy)

November 21, 2024

This update is currently exclusive to iOS, with no announcement yet regarding its availability on Android. Users can access these features by updating their app and going to Settings to enable the new options.