What does ?s=20 mean in X links?
It's a share code. When you copy or share a post, X adds s= to the link to record which device and which share button you used. s=20 means the link was copied with Copy link on X's website. The post opens the same without it.
x.com/jack/status/20
?s=20device and button
&t=pL0xR2…share token
x.com/jack/status/20Same post. Nothing attached.Free, no ads, no tracking.
Common s= codes
| Code | Where the link came from |
|---|---|
19 | Android app, Copy link |
20 | X website, Copy link |
21 | iOS app, Copy link |
46 | iPhone app, Copy link |
08 | Android app, shared to WhatsApp |
24 | iOS app, shared to WhatsApp |
28 | iOS app, shared to Telegram |
35 | Android app, shared to Telegram |
09 | Android app, shared to another app |
12 | iOS app, shared to another app |
Codes come from the code of X's own website, as listed by the open source Unfurl project. There are 71 in total.
What about t= and a=?
Older links also carry t=, newer ones a=. X doesn't document either. The value changes from share to share, so it works like an ID for that one share and can lead back to the account that shared it. The post doesn't need either one to open.
How to clean it
Paste the link in the link cleaner above. You get the plain link back, ready to copy.