X, formerly Twitter, has launched XChat, a standalone messaging app for iPhone and iPad now available on the App Store in the United States. The app creates a private, focused space for communicating with anyone on X, separate from the main platform. It supports direct messaging, group chats, audio and video calls, and file sharing, with X claiming all communications are end-to-end encrypted and PIN protected, featuring no ads or tracking.

Additional features include disappearing messages, the ability to edit and delete messages for everyone in a chat, and a mechanism to block or alert users when a screenshot is attempted. Unlike the main X app, XChat adopts iOS 26 design conventions including the iOS 26 keyboard. The app offers customization options like light and dark modes, message permissions, left-swipe interaction settings, and multiple app icon choices. It requires iOS 26.0 or later and is free to download.

XChat marks the company's push into dedicated messaging after years of keeping direct messaging as a secondary feature within the main app. The standalone approach allows X to differentiate its messaging product while maintaining a link to the broader platform through a prominent button for jumping back to the main app. Lead designer Benji Taylor hinted at more updates, calling XChat "just the beginning of what we're building for messaging." An Android version has not been announced.