What X chat actually is and how you can turn it off

Ever since Elon Musk slapped the name “X” on Twitter, the platform has been on a rollercoaster ride that feels like it never stops to breathe. The latest twist in this ongoing identity crisis? A full-blown DM overhaul that is forcing users into something called X Chat. It is rolling out in beta, people are panicking, and the number one question on everyone’s mind is painfully simple: Why is this happening, and how do we turn it off?

The Twitter PIN update nobody asked for

The most shocking (read: infuriating) part of the update is the sudden demand for users to create a four-digit passcode to access their messages. Yes, Twitter DMs have now become a digital ATM. This forced PIN prompt is part of X Chat’s push toward end-to-end encryption, but the way it has been dropped onto users with zero warning has naturally triggered the internet’s collective meltdown.

Once you land inside the new layout, it only gets more chaotic. The platform has ripped away the ability to edit messages. Voice memos? Gone. Groupchat names? Locked forever, which is tragic for anyone whose group title changes weekly based on everyone’s latest breakdown. New group members cannot be added unless the entire chat is recreated under this new “encrypted” system.

And reactions, yes, reactions, have suddenly multiplied. You can now react multiple times to the same message, which feels unnecessary but very on-brand for the Musk era.

The new DM layout is giving tablet-sized drama

Shared media now swallows up half (sometimes more) of your screen. Tabs divide messages into ‘Unread’ and ‘Groups’, making your inbox feel like a glitchy filing cabinet. Everything looks different, functionally behaves different, and overall feels like the chaotic cousin of the original Twitter DMs.

There is a way to turn it off… but it is temporary

Users desperate to escape the forced PIN screen have been asking Grok for help. In response, the platform’s AI suggested logging out and back in, claiming this might reset encryption keys and bypass the prompt. The AI also advised avoiding the Chat tab entirely and disabling beta toggles under privacy settings. However, it warned users that this fix is temporary and the update will likely become mandatory soon.

X Chat is here, nobody asked for it, and the forced PIN update is the internet’s new villain. Enjoy your peaceful DMs while you still can.