X has officially started rolling out a full replacement for its direct messages. The new X Chat feature represents a comprehensive transformation of the platform’s messaging system, which has advanced significantly since its humble Twitter origins. This upgrade adds powerful tools, including file sharing, audio and video calling, and end-to-end encryption. The launch is a big step toward owner Elon Musk’s goal of turning X into an “everything app.”
X Chat, which just launched, is designed to be a full-stack communication tool for X. It works well as a replacement for the old Direct Messages (DM) system, which was a legacy from the platform’s past. This revision isn’t just a quick update. The platform has been rebuilt with a new architecture to enable the addition of more advanced features. Elon Musk has said that it uses a “Bitcoin-style” encryption system to protect users’ privacy.
What can you do with the new X Chat?
The new X Chat system makes X’s messaging features the same as those of other big messaging platforms. It offers many features people expect from modern communication tools.
- End-to-End Encryption: The core of the new X Chat is its security. Messages are protected with end-to-end encryption, meaning only you and the person you’re talking to can read them.
- Audio and Video Calls: You can now make voice and video calls directly within the X platform. This feature does not require you to share a phone number with the person you are calling.
- File Transfer: The system supports large-file transfers, making it easier to share documents and media directly through the chat interface.
- Vanishing Messages: For conversations you don’t want to last forever, X Chat lets you set a time for messages to disappear.
- PIN Code Access: To activate these features, users must set a 4-digit PIN when they first access X Chat. This adds a layer of security to the messaging interface.
The rollout of X Chat: Features and Feedback
The transition to the new X Chat system has commenced, although it has encountered some challenges. The rollout is now in beta, meaning only a small group of users on the platform can use it. As people get access, their old DMs are being moved to the new X Chat environment, which is fully encrypted. But people have had different reactions to the launch. Some users have gone to the site to complain about new bugs.
Some of the complaints in the reports are about slow performance, problems loading conversations, and text that appears to be dead links. Others have also pointed out that, in its current form, the feature no longer lets you send voice messages. The four-digit PIN that everyone has to use has also been a point of contention. Some users find it burdensome to have to complete an additional authentication step each time they access the chat interface.
You can disable this PIN, but doing so turns off end-to-end encryption, forcing you to choose between safety and convenience. Even though there were some technical problems at first, X Chat’s launch is a clear sign of where X is headed. It fits with Musk’s plan to make X an essential “super app” by creating a strong messaging service that protects users’ privacy and can compete with well-known apps like WhatsApp and Signal.
