XChat Launches Standalone Messaging App for iOS: Key Features and Future Plans

XChat Messaging App Now Available on iOS

XChat, the standalone app for accessing X’s messaging feature, is now available for download on iOS devices. Initially, X suggested it would remove direct messaging from the main platform by 2025, but for now, XChat is accessible alongside the original X app, web version, and this new standalone application.

Key Features of XChat

Based on its launch video, XChat incorporates several modern messaging elements already introduced in X’s chat feature, including:

• Ability to delete and edit sent messages
• Block screenshots of messages
• Send disappearing messages
• Support for video and audio calls
• End-to-end encryption for all messages

Group Chat Expansion and Communities Replacement

XChat will serve as the new home for groups previously managed under X’s Communities feature. X recently announced the retirement of Communities by the end of May 2026, positioning XChat’s support for larger group chats as a viable alternative. Currently, XChat supports group chats with up to 350 participants, with plans to increase this limit in the future.

X’s Strategic Shift in 2026

Elon Musk’s vision for X as an "everything app"—integrating messaging, payments, job boards, and more—initially suggested a unified platform. However, the launch of XChat as a standalone app reflects X’s current priorities in 2026. X operates as a subsidiary of xAI, which is itself part of SpaceX, indicating a stronger focus on Musk’s AI ventures over expanding X into a multifunctional WeChat-like platform.

The everything app, which requires 3 apps to use the core product.
pic.twitter.com/1aJF4n2par

— camol (@camolNFT) April 23, 2026

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/xchat-the-standalone-app-for-messaging-on-x-is-available-on-ios-now-214826886.html?src=rss