X just rolled out Chat, completely replacing its direct messaging system with end-to-end encrypted conversations, video calls, and disappearing messages. The launch marks the platform's second attempt at secure messaging after pausing encrypted DMs in May, now targeting users who want privacy without leaving the X ecosystem.
X just flipped the switch on Chat, its comprehensive overhaul of direct messaging that puts end-to-end encryption front and center. The platform announced the feature Friday, immediately making it available on iOS and web while promising Android users their version is coming "soon."
Chat isn't just an upgrade - it's a complete replacement of X's existing messaging infrastructure. Users will find their old conversations automatically migrated over, but everything from here forward runs on the new encrypted system. The timing feels deliberate, coming as privacy-focused messaging apps like Signal and encrypted features in mainstream platforms gain traction.
The encryption covers both messages and file sharing, but X is being refreshingly honest about the limitations. According to the platform's support documentation, message metadata - who sent what and when - remains unprotected. More concerning, the company admits there's "no protection against man-in-the-middle attacks" and that users would have no way to know if "a malicious insider or X itself" compromised their conversations.
That transparency might actually work in X's favor. While competitors often gloss over security limitations, X is upfront that device identity verification and message authenticity features are "coming" but not ready yet. It's an unusual approach that suggests the platform learned from its earlier encrypted DM stumble.
The feature set goes beyond basic encryption. Chat includes disappearing messages with customizable deletion timers, screenshot detection that can either notify senders or block captures entirely, and full message editing and deletion capabilities. Video and voice calls are live now, with voice notes promised for future updates.
This represents X's second swing at encrypted messaging. The platform - still Twitter then - first introduced encrypted DMs in May 2023 before quietly pausing the feature this past May for "improvements." The company's decision to rebrand the entire messaging system as "Chat" suggests this is more than just bug fixes.
The competitive landscape makes this launch particularly interesting. While has rolled encrypted messaging across WhatsApp and Instagram, and continues expanding iMessage's privacy features, X is betting that users want secure messaging without leaving the platform where they already consume news and engage in public discourse.