Xnews Review
Last Updated: Aug 25, 2025
| Rating |  |
| Price | free |
| Retention | 500 Days |
| Free Trial | None |
| Features | Mutli Server Support |
| Downloads Binaries | |
| Message Filter |
Xnews is a classic Windows-based newsreader that dates back to the early 2000s and became popular for its straightforward approach to reading text newsgroups and handling binaries. It is lightweight, freeware, and still respected among longtime Usenet users for its stability and simplicity, though it lacks modern polish and automation support. Its reputation today is mostly nostalgic, as development stopped long ago and it hasn’t been updated in years. Despite being outdated and Windows only, it continues to function for basic newsgroup access in 2025, though most users have migrated to more actively maintained software.
Xnews remains a free option for users who need a simple Usenet client without advanced features like NZB support or automation. The design is utilitarian and could be improved, but it still performs its core functions reliably. For more modern and regularly updated Usenet clients, see our list of the best Usenet newsreaders.
Editor's Tip: : Easynews is our top choice for quality Usenet search. It is an all-in-one service that includes everything needed to get up and running with Usenet:
- Unlimited Usenet access
- Highest quality retention (and growing)
- Built-in search interface with fast, accurate results and search previews
- Search Usenet without NZBs
- No software needed
Highlighted Features
Xnews features are basic but functional. If you simply need a Usenet client to browse newsgroups and read articles, Xnews may suit your needs. Longtime fans appreciate its simplicity and reliability for text and binary downloads.
- Support for multiple servers
- Select messages by number
- Header and article caching
- Downloads binaries
- Plonk file
- Message filter
- Score file for advanced filtering
- Customizable .ini files
- Plenty of online support via FAQ and manual pages
Xnews can support up to a maximum of 4 servers at once. It has an offline feature that acts like a permanent cache, allowing users to not have to load headers all over again when they come back. The following settings can also be overwritten and customized under a .ini file.
- Name
- Public Email
- IDToken
- Organization
- SigFile
- MultipartThreading
- SortOn
- SortOrder
- ColumnLayout
- ExpandAllThreads
- FullScreen
- AttachDir
- DecodeDir
- Archive
- Queue
- NewsAttrib
- MailAttrib
- ForwAttrib
- OnOpen
- OnLoaded
- AltServers
Plans & Pricing
Xnews is completely free to download and use. You can find this newsreader application from various software websites. However, make sure you are getting an installer from a reliable website. For this review, we got the Xnews app from Softonic.com.
Usage Overview
Xnews was once widely used in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. While usage has declined and the software is outdated, it still works for basic newsgroup reading and binary downloads.
Installation
Xnews comes in a ZIP file. Just extract the files to a folder of your choice and run the EXE file from the directory. Alternatively, you can make a shortcut to the EXE file if you don’t feel like browsing to the folder every time you want to check your newsgroups. There’s really no installation to speak of other than that.
Configuration
To use Xnews, you would need to set up your news server profile. You will initially be asked for an alias, which is different from the username and password for the server. After you’ve entered the set-up information, you will be asked to enter your username and password, along with the rest of the configuration options for the program. You can also repeat the process to be able to multiple servers for the program.
There are also a lot of other configurable settings that you can explore in this area, including display options, file management and storage options, to name a few.
Usability
There is a learning curve involved when using this program, especially in terms of the vocabulary it uses. “Purging”, for instance, is used in places where Delete would be a more predictable choice for commands. Icons can also be a bit confusing at first. If you’re in doubt, however, just Google your question. There is no shortage of information online for newsreaders like this. And as previously mentioned in the features section of this review, there are FAQs and manuals available should you have any questions on this program.
Once you get used to the terminology and interface, Xnews is easy to use for its intended purpose. It lacks advanced features found in modern newsreaders, but it remains reliable for basic tasks.
Conclusion
Xnews is not for everyone. It is a Delphi-based newsreader with binary downloading capabilities and support for multiple servers, but lacks NZB support and automation. While it cannot compete with more modern newsreaders, Xnews still gets the job done for basic newsgroup access. Its nostalgic reputation persists, but most users today prefer more actively maintained and user-friendly software. For alternatives, check out our list of the best Usenet newsreaders.
