Social network X has launched its private messaging service, X Chat, as a standalone app. On Monday, the company announced the initial beta was available to 1,000 users via Apple’s TestFlight platform.
The beta reached full capacity within two hours. Michael Boswell, xAI product designer, stated in an X post that the company plans to expand the beta soon, though no specific date was provided.
“We’ve been developing a standalone X Chat app for iOS quietly for the past few months,” Boswell shared on X. “Test it. Break it. We want your feedback,” he urged.
X Chat is an upgrade of the current DM feature, claimed to be end-to-end encrypted. However, security experts caution that it’s less secure than other apps like Signal, and it’s unclear if these concerns are addressed in the standalone app.
The app’s launch marks a shift from Elon Musk’s original intention to build an “everything app” providing integrated services.
Early beta testers shared screenshots of the app’s interface. One noted the app was titled xChat instead of X Chat, hinting at a possible rebranding. Screenshots like the login screen showed a starry background.
Testers describe the app as a more streamlined interface for X Chat compared to the X app.
xAI’s Grok confirmed on X that the app’s age rating is the same as X (17+ on iOS), and chats will sync with the X app and the chat.x.com web app, launched in December 2025.
The AI chatbot also mentioned that an Android version is coming “very soon.”