Elon Musks X launches X Numbers

X has introduced a new way for users to be contacted on its messaging service without sharing a phone number or following each other.

The company launched X Numbers on Tuesday , giving XChat users a private code they can share with people who need to message or call them without a mutual follow.

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According to X's Help Center , anyone who enters a user's enabled X Number can message them even if the user doesn't follow them or has a closed inbox.

Those conversations go straight to the inbox instead of message requests, and the sender can also place calls, depending on the recipient's call settings.

Despite its name, X says an X Number isn't a phone number.

It's also separate from the safety numbers Chat uses to verify identities in encrypted conversations.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's SpacexAI faces another lawsuit from child sexual abuse survivor The feature is optional, and X says users can turn it off or refresh it at any time.

Refreshing generates a new code, cutting off new contacts who only have the old one.

X notes that people a user has already messaged can see their X Number and may share it with others, though a "Hide from others" setting can prevent that.

The company also says users will be notified when someone contacts them through the code.

To set one up, X says users can open Chat, enter their Chat PIN if prompted, open the inbox dropdown menu, and tap "Number." The launch is the latest step in Elon Musk's long-stated goal of turning X into an " everything app ," a vision often compared to China's WeChat, which combines messaging, payments, and other services.

X launched its standalone XChat app on the App Store on April 24, positioning it as a WhatsApp competitor .