YouTube is reintroducing private messaging in 2026, expanding an in-app video sharing and direct messaging feature to users in the US and other global regions who are 18 or older.
The platform first launched private messaging in 2017 but discontinued it two years later to focus on public-facing features, including an Instagram-like Stories format that was itself shut down in 2023. YouTube began testing the revived messaging capability in November 2025, describing it at the time as a “top feature request” from its community.
The new system works differently from its predecessor. Users must verify their age before gaining access, and can only start a conversation with someone by first sending them an invitation link through a third-party messaging platform. The Messages icon appears at the top right of the YouTube app and generates that invitation link. The setup suggests YouTube is orienting the feature toward existing contacts rather than enabling conversations between strangers.
“Our community loves to share videos with their friends and family, and we want them to be able to do it in one place,” YouTube said in its announcement. “Whether it’s a new music video, a helpful tutorial, or a funny Short, this update will give users a new way to share right where they’re watching.”
YouTube confirmed that its community guidelines will apply to all content and messages exchanged through the feature, and said it plans to expand availability “even further soon.”
For users who frequently share YouTube videos through external apps, the feature may consolidate that activity within the platform itself — though its reliance on third-party invite links to initiate chats could limit how seamlessly that transition happens.
Source: The Verge