PostEaseThe short answer
Spaces are live audio rooms on X. X’s Help Center calls Spaces “a way to have live audio conversations on X,” and says anyone can join, listen and speak in a Space on X for iOS and Android, while on the web you can listen.
The person who starts a Space is the host. Up to 13 people can speak at once, including the host and up to 2 co-hosts, and there is no limit on listeners. Spaces are public: anyone can listen, even people who are not logged in to X.
Who does what in a Space
X’s Help Center describes four roles:
| Role | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Host | Starts the Space on iOS or Android, sets who may speak, invites speakers and co-hosts, mutes, removes, blocks and reports, and is the only one who can end it |
| Co-host | Up to 2; helps run the Space with the host’s tools. If the host drops, the first co-host added becomes the primary admin |
| Speaker | Talks once invited or once a request to speak is approved; unmutes themselves |
| Listener | Listens, reacts and can request to speak; can listen anonymously, but then cannot react or speak |
Starting and scheduling a Space
On iOS, long-press the post composer on your Home timeline and select the Spaces icon, or open the Spaces tab at the bottom of the timeline. Name the Space, then start it; you join with your mic off as the only speaker. By default only people you invite can speak, and you can change that for one Space to Everyone or People you follow.
Hosts can schedule a Space up to 30 days ahead, with up to 10 scheduled at a time; impromptu Spaces do not count toward that limit. A scheduled Space is public, people can set reminders for it, and the host gets push and in-app reminders to start on time. Accounts with protected posts cannot create Spaces, though they can join and speak in other people’s.
Recording, clips and what X keeps
What happens to a Space’s audio, according to X’s Help Center:
| Question | What X says |
|---|---|
| Can I record? | Yes, toggle on Record Space before starting. The recording is public for anyone to play once the Space ends, until you delete it |
| Can I trim the start? | Yes, Edit start time in host settings cuts dead air at the beginning |
| Can people clip it? | In a test with a limited group, participants can capture the last 30 seconds as a post unless the host turns clipping off |
| Are there captions? | No, captions are not available for Spaces |
| What if I do not record? | X keeps the audio for 30 days to review for rule violations, or 120 days if a violation is found, to allow appeals |
Spaces are public, by design
X says all Spaces are public like posts. A Space shows at the top of your followers’ Home timelines, its link can be shared anywhere, and anyone on the internet can listen, so listener counts may not match the real audience. Unless you listen anonymously, your presence in a Space is visible to other participants and to your followers. X also makes a Space’s details available to developers: its X API returns fields such as the title, host and speaker ids, state, scheduled start and participant count.
Hosts are responsible for the conversation. X expects them to use their tools so the X Rules are followed, including in the Space’s title, and says it will not suspend an active Space unless it breaks the Rules.
Using Spaces well
Because scheduled Spaces carry reminders and recordings stay public, a Space can work before and after it airs:
- Schedule a few days out and post the Space’s link, so followers can set a reminder.
- Record it, trim the opening with Edit start time, and share the recording link once it ends.
- Keep speaking to invited people unless the topic suits an open floor.
Questions
How many people can speak in an X Space?
Up to 13 at the same time, including the host and up to 2 co-hosts. There is no limit on listeners.
Can I start a Space on the X website?
No. X’s Help Center says Spaces are started on X for iOS and Android; on the web, anyone can join and listen.
Are X Spaces recorded?
Only if the host turns on Record Space before starting. A recording is public once the Space ends. Unrecorded Spaces are kept by X for 30 days for rule review.
Can I listen to a Space without being seen?
Yes, by turning on anonymous listening. Your identity is hidden from participants, but you cannot react or speak, and X still records that you listened.
Sources
- X, About X Spaces, checked October 2026.
- X, X API: Get Space by ID, checked October 2026.