X, formerly known as Twitter, has begun testing its new messaging feature, XChat, with selected users. The rollout appears limited to beta testers who subscribe to the platform’s premium service, according to multiple user reports and independent confirmations.
This means that public testing has finally begun, and it should not be long before the feature is rolled out to the public, though there is no official confirmation as of yet.
A Replacement for Traditional DMs
XChat is designed to replace the platform’s current direct messaging (DM) system, which has remained largely unchanged since before Elon Musk acquired the company. The upcoming system is expected to offer significantly more functionality, as part of Musk’s long-standing mission to integrate a Signal-like secure messaging platform within X.
Reported Features
While X has not yet released full specifications, reverse engineer Nima Owji shared screenshots and details suggesting that XChat will include group messaging, end-to-end encryption, a vanishing mode, file sharing, and the option to mark messages as unread. Users will also reportedly need to set a four-digit passcode to access their messages, adding another layer of security.