X launched XChat, its stand-alone messaging app, to the public on Friday, April 25, 2026. Initially available on iOS, the app lets users message, share files, make audio and video calls, and join group chats with their X contacts.
X had been testing XChat with a small group of beta users earlier in 2026 before the public release. X lead designer Benji Taylor indicated that further updates are planned, describing the launch as “just the beginning of what we’re building for messaging.”
The app is owned by xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, which also owns X and is itself owned by Musk’s other company, SpaceX. The release marks a shift from Musk’s earlier stated goal of making X an “everything app” — a single platform for messaging, payments, creator content, shopping, AI, and more. Instead, xAI is now offering a suite of separate apps. A dedicated payments app is also in testing but not yet publicly available.
At launch, XChat includes privacy-focused features such as end-to-end encryption, PIN protection, editable and deletable messages, disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking. X states the app contains no ads or tracking. However, security experts had previously disputed the company’s encryption claims when XChat was first introduced, warning that the service appeared less secure than alternatives such as Signal. Those experts will need to evaluate the publicly available version to determine whether improvements have been made.
XChat is also taking over from X’s Communities feature, which the company is shutting down due to low usage and high levels of spam. The timing of that shutdown could drive early installs as former community members migrate to the new app.
Source: TechCrunch