X’s long-awaited encrypted direct messages feature, called XChat, is becoming more widely available. Though the feature first launched in beta back in May, XChat is now accessible for more users, including those who do not subscribe to X Premium.
XChat is a separate system from the existing DM inbox and is end-to-end encrypted. The new chat system supports media uploads, group chats, pinned messages, and the ability to mark messages as read or unread. A vanishing mode has also been rumored to be in development.
Currently, users can only access XChat if they choose to opt into using it. On desktop, the feature is accessible to some users from the messages tab. You can navigate to “Chat” from a menu option that appears above “Message requests.” On mobile, “Chat” appears in the main navigation bar on the left, just above Communities.
Before you can use XChat, you must set a four-digit code to protect your messages, which is similar to other encrypted platforms like Signal. Only after setting this code can you begin messaging other users who have also opted into the feature.
As it stands, XChat is not a complete replacement for the longstanding DM system. Those original messages now appear under a tab labeled “Unencrypted” in the chat menu.