YouTube Just Revived DMs After Killing Them in 2019
YouTube is bringing direct messaging back to the US, UK, Brazil, and Singapore, letting users share videos without leaving the app.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube is restoring direct messaging six years after removing it, now reaching 40 countries including the US.
- Chats start only through an invite link sent via a third-party app, a design meant to curb spam.
- Only YouTube content can be shared inside chats, and users must be 18 with verified age.
YouTube is reviving direct messaging six years after it scrapped the feature in 2019. The platform announced the rollout on Wednesday (June 11), letting users share videos without leaving the app.
According to The Verge, the feature is expanding to the US and other global regions for users 18 and older. Digital Trends reports the rollout now reaches the US, UK, Brazil, and Singapore, bringing the total to 40 countries.
The new messaging icon appears at the top right of the YouTube app once the feature is enabled. According to Mashable, users send an invite to friends, who can then accept or decline.
Starting a chat is deliberately harder than searching for a username. Digital Trends reports the invite link must go out through a third-party app like WhatsApp, iMessage, or SMS.
The other person accepts the invite and gets added to your YouTube contacts. According to Digital Trends, this extra step is designed to prevent spam and unwanted messages.
Inside a chat, users can react to content in real time and unsend messages by long-pressing them. Digital Trends reports the only media allowed is YouTube content, including videos, livestreams, and Shorts.
The feature requires age verification and a personal YouTube channel signed in through a Google Account. According to Mashable, the verification step aims to tackle spam and unwanted contact.
YouTube first launched direct messages in 2017 before quietly removing them in 2019. According to Mashable, Google said it was reevaluating its priorities and focusing on public conversations like comments.
This time the company is framing messaging as a long-requested return. According to The Verge, YouTube described in-app messaging as a top feature request when testing began in November 2025.
YouTube says the positive response abroad drove the wider expansion. Digital Trends reports the feature has been live across more than 30 European countries since March 2026.
The reissue closes a long gap with rival platforms that kept messaging in place. According to Mashable, nearly every other social and video platform, from TikTok to Instagram, already offers DMs.
YouTube says its Community Guidelines will apply to all shared content and messages exchanged through the feature. According to The Verge, the company plans to expand the feature even further soon.
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