X released XChat, its stand-alone messaging app, to the public on Friday, April 25, 2026. The app is initially available on iOS and lets users message, share files, make audio and video calls, and participate in group chats with their X contacts.
X had been testing XChat with a small group of beta users earlier in 2026 before the broader launch. At launch, the app includes privacy-oriented features such as editable and deletable messages, disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking. X states the app carries no ads or tracking, and that all messages are end-to-end encrypted and PIN protected. However, security experts had previously disputed the company’s encryption claims when XChat was first introduced, and said the service appeared less secure than alternatives such as Signal. Those experts will need to re-evaluate the app now that it is publicly available.
The launch also marks a strategic shift for X and its owner, xAI — the AI company that owns X and is itself owned by Elon Musk’s other company, SpaceX. Musk had earlier outlined plans to make X an “everything app” consolidating messaging, payments, creator content, shopping, AI, and more in a single place. XChat’s release as a separate app moves away from that model, with xAI now offering a suite of distinct apps rather than a single unified platform. A dedicated payments app is also being tested, though it is not yet publicly available.
XChat is also set to absorb X’s Communities feature, which X is shutting down due to low usage and high levels of spam. The transition of Communities members to XChat could drive early installs of the new app.
X lead designer Benji Taylor indicated that further updates are planned, describing the current release as “just the beginning of what we’re building for messaging.”
Source: TechCrunch