Social media is abuzz with complaints from X users who are finding themselves trapped in never-ending login cycles or, in some instances, completely locked out of their accounts. This follows a required update to two-factor authentication that appears to have malfunctioned.
On October 24, X announced that individuals using passkeys or hardware-based security devices (like YubiKeys) for two-factor authentication would need to re-register through the x.com website. (Those utilizing authenticator apps remain unaffected by this change.)
X explained that this move is part of phasing out the old twitter.com address, which now redirects to x.com—a transition that began in May 2024. The complication arises because passkeys and security keys are cryptographically linked to twitter.com and cannot be migrated to x.com. As a result, users must manually remove and then set up their authentication again on the new domain.
During the transition, X notified users that after November 10, accounts would be inaccessible until users either re-registered their authentication method or selected a different two-factor option.
With the deadline now passed, many users are finding themselves unable to access their accounts or re-register their passkeys or security keys, often encountering error messages or being stuck in a continuous loop.
This is just the latest challenge for X, which Elon Musk acquired for $44 billion when it was still known as Twitter. Since Musk’s takeover, the platform has faced significant staff reductions and a series of controversies.
X has not issued a statement in response to inquiries, but Musk, the current owner, continues to post regularly, seemingly unaffected by the recent changes.
