Semiphemeral Alternative:
X Cleaner in 2026
Semiphemeral was a beloved open-source tool. X's API changes forced it to shut down in 2023. Here's a Chrome-based alternative for the same job — no self-hosting required.
Install X Cleaner — FreeFree plan: 10 deletions/day · Pro $5.49/mo or $21 lifetime
Short answer: Semiphemeral was an open-source tool built by Micah Lee for automatically deleting old tweets. It shut down in 2023 after Twitter/X ended free API access (source), and its creator now builds a successor called Cyd, a desktop app. X Cleaner is another option: a Chrome extension that uses your browser session instead of API keys to mass delete tweets, retweets and likes — no self-hosting, no API fees, 10 free deletions per day, with date filters and scheduled cleanup on Pro.
We have a lot of respect for Semiphemeral and what Micah Lee built. This page, written by the X Cleaner team, is for users asking "what do I use now that Semiphemeral's gone?" — and it covers its official successor too. Sources checked September 2026.
What was Semiphemeral?
Semiphemeral (semi + ephemeral) was an open-source service created by Micah Lee that ran from 2019 to 2023. Its pitch: "Automatically delete your old tweets, except for the ones you want to keep."
It connected to your Twitter account through the Twitter API and deleted tweets, retweets, likes and direct messages older than a threshold you chose, except for the ones you wanted to keep. It ran as a hosted service at semiphemeral.com, and its code was published under the MIT license.
According to its shutdown notice (source), it helped 43,049 users delete 45.4 million tweets, 26.2 million retweets, 69.7 million likes and 24.6 million direct messages.
What happened to Semiphemeral?
1. X's API changes (2023)
In 2023, Twitter/X ended free access to its API. Semiphemeral depended on that API, and its creator decided the platform was no longer workable for the service.
2. Shutdown (August 2023)
The hosted service was discontinued, the GitHub repository was archived on August 1, 2023 and is now read-only, and the creator says he deleted the user database and backups before shutting down the servers (source).
3. Its successor: Cyd
semiphemeral.com now redirects to Cyd, a desktop app from the same creator that works through a built-in browser rather than the API. According to its pricing page (checked September 2026), Cyd is free to back up your data and delete all your tweets, and Premium costs $36/year (shown as $3/month, billed yearly) for selective deletion, likes, bookmarks and DMs.
If you're here because "Semiphemeral isn't working anymore" or "is Semiphemeral dead?" — it officially shut down in 2023. Your options now include its successor, Cyd, or a browser extension such as X Cleaner.
X Cleaner vs Semiphemeral (and Cyd): feature match
| Feature | X Cleaner | Semiphemeral (2019–2023) | Cyd (successor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Maintained (2026) | Shut down in 2023 | Active (successor) |
| Platform | Chrome extension | Hosted web service | Desktop app |
| Requires X API access | No (uses your browser session) | Used the Twitter API | No (built-in browser) |
| Open source | No | Yes (MIT) | — |
| Delete tweets | Yes | Yes | Yes (all tweets free; selective: Premium) |
| Delete retweets | Yes | Yes | — |
| Delete likes | Yes | Yes | Premium |
| Delete DMs | Yes (Pro, removes conversations from your inbox) | Yes | Premium |
| Delete bookmarks | Yes (Pro) | — | Premium |
| Keep/protect tweets | Yes (Pro, protect list) | Yes | Premium |
| Scheduled cleanup | Yes (Pro, every 6 h to weekly, X tab open) | Yes (core feature) | — |
| Archive import | Yes (Pro, read locally in your browser) | — | — |
| Account audit | Yes (Pro) | — | — |
| Cost (Sept 2026) | Free 10/day · $5.49/mo or $21 lifetime | Was free | Free · Premium $36/year (source) |
| Money-back guarantee | 14 days | — | — |
"—" = not documented in the sources we checked (Semiphemeral's archived repository and Cyd's pricing page, September 2026).
Technical comparison: API service vs browser extension
Semiphemeral's approach: OAuth + Twitter API
Semiphemeral connected to the official Twitter API with OAuth credentials and made requests from its servers to read your timeline and delete content. That was elegant while free API access existed; when it ended in 2023, the model stopped being viable. Its successor, Cyd, is a desktop app that drives a built-in browser instead.
X Cleaner's approach: browser session
X Cleaner is a Chrome extension that runs inside x.com when you're logged in. It sends the same web requests the X site makes when you delete something yourself. No API key needed, no developer account, no server to run. Your browser session is the authentication. When X changes its site, we update the extension.
Privacy implications
Semiphemeral's hosted service kept user data on its servers (deleted at shutdown, per its notice). With X Cleaner, your X password and session never leave your browser, and an imported archive is read locally. We store only what's needed to run your license (X user ID, deletion counts). Payments are handled by Stripe. Details in our privacy policy.
Reliability implications
An API-based tool depends on X's developer policies; a tool that works through the website depends on X's site changes, and may need an update when X changes it. Built-in delays and automatic pauses reduce the risk of X rate limits.
How to migrate from Semiphemeral to X Cleaner
If you were a Semiphemeral user and want to replicate your setup in X Cleaner, here's the 4-step migration:
Revoke Semiphemeral's app access
Go to your X account → Settings → Security and account access → Apps and sessions → Connected apps. Find Semiphemeral and click Revoke access. This ensures no stale processes try to delete tweets in parallel.
Install X Cleaner
Add X Cleaner from the Chrome Web Store (link in the CTA at the bottom). Free plan, no account creation. It uses your existing x.com login.
Recreate your rules in the scheduler
If you used Semiphemeral to auto-delete tweets older than N days: open X Cleaner's scheduled cleanup (Pro), choose tweets/retweets and/or likes older than N days and a frequency (every 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours, or weekly), and add the tweets you want to keep to your protect list. Keep an X tab open so it can run.
Import your archive if needed
X only exposes your ~3,200 most recent tweets. For older ones, request your archive from X and import it in X Cleaner Pro; it is read locally in your browser and never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The hosted service shut down in 2023 and the GitHub repository was archived on August 1, 2023 (read-only, source). semiphemeral.com now redirects to Cyd, the successor built by the same creator.
Cyd is the successor to Semiphemeral: a desktop app that backs up your data and deletes it from X through a built-in browser. According to its pricing page (September 2026), backing up and deleting all tweets is free, and Premium costs $36/year for selective deletion, likes, bookmarks and DMs.
No, X Cleaner is a closed-source commercial product. We chose this model to fund ongoing maintenance, since keeping up with X's site changes takes dedicated development time. There is a free tier (10 deletions/day) and a $21 lifetime plan. Semiphemeral's code remains available under the MIT license in its archived repository.
X Cleaner doesn't use the public Developer API: it works through X's website in your tab. If X changes its site, the extension may need an update, which we ship as quickly as we can.
Yes, with Pro's scheduled cleanup: choose tweets/retweets and/or likes older than N days (for example 30) and run it every 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours, or weekly. It needs an X tab open to run, and tweets on your protect list are skipped.
No. X Cleaner has no filter based on like or retweet counts. To keep specific tweets, add them to your protect list (Pro) and they will be skipped.
Your X password and session never leave your browser, and an imported archive is read locally without being uploaded. We store only what's needed to run your license (X user ID, deletion counts). Payments are handled by Stripe. Details in our privacy policy.
Give X Cleaner a spin
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