X is testing a new way to handle links on iOS and it could change how posts with external links perform on the platform.
Right now, tapping a link on X opens the webpage in full-screen, hiding the original post (and its engagement buttons). That means most people who follow an external link never come back to like, reply, or repost, effectively killing engagement.
To solve this, X is redesigning the experience so the original post collapses to the bottom of the screen instead of disappearing completely. Users will still be able to like, reply, or repost while viewing the linked page, a move that aligns with Elon Musk’s vision of turning X into an “everything app” that users never have to leave.
It’s a smart UX fix for one of X’s oldest growth problems: link posts traditionally perform worse than media-based posts. By keeping engagement tools visible, X hopes to stop the “drop-off effect” that happens when people click away.
At the same time, Musk says X will soon overhaul its recommendation system, removing most “heuristics” (like engagement-based boosts) and letting Grok, its in-house AI, literally read every post and watch every video to decide what to show users. That means likes and replies could matter less, while the content itself matters more.
If this works as intended, it could finally level the playing field, giving smaller accounts with strong content a better shot at visibility, and reducing the algorithmic bias toward virality over value.