Some X users say data archive downloads are stuck in a loop as iPad app Mac availability disappears

Some X users are reporting that downloading their account data archive is currently broken, with the download flow repeatedly bouncing them between verification and the archive page instead of delivering a ZIP file.​

One recent Reddit report describes getting the “your data is ready” email, entering a password (or a code), and then getting sent back and forth between “verify” and “download your data” pages in an endless cycle. The same user says they tried multiple browsers (including Edge and Chrome), incognito mode, and even a separate iPhone, but still couldn’t complete the download.

What makes this extra frustrating is that the data archive tool is supposed to be the “take my stuff and go” safety valve, whether you’re switching platforms, backing up years of posts, or just cleaning house.

Visually, the bug people describe feels like a UI trap: a verification prompt, a brief loading transition, and then you’re dumped right back where you started, as if your successful sign-in never “sticks.”

When asked, the platform’s AI chatbot, Grok, also responded, noting that it seems to be a widespread issue.

So let’s hope that it’s just a temporary service hiccup, not a longer-term regression in how X is handling sensitive downloads.​ The current official documentation still says it’s a simple deal to get your data.

You have to re-enter your password, request the download, verify with a code sent to your email or phone, and then grab a ZIP from settings once it’s ready. X also notes you’ll need a confirmed email address and you’re supposed to stay logged into the same browser you use to download the file, which makes the reported verify-then-bounce loop feel like something in the handoff isn’t sticking.

If it works, that download can include a machine-readable archive in HTML and JSON, plus things like posts, DMs, media, follower lists, and ads-related data. But it seems the ongoing problem is preventing it from working like it’s supposted to.

At the same time, some users are also flagging a separate annoyance: the iPad app’s availability on Apple silicon Macs appears to have disappeared, cutting off a common workaround for anyone who wants a native-ish client.

That backdrop matters because X’s dedicated Mac app has already been in a shaky place, with TechCrunch reporting in 2024 that the Mac version no longer showed up in Mac App Store searches and its listing URL returned an “unavailable” message. TechCrunch also noted that some people who already had it installed could still use it, but new users were pushed to the web app instead.​

For now, the only practical advice is the boring stuff: try again later, and if your download link includes the older “ton.twitter.com” domain, testing the “ton.x.com” variant is a low-effort hail mary that has worked before. And if Mac options keep shrinking, we’re inching closer to a world where X on desktop is basically “use the browser,” whether you like it or not.

We stand out from the tech-media crowd because we break news stories; we mainly bring you stuff that you won’t find anywhere in the mainstream tech media. Our stories have been picked up by some of the world’s most popular websites and media outlets—more info is available here.