YouTube is definitely the top video streaming platform out there. You'd normally expect Google to introduce brand-new features, but the company says it is introducing, or rather reintroducing, a feature it first launched in 2017.
YouTube is getting direct messaging
Most of you must be relying on apps like Instagram and WhatsApp to share interesting videos that you found on YouTube. While this method is already very convenient, Google apparently doesn't want you to leave its video streaming platform for any reason. As a result, the company has added a new messaging feature to the service.
The icon of the new messaging capability appears at the top of the YouTube smartphone app, next to the notification bell icon. You can use it to share any kind of YouTube video, whether it's Shorts, music from your favorite artist, or the latest MrBeast video.
There are two important catches you need to be aware of
YouTube new messaging feature. | Image by YouTube
Google is not completely getting rid of the dependency on third-party apps. You see, to start sharing videos with your friends and family, you need to first invite them to the YouTube messaging feature. The invite link can be sent using any third-party applications like WhatsApp, Instagram, or Google Messages.
Once the other person accepts the invite, they will be added to your YouTube contact list, and then you can quickly forward the videos by simply tapping the share button under the video and choosing their name from the list. You can also use this feature to chat with them directly on the platform.
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It's important to note that the invite links are only valid for 7 days. So, you need to make sure to ask the other person to accept the invite before the link expires; otherwise, you will have to send them a new invite instead. That said, the company has gone with the invite approach to ensure you don't get spammed with messages from unwanted accounts on YouTube.
The other important catch is the availability of this feature. It currently works in very limited countries, which include the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, France, and more. You can check out the entire list by visiting the support page.
Do you really see yourself using YouTube's messaging feature?
It's a long-overdue feature, and I'll use it.
32.5%
It sounds like a gimmick.
22.5%
YouTube should focus on bringing premium features for free.
45%
40 Votes
You might recall this feature from before
Your brain is not wrong if it is saying that it has heard about YouTube messaging feature before. The tech giant actually added this capability way back in 2017; however, it had a very short life and was removed just two years after its introduction.
While it was definitely a very interesting concept at that time, the company was apparently not able to attract many users to it. The comments under this announcement post suggest that there were an equal number of users who liked and disliked this feature. One user commented that it was a pretty efficient video-sharing system, while another said that it's a bad idea.
However, the team definitely believes that the users who actually like this capability outnumber those that don't want anything like this on YouTube. In fact, in November last year, they updated one of their support pages by mentioning that it is one of the top requested features.
At that time, it was also shared that the capability was being tested with a small group of people. Finally, it's now widely available in most regions.
One less to open social media apps
I always find myself using WhatsApp to share the link of interesting YouTube videos with my friends. But now with the introduction of the in-app messaging feature, I'll be able to instantly share the video within the app and even discuss it.
That said, YouTube has ensured that the feature checks all the boxes of an ideal messaging feature. It supports the ability to unsend a message. You can also delete a conversation; however, it will only be gone from your end, and the other person will continue to see it.
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Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.
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