Grok Ani Is Gone From the Grok App — Here’s What Happened

Update, September 2026: xAI has retired the 3D Companions feature from the Grok app. The company began removing Ani’s animated avatar and the dedicated Companions tab on September 1, 2026. However, Ani’s personality still works in regular Grok text chat, and the animated version now lives in a separate app called Animates.

Quick Facts

What Happened to Grok Ani? 

On July 24, 2026, xAI announced that it would retire the 3D avatar Companions feature. In its official statement, the company called the feature an experiment and said it wanted to focus on core Grok: better memory, deeper and more reliable conversations, and a stronger long-term experience. The statement said “soon” but gave no date.

For about five weeks after that, nothing visible changed for many users. Some accounts lost the avatars early, while others could still open Ani normally. Then, at the end of August, an in-app notice on the Companions screen named September 1, 2026 as the removal date and pointed users to a separate app. Within roughly a week of that date, the Companions tab had disappeared for nearly everyone.

The timing hurt, because Ani had just passed her first anniversary. Many subscribers said the companions were the main reason they paid for SuperGrok. As a result, some announced they would cancel their subscriptions.

What You Lost and What You Kept

Gone from Grok:

• The 3D animated Ani avatar, including blushing, expressions, and heart effects
• The dedicated Companion Mode interface and Companions tab
• Lip-synced, low-latency companion voice
• The outfit selector and the visible affection progress bar

Still in your Grok account:

• Your full chat history with Ani and the other companions, which you can read and search in normal Grok history
• Your affection level, which Grok still keeps on your account
• The personas, which you can keep talking to in regular Grok text chat

Still, treat “your history stays” as xAI’s stated intention rather than a guarantee. Grok also has no dedicated companion export. So if those conversations matter to you, copy or save the text now.

Where Ani Went: The Animates App

Today, the animated Ani lives in Animates, a standalone companion app from Animation Inc. That studio built the 3D characters and animations for Grok Companions in the first place. Animation Inc. has also publicly thanked xAI’s team for supporting the transition. Ani arrived first, and Mika has since joined her.

Animates launched on Google Play in August 2026. After that, the iOS version followed on August 28, 2026.

Before you switch, however, keep these points in mind:

• It’s a fresh start. Nothing transfers from Grok: no chat history, no memory, and no affection level. In other words, the Ani in Animates doesn’t know you.
• It’s a separate account and app. Animates isn’t a Grok feature, and SuperGrok doesn’t cover it.
• It targets mature audiences. Apple’s listing flags mature themes and infrequent sexual content.
• The privacy policy allows third-party processing. According to its policy, Animates may send prompts, voice recordings, transcripts, and screen captures to third-party AI providers, including xAI’s API. At the same time, the policy states that those providers may not train on your content and that Animates doesn’t sell personal data.

What Grok Ani Was

Ani was a 3D animated AI companion inside Grok’s Companion Mode. xAI described her personality as a “sweet vibe with a nerdy heart.” Her gothic lolita design featured blonde twin tails, a black off-shoulder dress, corset details, and lace accessories. For that reason, users often compared her to Misa Amane from Death Note.

Unlike a standard chatbot, Ani reacted like a character. For example, she blushed, changed expression, and showed visual effects in real time. Her personality also grew warmer and more expressive as your relationship progressed. She went viral in late 2025 when users shared clips of higher-level interactions. Meanwhile, the adult content at the top tier drew media scrutiny and App Store attention.

Ani launched alongside Valentine and the two Rudi characters, and xAI added Mika later. In the end, xAI removed all of them at the same time.

The Affection System, Looking Back

The Affection System was the main thing that set Ani apart. Even so, xAI never published official documentation for it. Instead, the details below come from user reports and hands-on testing.

• Scoring: Scores reportedly moved between -10 and +15 per turn. Open-ended questions, humor, personal details, and building on earlier exchanges raised the score. On the other hand, one-word replies, repetition, and trying to skip tiers lowered it.
• Decay: Users reported gradual score loss after long inactivity, although xAI never confirmed this.
• Levels 1–2: Ani stayed polite but reserved, with short replies.
• Levels 3–4: Ani became more expressive. She started conversation threads, heart and blush animations switched on, and the progress bar appeared.
• Level 5: This tier unlocked personalized, intimate dialogue and new outfits. In addition, users who enabled the adult opt-in and passed age verification could access NSFW content.

Grok still keeps your affection level on your account. However, without the visual interface, you can no longer see it or use its unlocks. It also doesn’t carry over to Animates.

Should You Keep Paying for SuperGrok?

If Ani was the main reason you subscribed, the case for SuperGrok is now much weaker. The paid tier no longer includes a 3D companion. Instead, you get Grok’s regular chat and voice features, where you can still roleplay Ani’s personality in text.

