The promises of Elon Musk about a dramatic change in the way users of X communicate with each other receive tangible expression today with the official launch of XChat in the App Store of Apple. This is a standalone and focused messaging application, designed to separate private conversations from the central and noisy feed of the social network. The current move is in fact the implementation of a plan that began to take shape as early as mid-2025, when X declared its intention to rebuild the direct messages (DM) architecture of the platform.
Although the original timelines predicted a launch as early as June of last year, the reality on the ground dictated a slower pace, which ended with the creation of a completely separate product and not just an internal update.
The new app fully adopts the design language of the iOS 26 operating system and offers users a clean and customized workspace. Unlike the main app of X, which is based on an advertising model, XChat is launched as an ad-free tool that does not track users. It includes full support for large-scale group chats of up to 481 members simultaneously, alongside capabilities for voice calls, video calls and file sharing. For users who wish to stay connected with the main news arena, a dedicated button has been integrated into the interface that allows a quick jump back to the parent app.
At the center of XChat’s development is a strict emphasis on privacy and control over information. All correspondence is protected through end-to-end encryption and secured with a PIN code. Users are given a toolkit that includes the ability to edit or delete messages for all participants in the conversation, set disappearing messages that will be automatically deleted within five minutes, and even a mechanism for alert or blocking in case of an attempt to take a screenshot.
The chief product designer at X, Benji Taylor, noted that the current launch is only the beginning of the journey for the group’s messaging services. As of now, the app is available for download for iPhone and iPad devices, while an official launch date for an Android version has not yet been announced.