X Users Unable to Send Encrypted Messages
X users have experienced a halt in sending encrypted messages on the platform. The company announced that it is "pausing" the feature to work on improvements. While users can still view previously sent encrypted chats, new messages cannot be sent.
Previously, encrypted direct messages were restricted to verified users who are mutual or had previously accepted direct messages from one another. The feature was labeled as "early access" in screenshots from X’s help center. It also had significant limitations, including the absence of encryption for group chats, multimedia messages, and metadata.
The timeline for the feature’s return is unclear, and it remains uncertain if the "pause" is linked to "XChat," a chat platform the company has not yet launched. Employees at X have hinted at XChat, which is expected to include encrypted direct messages. Leaked screenshots suggest that XChat may offer additional security features such as PIN-protected chats.
However, officially, X has not disclosed much about XChat or the current status of encrypted direct messages. The in-app inbox feature was among those affected by issues last week, following a site-wide outage. This outage, possibly caused by a fire at an Oregon facility used by the company, led to several days of technical problems. According to updates on the company’s developer platform page, some of these issues remain unresolved.
X has not provided comments in response to requests for clarification.
