Skip to main content

YouTube adds an in-app messaging feature for sharing and chatting about videos

YouTube adds an in-app messaging feature for sharing and chatting about videos

/

Mobile only

Share this story

YouTube

YouTube has added a new mobile-only feature that allows you to share a video with friends and chat about it in a private thread — all within the YouTube app. The function works like Android’s default Messages app: when you share a video with a contact (or multiple contacts as a group), you can chat about it without leaving the app, rather than having to start a new email or text message thread. Users can also respond to a video share with, what else, another video by pressing the reel icon and searching for the right comeback.

The feature will be built in to YouTube’s share button, and lets you select from your phone’s contacts list. You can also get a direct link to share and add new friends to discuss the video with, if that’s your thing.

The feature was previously only available in Canada at the beginning of the year, but is now rolling out to users globally. It’s probably not going to replace the way you’ve shared videos with pals if you’re already used to doing so via apps like Facebook Messenger, but it’s a quicker option if you and your friends are often exchanging YouTube links and want a dedicated space to just talk about videos.