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If you use X (formerly Twitter) to send direct messages, get ready for a big change!
Elon Musk recently announced a major overhaul of the platform's messaging feature, now being called XChat.
What's New in XChat?
In a post yesterday, 2 June, Musk announced a series of new updates for XChat, set to replace X's current direct messaging (DM) feature. A major highlight is End-to-End Encryption (E2EE), which ensures that only you and the recipient can read your messages. Even if someone were to intercept your conversation or try to access it without logging into your account, they'd only see jumbled, meaningless code. Crucially, it also means X (the company) cannot access your messages either.
For those moments you need extra privacy or just want a message to disappear after it's read, XChat will now support vanishing messages. You'll have the option to set messages to automatically delete themselves after a certain period, ranging from 5 minutes to as long as 4 weeks.
No more being limited to just photos, videos, and GIFs! XChat will now allow you to send "any kind of file". While specific details are still sparse, this means you might soon be able to share documents, presentations, or other types of files directly within your chats, making X a more useful tool for work or personal sharing.
While X already had audio and video calling, a significant update is that you can now make these calls without needing a phone number across all platforms. This simplifies connecting with your X contacts and adds another layer of privacy by not requiring personal phone number exchange.
You'll also get more control over your messages, including the ability to mark messages as unread (super helpful for busy inboxes! and the option to delete messages for all participants in a chat.
XChat: Currently In Beta Testing
The rollout of XChat, complete with enhanced privacy, disappearing messages, and broader file-sharing capabilities, is expected to begin some time this week, according to Musk. However, be aware that the X team might face issues during the rollout. Keep an eye on your X app for these new features to appear soon!
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News sources: TechCrunch, X, LifeHacker
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