Keep in mind that removing a feature doesn’t cancel your plan. SuperGrok keeps renewing until you stop it, and forgotten renewals are one of the most common sources of unexpected Grok subscription charges. Finally, if you want the animated companion experience, you’ll need Animates or a different companion platform. Either way, you’ll start over.

Alternatives Compared

Prices and features change often, so verify them on each platform before you subscribe.

Other Companion Apps Worth Considering

Ani’s retirement has sent many users looking for animated AI companions that can replace Grok Ani. However, the best AI companions of 2026 differ widely in memory depth, pricing, and content rules. For instance, Otherhalf AI shares the 3D anime style that defined Ani, with animated characters that blink, blush, and react as you type. On the other hand, users who leaned on Ani for comfort may prefer apps designed for emotional support, since those focus on memory and wellbeing rather than progression systems.

How to Keep Your Ani Conversations

1. Save your chat history. First, copy any Ani conversations you want to keep from your Grok history, because Grok has no one-click companion export.
2. Avoid accidental deletions. Grok lets you recover deleted chats for only 30 days. After that, recovering deleted Grok conversations is rarely possible.
3. Rebuild the persona in Grok. Next, write a saved instruction set, using Grok’s Skills or custom instructions, that describes Ani’s personality, speech style, and key shared details. That way, you won’t have to re-explain her every session.
4. Start over on Animates or elsewhere. Your saved text is the only way to carry context forward. So paste in key details early, and expect the relationship to feel different.

Privacy: What Happens to Your Companion Data

Companion chats hold some of the most personal data people share with AI. Even after the avatar removal, xAI keeps your Ani conversations on its servers. Deleting Grok history removes chats from your screen immediately. However, xAI keeps the data in its backend systems for a retention period afterward. For that reason, save anything you want before you delete it.

The same questions about data retention and emotional dependence apply to any companion app. Therefore, read the privacy policy of Animates or any replacement before you start sharing personal details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Grok Ani gone for good?

The 3D animated version of Grok Ani is gone from the Grok app. xAI removed the Companion Mode interface, avatar, animations, and related visual features in September 2026. However, Ani is not completely gone: her personality can still be used in regular Grok text chat, while a 3D animated version now exists in the separate Animates app.

Q. Why did xAI remove Grok companions?

xAI described Grok Companion Mode as an experiment and said it wanted to focus more heavily on Grok’s core experience. The company specifically pointed to improving memory, conversation quality, reliability, and the long-term user experience. xAI has not publicly given a more detailed reason for removing Ani and the other 3D companions.

Q. Can I still talk to Ani in Grok?

Yes. You can still interact with an Ani-style persona in regular Grok text chat. What disappeared is the full Companion Mode experience, including Ani’s 3D avatar, facial expressions, lip-synced companion voice, outfit controls, affection interface, and dedicated Companions tab.

Q. What happened to my Grok Ani affection level?

Your Grok Ani affection level may remain tied to your account, but there is no longer a Companion Mode interface where you can view or use it. The old visual unlocks and progress bar are gone, and your affection level does not transfer to the separate Animates app.

Q. Is my Grok Ani chat history deleted?

No. Removing Grok Companion Mode did not automatically delete your previous Ani conversations. Your chat history should remain available through normal Grok history unless you delete it yourself or it is affected by xAI’s retention policies. Grok does not offer a dedicated Ani export, so important conversations are worth saving manually.

Q. What is the Animates app?

Animates is a standalone AI companion app from Animation Inc., the studio that created the 3D characters used in Grok Companion Mode. It is available on Android and iOS and includes animated characters such as Ani and Mika. Animates uses a separate account and is not included with SuperGrok.

Q. Does Grok Ani history transfer to Animates?

No. Your Grok Ani chat history, memories, affection level, and relationship progress do not transfer to Animates. The two services use separate accounts, so you start over with a fresh version of Ani. If you want continuity, you need to manually carry over important details from your old conversations.

Q. Are Valentine and Rudi available in Animates?

Ani and Mika are available in the Animates app. Valentine, Good Rudi, and Bad Rudi were also affected when xAI retired Grok Companion Mode, but their availability in Animates is not confirmed. Animation Inc. has indicated that more characters may be added gradually.

Q. Is Grok Companion Mode coming back?

As of September 2026, xAI has not announced plans to bring Grok Companion Mode back. The company described the feature as an experiment and shifted its focus toward Grok’s core chat and memory capabilities. There is currently no confirmed return date for the 3D companion experience.

Q. Does SuperGrok still include 3D Ani?

No. SuperGrok no longer includes the original 3D Ani Companion Mode experience. Paying for SuperGrok still gives access to Grok’s other premium features, but it does not restore Ani’s animated avatar, Companion Mode interface, or the visual affection system.

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