X launches standalone XChat messaging app on iOS

X rolled out its standalone messaging app XChat on Friday. The app is currently available on iOS devices and lets users connect with their X contacts for messaging, file sharing, audio and video calls, and group chats.

Taking to X, lead designer Benji Taylor said, “Today we’re launching XChat, a standalone app for all your conversations on ��. It’s fast, private, and just the beginning of what we’re building for messaging.”



As of now, XChat includes messaging and calling along with several privacy-focussed tools. These include options to edit or delete messages for everyone in a chat, disappearing messages, and a feature that blocks screenshots. The company says the app has no ads or tracking mechanisms.

X also claims that all messages are end-to-end encrypted and PIN-protected, although security experts have previously questioned the company’s encryption claims.

Along with private and group chats, XChat will now host X’s Communities feature as well. The company has decided to shut down Communities due to low usage and high spam levels. This move could also help XChat gain early traction as users transition to the new platform.

Owner Elon Musk has been promoting XChat as recently as last month, when he and Telegram CEO Pavel Durov raised concerns about WhatsApp’s privacy practices following a class action suit in the United States.