X Launches Custom Timelines to Replace Declining Communities Feature

X has officially launched Custom Timelines, a new feature that allows users to pin topic-based feeds directly to their home tab. Drawing from 75 of the most discussed subjects on the platform, the feeds are powered by X’s artificial intelligence system, Grok, which personalizes content based on each user’s engagement history rather than simply surfacing the most popular posts.

How Grok Powers Personalized Topic Feeds

Unlike traditional algorithmic feeds, Custom Timelines analyze the topic of every individual post rather than focusing on specific authors. The result is a highly personalized stream that adapts to what each user engages with. X noted the feature performs even better for topics users already interact with regularly, making it more relevant over time. Users can swipe between their pinned topic feeds directly within the app.

The launch comes alongside another major announcement: X Communities will be shut down on May 6, 2026, citing declining usage. The contrast is striking — just two years ago, X reported that time spent in Communities had surged dramatically year-over-year, with hundreds of thousands of posts created daily. Former CEO Linda Yaccarino had championed Communities as a core engagement driver. That rapid reversal raises questions about long-term user retention on the platform.