XChat, X's standalone messaging app, now available for iPhone and iPad with these features

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TLDR

  • XChat, X’s standalone messaging app, launched on the App Store on April 24, 2026.

Key Facts

  • XChat offers end-to-end encrypted messaging with no ads or tracking, unlike the main X app.
  • The app supports disappearing messages, screenshot blocking, group chats, and video calls.
  • XChat uses iOS 26 design and keyboard; the main X app still uses the iOS 18 keyboard.
  • X simultaneously shut down its Communities feature, replacing it with XChat’s Groupchat Links, which support up to 350 members.

Why It Matters

  • XChat separates X’s direct messaging into a dedicated app, signaling a deliberate push into private, encrypted communication.
  • The Communities shutdown suggests X is consolidating group interaction inside XChat rather than maintaining parallel social features.

Zac Hall / 9to5Mac · 2026-04-24 · Read the original