X API search moves to a new index: reposts dropped from keyword results, min_likes operators back
What changed
On May 4, 2026 X moved /2/tweets/search/recent, /2/tweets/search/all, /2/tweets/counts/recent and /2/tweets/counts/all to a new core platform search index. X says this brings major performance gains and far fewer 503 errors, and adds the min_likes, min_replies and min_reposts operators. Reposts are no longer returned in keyword-based search results; the Filtered Stream is unchanged. The same three operators had been deprecated on the search endpoints on January 19, 2026.
What it means
Keyword searches through the X API no longer return reposts, so listening, analytics and reporting tools may show lower counts than before May 4, 2026.
Who is affected
Social listening, analytics and reporting tools that use recent or full-archive search, or the post counts endpoints.
What to do by 4 May 2026
Expect keyword search results and counts without reposts, re-baseline any trend reports that span May 4, 2026, and use min_likes, min_replies and min_reposts (not min_faves or min_retweets) for engagement thresholds.
What this means for you
Some apps search X for posts that mention your brand or a keyword and count them for reports. On May 4, 2026 X changed how that search works. It is faster and fails less often, but it no longer includes reposts in keyword searches. If your reports show fewer mentions after early May, that may be the reason, not a drop in interest.
The details
- Endpoints moved (May 4, 2026):
/2/tweets/search/recent,/2/tweets/search/all,/2/tweets/counts/recentand/2/tweets/counts/all, now on the "X core platform search index". - Reposts: "retweets are no longer returned in keyword-based search results". The Filtered Stream is unchanged.
- Reliability: X describes "major performance improvements" and "dramatically fewer 503 errors". It gives no figures.
- Engagement operators: on January 19, 2026 X deprecated
min_likes,min_repliesandmin_repostson recent and full-archive search (the Filtered Stream versions were not affected). The May 4 migration brought them back. The operators page lists them as standalone operators taking a non-negative integer on both recent and full-archive search, and warns that the x.com namesmin_faves:andmin_retweets:are rejected with a 400 error. - More detail: the changelog links a developer forum post for the migration, which automated readers can't open.
What to do next
- Business owners: Nothing, but read X mention counts from early May 2026 onward with this change in mind.
- Marketers and agencies: Add a note to X listening or mention reports that span May 4, 2026: reposts stopped counting in keyword searches.
- Developers: Re-baseline search-based metrics from May 4, 2026, and use
min_likes,min_repliesandmin_repostsin queries.
Primary sources
- X Developer Platform: Changelog (May 4, 2026)
- X Developer Platform: Changelog (Jan 19, 2026)
- X Developer Platform: Search operators
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