X Rolls Out 'X Numbers' for Messaging Without Phone Numbers or Mutual Follows

Social media platform X launched a feature called X Numbers on Tuesday, providing XChat users with a shareable private code to receive direct messages and calls without exchanging phone numbers or following each other, according to a report by Mashable Tech (https://mashable.com/tech/elon-musk-twitter-launches-x-numbers-feature).

According to documentation in X's Help Center, entering an enabled X Number allows a sender to message an account directly into its main inbox rather than routing through message requests, even if the recipient maintains a closed inbox or does not follow the sender back. Senders can also initiate calls through the feature, subject to the recipient's configured call settings.

The company noted that an X Number is not an actual telephone number and operates independently from the safety numbers used to verify user identities in encrypted conversations. The feature is optional and can be disabled or refreshed at any time. Generating a new code invalidates previous codes for new contacts, while an optional 'Hide from others' toggle prevents existing conversation partners from seeing and redistributing the identifier. Users receive a notification whenever an inbound contact uses their code.

To configure the feature, users open Chat, enter a Chat PIN if prompted, open the inbox dropdown menu, and select 'Number.'

The update follows X's release of its standalone XChat application on the iOS App Store on April 24 as part of its broader push into standalone communications. The company has also expanded its financial features, launching X Money on July 27 for premium subscribers before broadening access on Aug. 31 to all U.S.-based Premium and Premium+ subscribers.