How the tap to view image trend on X works
When you attach four images to one post, X shows them as a 2×2 grid in the timeline and crops each tile to fit. People only see four cut-off pieces. When they tap the post, each image opens in full, and with a split image the full picture appears piece by piece. Posts usually say "tap the post" or "tap to see", which is where the trend gets its name.
The Twitter split image trend works best when the cropped preview is intriguing but incomplete: a tall portrait split into four horizontal strips is the classic version. Posters, comics and memes with a punchline at the bottom work the same way.
Which split to choose
Each layout outputs four images at a fixed size, so the source image is cropped to the matching shape first. Use zoom and position to decide what's in each piece.
| Layout | Each image | Whole picture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizontal stack | 1200 × 675 | 1200 × 2700 (tall) | Full-body photos, top-to-bottom reveals |
| Vertical stack | 675 × 1200 | 2700 × 1200 (wide) | Panoramas, group shots |
| 2×2 grid | 1200 × 675 | 2400 × 1350 | Posters, artwork, a classic grid |
Posting tips so the reveal works
Attach all four images to the same post, in order: 1, 2, 3, 4. For the horizontal stack, image 1 is the top strip; for the grid, the order is top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right. The files and the README in the ZIP are numbered this way.
If your post shows the images in the wrong order, it's usually because they were attached in a different order than the numbers. Delete and repost rather than editing; the order of attachments can't be changed after posting.
- Start from a high-resolution image (at least 1200 px wide for the horizontal stack).
- Keep the most interesting part out of the timeline preview, so people want to tap.
- Write a short hook like "tap the post"; it's what tells people to open it.
- Don't add alt text that gives away the reveal before the tap.
