- X is rolling out its end-to-end encrypted XChat messaging service for all users globally.
- The feature allows you to create group chats, send media files, display read/unread status, and more.
- You can find it on the X website under Messages or use it directly from the Chat option in the X mobile app.
X (formerly Twitter) is rolling out its end-to-end encrypted XChat messaging feature to all X users globally. And you don’t need an X Premium membership to use it either.
XChat allows you to share images and videos, shows read and unread status, can create groups, pin messages and more. However, its biggest highlight is end-to-end encryption, offering an additional layer of privacy to its users, much like WhatsApp and its competitor, Bluesky. Users who want to text on XChat will first need to set a 4-digit pin for verification.
We first heard about XChat in January, and the feature rolled out in beta during May. At the time, it was limited to X Premium subscribers only, but it is finally live for everyone. But do note that it does not replace the existing DMs on X. Instead, DMs on X will appear in a separate tab labelled “unencrypted”.
You can find XChat from the Messages tab on the X desktop website. On the mobile app, you can find it as the Chat option in the side menu on the left above Bookmarks. The company is planning to introduce a vanishing mode sometime later, with more features to arrive at a later date.
Musk has wanted to make X an all-in-one app, and XChat seems like another step in that direction. Though it is kind of confusing that X now has two separate direct messaging options. Maybe the platform has plans to fade out the current DMs feature over time as more and more users start using XChat, but we can’t be sure of that as of now.
