YouTube has begun rolling out a new in-app messaging system that allows users to share videos, Shorts and livestreams directly with friends without leaving the platform. The feature is currently expanding to users in the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Singapore and other supported regions after several months of testing.
The relaunch marks the return of direct messages to YouTube for the first time since 2019, when the company removed its original messaging feature and shifted its focus toward public interactions such as comments and community posts.
According to YouTube, direct messaging was one of the platform’s most requested features, prompting the company to revisit the idea through a new, more controlled system.
How the new messaging system works
Rather than allowing users to message anyone freely, YouTube’s updated approach relies on invitations.
Users can access a new “Messages” tab within the mobile app and send an invite link to another person. Once the invitation is accepted, both users can share videos and chat directly within YouTube. Invitations can be accepted or declined, helping reduce unwanted messages and spam.
The feature is currently limited to users who are at least 18 years old, have verified their age and are signed into a personal YouTube channel linked to a Google account. Brand accounts are not currently supported.
YouTube also says that Community Guidelines will apply to conversations and shared content, with users able to block, report, or unsend messages when necessary.
Comeback of YouTube DM
For years, most YouTube sharing happened outside the platform through apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and iMessage. The new messaging feature allows those conversations to remain inside YouTube rather than requiring users to switch between multiple apps.
The company says the goal is to make sharing easier, whether users are sending a music video, tutorial, podcast clip, or Short to friends and family.
While the feature is more limited than traditional messaging apps, it provides viewers with a built-in way to discuss videos without leaving the platform, something YouTube users have been requesting since the original messaging system was discontinued.
Featured image courtesy: YouTube