You can share messages and videos with friends on YouTube, an amazing feature is coming
YouTube's new Chat + Video Sharing feature is being tested on the mobile app. It offers video sharing, one-on-one and group chats, emojis, and text replies. The feature is live only for users 18+ and comes with strict safety rules.
If you use YouTube for video streaming, your fun is about to double. Soon, you'll be able to chat in real time on YouTube and share videos with friends.
In fact, after six years, YouTube has once again begun testing its in-app private messaging feature. Once this feature is rolled out, users will be able to chat in real time without switching to WhatsApp or Instagram.
Testing begins
YouTube is rolling out new video sharing and chat tools for users 18+ in Ireland and Poland, allowing longer videos, Shorts, and livestreams to be shared directly within the YouTube app.
Users will now be able to chat in real-time without having to switch to WhatsApp or Instagram. This feature was one of YouTube's most requested requests and is being tested in limited regions.
YouTube's new in-app chat and video sharing feature
YouTube explained how the new feature works on its support page. Users tap the Share button and are taken to a full-screen chat window where they can send videos, start chats, and respond with text, emojis, or other videos.
This feature makes it easier to share content within the YouTube app, eliminating the need for users to navigate to other social apps. The company says this is a long-requested feature.
Major changes in safety rules and access control
The new testing comes with strict safety rules. All chats must adhere to YouTube Community Guidelines, and suspicious messages may be scanned or reviewed by the platform.
Users must accept an invite before starting a chat and can block a channel, report a chat, or unsend a message. Chat notifications will appear alongside other YouTube notifications, keeping the messaging experience confined to within the app.
The return of messaging after 6 years and the plan ahead
YouTube discontinued its old messaging system in 2019, citing concerns about child safety. Therefore, the new feature is only being rolled out to users 18+ to minimize risk and allow YouTube to assess its scale.
The test is currently only running in select regions, such as Ireland and Poland, but if successful, it could be rolled out to more countries.