Elon Musk’s XChat Messaging App Appears on App Store With April 17 Release Date For iPhones and These Top Features
A new App Store listing has confirmed that XChat, the standalone messaging app from Elon Musk’s company X, will launch on April 17, 2026 for iPhone and iPad. While X has not officially announced the date, the listing shows the app’s icon and preview design, giving users the clearest indication yet of its arrival.
- Tech News
- 3 min read
New Delhi: A new listing on Apple’s App Store has revealed that XChat, the standalone messaging app from Elon Musk’s social media company X, is set to launch on April 17, 2026. The listing shows a preview of the app’s design, including its icon, and confirms that iPhone and iPad users will be the first to get access.
While X has not yet made an official announcement, the App Store page provides the clearest indication so far of when the new app will arrive. XChat has been in testing since last year, and the listing suggests the company is now ready to roll it out publicly.
A Separate App for Private Conversations
XChat is designed as a standalone messaging platform, separate from the direct messaging system inside the main X app. According to the App Store description, the app will allow users to “chat with anyone on X in a private, focused space built for conversation.”
The app emphasises privacy and security. It will not include ads or tracking, and all messages will be end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can read them.
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Key Features That We Know So Far
The preview highlights several advanced features:
- Screenshot blocking, preventing others from saving or sharing chats without permission.
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- Disappearing messages, which vanish automatically within five minutes.
- Message editing and deletion, allowing users to remove texts from both sides of a conversation.
- Group chats supporting up to 481 members.
- Cross-device voice and video calling, making communication seamless across multiple devices.
- Voice notes, which were added in recent updates.
These features position XChat as a strong competitor in the crowded messaging market, where privacy and user control are increasingly important.
Context and Competition
The timing of XChat’s release is notable. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal dominate the global market, but they have also faced criticism over privacy concerns. Elon Musk has previously questioned WhatsApp’s trustworthiness, and XChat appears to be his answer to those concerns.
For now, XChat is focused on Apple devices, with iPhone and iPad users able to pre-order the app ahead of its April 17 release. While reports suggest an Android version may follow, there is no confirmed timeline.