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Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat app is now on the App Store
There’s also a “Panic Mode” that lets users delete all their data from the app instantly with just a triple tap.
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Jack Dorsey has launched a new messaging app called Bitchat that works without the internet.
The app is now available for free on the Apple App Store, and anyone with a compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac, or even the Apple Vision Pro can try it out.
What makes Bitchat different from regular messaging apps is that it uses Bluetooth to connect directly with nearby users.
This means you can chat with people around you without needing their phone number or email address, and without needing Wi-Fi or mobile data.
This could be useful in places like concerts, conferences, protests, or even in areas where the internet is restricted or not available.
The app was created as part of an open-source project funded by Dorsey called “and Other Stuff.”
According to the app’s description, all messages are private and encrypted, which helps protect your conversations from being read by others.
There’s also a “Panic Mode” that lets users delete all their data from the app instantly with just a triple tap, in case they want to clear everything quickly for privacy reasons.
Dorsey says he built Bitchat as an experiment to explore how new technologies like Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, and message encryption models can be used in real-world messaging.
A mesh network allows phones to pass messages to each other over Bluetooth, even when there’s no direct connection between two devices — messages can “hop” from one phone to another until they reach the right person.
While similar Bluetooth-based messaging apps have been around for over a decade, Bitchat is one of the first to bring these features together in a modern, encrypted, and user-friendly way.
It’s a small-scale, experimental project for now, but it highlights growing interest in offline, private communication tools, especially in times when access to traditional networks might be disrupted or controlled.
Do you think offline messaging apps like Bitchat fill an important need for privacy and emergency communication? Or are they likely to be misused for avoiding legitimate oversight and accountability? Tell us below in the comments, or reach us via our Twitter or Facebook.
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