YouTube Has Revived Direct Messaging so You Can Finally Share Videos without Leaving the App
The feature lets adults share videos, Shorts and livestreams in 1:1 chats after recipients opt in and accept a 7-day invite link.
- On Wednesday, YouTube announced expansion of its in-app messaging feature to users in the US, UK, Brazil, and Singapore, enabling eligible users to share videos and communicate directly within the platform.
- Following six months of testing in Europe, YouTube identified messaging as a "top feature request" and reintroduced the capability after discontinuing a similar chat tool in 2019 to prioritize public conversations.
- Users must be 18 or older to access the feature, which requires sending invite links through third-party apps like WhatsApp or SMS. YouTube will uphold its Community Guidelines for all shared content and messages.
- Recipients can accept or decline invitations to minimize unwanted contact, while connected users can share videos, Shorts, and livestreams—though the system prohibits sending files, images, or GIFs.
- This update positions YouTube to compete with TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, which already rely on private messaging for user engagement. The company aims to keep video sharing and conversations unified in one place.
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Even YouTube Has DMs Now
On Wednesday, YouTube announced a plan to roll out direct messages (DMs) in the U.S. and several other regions. As such, you can now share YouTube videos with your friends on YouTube directly, rather than sending content to other chat apps. YouTube now joins the ranks of other apps that you might not expect to have DMs, like Spotify and Zillow. While it likely won't become the next WhatsApp, it might make sense for friends who frequently pass Yo…
YouTube is introducing DMs (again)
You have to be over 18 and already be connected with the person you want to chat with on other messaging platforms. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube is reintroducing private messaging after testing new ways for users to share videos and "have conversations about them" last year. In an announcement on its official blog, YouTube says it's now starting to expand the in-app video sharing and messaging feature to users in the US and…
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