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The feature, X Numbers, part of X Chat, lets users share a private code with others so they can be contacted without sharing their phone number. By CNBCTV18.com September 23, 2026, 1:51:49 PM IST (Published) 4 Min Read Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has introduced a new feature called X Numbers that lets users share a private code with others so they can be contacted on X Chat without sharing their phone number or following each other. The feature is part of X Chat, the platform’s messaging service, and is optional.
Users can create an X Number and share it with people they want to hear from. Anyone who has the active code can then send them a message, even if the two accounts do not follow each other. X Numbers can also be used for audio and video calls, depending on the recipient’s call settings.
Messages sent through the code go directly to the user’s main Chat inbox instead of the message requests section. This means the feature can also be used by people who have closed their X inbox to messages from accounts they do not follow. An active X Number creates a separate way for selected people to reach them.
"X Numbers are here. Share yours with anyone you want to contact you, even if you don't follow them. It's an optional way for people to message or call you, without you needing to accept requests or follow them back," X Chat wrote.
X Numbers are here. Share yours with anyone you want to contact you, even if you don't follow them. It's an optional way for people to message or call you, without you needing to accept requests or follow them back. pic.twitter.com/HkObZSQMhm — XChat (@chat) September 22, 2026 X has clarified that an X Number is not a phone number.
It is simply a private access code for contacting a user through X Chat. It is also different from the safety numbers used by X Chat to verify identities in encrypted conversations. How to create an X number Users can create an X Number from the chat section.
They need to open X Chat, enter their Chat PIN if asked, open the inbox dropdown menu and select ‘Number’. The code can be turned off whenever the user wants. X also allows users to refresh their X Number, which generates a new code.
Once the number is refreshed, people who only have the old code can no longer use it to start a new conversation. The refresh option could be useful if a user has shared the code with too many people or wants to stop new contacts from reaching them through an older code. X has also added a privacy option because an X Number can be shared by other people.
The company says people who have already exchanged direct messages with a user may be able to see the X Number and could share it with others. Users who do not want their existing contacts to see the code can turn on the ‘Hide from others’ setting. X also notifies users when someone contacts them through their X Number.
The company has been building X Chat as a standalone messaging service and has positioned it as a way for users to communicate without having to exchange phone numbers. X has not said how many digits an X Number contains in its Help Centre. X launched its standalone XChat app on the App Store in April, with the service pitched as a messaging alternative where users can connect through their existing X accounts.
The company has also been expanding into other services, including payments. X Money was launched in July for premium subscribers in the US and was later made available to Premium and Premium+ subscribers with US accounts. It is not currently available to free users. (Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani) Home Technology News Elon Musk's X introduces X Numbers to let users chat without sharing phone numbers: How it works
Source: CNBC TV18
