How to make a tap and hold image for X

A tap and hold image shows one thing in the X timeline and reveals a different, full picture when someone taps and holds it. You can make one from a single picture, entirely in your browser, in about a minute. Here's how.

01 Step 1 — Upload one picture Open the maker and drop in any JPG, PNG or WebP. It loads locally into a canvas and is never uploaded to a server.

02 Step 2 — Paint what stays visible Brush over the part of the image you want people to see in the timeline thumbnail. Everything you leave unpainted becomes the hidden part that only appears on tap and hold. Dark elements — outfits, outlines, shadows — make good teasers because they survive the timeline's light background.

03 Step 3 — Preview both states Drag the divider to compare the timeline view (composited on white) against the tap-and-hold view (composited on black). Tune the hide-strength slider until the hidden part disappears cleanly in the timeline but still reveals well when held.

04 Step 4 — Export and post Click Download PNG. The file is exported as an indexed-colour PNG8 with an alpha channel — the exact format X needs. Then post it from a desktop browser at x.com (not the mobile app, which converts to JPEG and breaks the effect). Add a caption like "tap and hold" so people know to try it.

How to tap, hold and load in 4K on each platform

On X (Twitter)

The effect is a property of how X composites transparent PNGs, so it works on x.com itself — no other app needed. Post the PNG, and viewers tap and hold (or click and hold on desktop) the image to load in 4K and reveal the hidden picture.

On iPhone

iPhone viewers see the reveal correctly, but you must not upload from the iPhone X app — it re-encodes to JPEG and kills the effect. Make and export the PNG, move it to a desktop browser, and post from there. Then tap and hold the image on iPhone to load in 4K.

On Android

Android needs X's rebuilt app for the reveal, and the image-quality / data-saver setting affects whether it loads in 4K on hold rather than showing everything at once. Adjust that setting if holding the image doesn't trigger the reveal. Upload from desktop, never the Android app.

On PC (desktop browser)

Desktop is where you should always post from. To see the effect, click and hold the image on x.com — the same 'load in 4K' reveal works with a mouse press-and-hold.

Tips for a clean reveal

Keep the teaser and the hidden image visually different, so the reveal is a surprise.
Avoid relying on pure-black areas in the hidden part — very dark pixels can't be fully restored.
Always upload from desktop; the mobile app flattens transparency.

Open the tap and hold image maker

Free · no signup · runs entirely in your browser.