X pauses encrypted DMs amid rumors of new messaging app
What's the story
X has announced a temporary halt on its encrypted direct messages (DMs) feature.
The company revealed in a post that it is "pausing" the service "while we work on improvements."
Although users can still view their previously sent encrypted chats, they won't be able to send new ones during this period.
Feature restrictions
Encrypted DMs were limited to verified users
The encrypted DMs feature was only available for messages between verified users who were either mutual contacts or had previously accepted each other's DMs.
The feature was still in its early stages, as indicated by screenshots from X's help center that labeled it as "early access."
Notably, encryption wasn't available for group chats, multimedia messages, or metadata.
Twitter Post
X is improving the feature
Starting today we will be pausing the encrypted DMs feature while we work on making some improvements. You will still be able to access your encrypted DMs, but won't be able to send new ones.
— Engineering (@XEng) May 28, 2025
Feature revival
Uncertainty surrounds future of encrypted DMs
It remains unclear when X will reinstate the encrypted DMs feature or if its temporary suspension is related to "XChat," the company's upcoming chat platform.
There have been hints from X employees about this new platform, which is expected to include encrypted DMs.
Leaked screenshots suggest that XChat could offer additional security features like PIN-protected chats.
System glitches
X's in-app inbox faces technical issues
X's in-app inbox was one of the features that faced major issues last week, following a site-wide outage.
The outage was possibly caused by a fire at an Oregon facility used by the company and resulted in days of technical problems for the service.
Updates on X's developer platform page indicate that some of these issues are still unresolved.