XIVCHAT NEXT · DESKTOP 1.3.6 / PLUGIN 1.7.15
Your client, step by step
Install
Open Releases, expand Assets in the latest release and download XIVChatNext-Desktop-…-win-x64.zip. Extract it into its own directory and run XIVChat Desktop.exe. Keep all DLL/resource folders. .NET and Windows App SDK are included; web cards also require Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime.
Add https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AinaSnow/FFXIV-Dalamud-Plugins/main/pluginmaster.json to Dalamud's custom plugin repositories. Install XIVChatNext Server, log in, and use matching client/plugin versions from the same release.
Connect
The first-run guide sets language, connection and notifications; reopen it from Settings. The desktop supports English, Simplified Chinese and System. New plugin configurations default to English and have an independent language setting.
Use 127.0.0.1:14777 on the same PC, unless the port was changed. On a reachable network, use the game PC's address. Ports must match. Compare fingerprints and confirm trust on both ends.
Without direct access, choose Self-hosted relay, paste a fresh invitation from your relay administrator, independently compare the endpoint fingerprint with the plugin and save. Complete the chat-device trust confirmation too. Saved pairing survives normal restarts; re-pair after loss, revocation or identity changes. See Relay.
Click the Logo to reconnect to the most recently successful target. Interrupted successful relay sessions retry; explicit Disconnect cancels retries. Reopening the app does not send chat or log in to the game.
Everyday use
| Area | Action |
|---|---|
| Conversations | Open tells, pin contacts and check unread counts. Confirm the fixed recipient above the composer. |
| Channels | Select the sending channel and customize views/filters. |
| Friends | Open a conversation from synced friends. Unknown/expired presence is not proof of being offline. |
| History | Choose a character/source, search and read saved messages offline. |
| Favorites | Save messages/cards and add notes. |
| Events | Review events and configure notifications in Settings. |
Open conversations as popouts and save/restore layouts. They share conversation state and preserve disconnected drafts. Reading another character's history does not switch the live sender.
Select item/map links to inspect cards; comparisons depend on available data/equipment. Allow screenshots in the plugin, request one from the client and preview/save/copy the result.
Data and upgrades
History, favorites, notes and layouts stay local; the relay is not cloud history sync. Configuration: %APPDATA%\XIVChat for Windows. Data: %LOCALAPPDATA%\XIVChatDesktop. Do not publicly share these files. Protected relay credentials belong to the current Windows user.
Close the client normally and back up configuration/data before upgrading. Extract the new package into a separate directory; never mix runtime DLLs. Update the plugin in Dalamud and retain the old client package for rollback.
Live sending, friends and screenshots require the game, logged-in character and plugin. This app cannot keep a character logged in or send after the game closes. Game/Dalamud updates may require a plugin update.