Disappearing Messages

Disappearing messages are one of XChat's core privacy features. Once enabled, messages automatically delete from both devices after the chosen timer expires. Based on early testing, the shortest timer currently seems to be five minutes, with longer durations likely available as well.

This appears to be configured per conversation rather than globally. In practice, that means you can enable it for one sensitive chat without affecting the rest of your inbox. For temporary passwords, confidential project notes, or other short-lived information, that kind of per-chat control is genuinely useful.

One thing to keep in mind is that disappearing messages work at the app layer. They cannot stop the recipient from photographing the screen or capturing the content before the timer runs out. XChat does appear to include screenshot blocking and alerts, but no app can stop someone from using a second device to record the screen.