YouTube recently announced that it’s now moving forward with the roll-out of its native video sharing and messaging feature to the United States and several global markets, allowing users aged 18 and older to connect over content without leaving the app.
With that said, the update will bring a dedicated messaging icon within the YouTube app itself, and users can instantly invite contacts to share videos, text, and react to content in real-time. The feature supports all video formats on YouTube, including standard uploads, music videos, tutorials, as well as Shorts.
This expansion follows initial rollouts in select international markets, where the company reports “positive user engagement.” Following the arrival of the feature for more markets, YouTube emphasizes that its standard Community Guidelines will strictly apply to all shared content and private messages within the feature.
YouTube’s dedicated messaging feature was initially announced earlier this year, first arriving for users in several European countries. The feature will require users to be aged at least 18 years, and users will need to verify their age via their Google account; they’ll also need to be signed into a YouTube channel to send messages.
