Spotify has introduced a direct messaging tool that will let listeners share songs, podcasts, and audiobooks without leaving the app.
The update is part of the company’s plan to keep conversations and recommendations inside Spotify, rather than sending users to other apps like WhatsApp or Instagram.
The idea is to make it easier for people to discover, share, and interact with content all in one place. The feature is rolling out this week in select regions for users aged 16 and older, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks.
Spotify also emphasized that it will continue adding improvements to make the app more engaging and user-friendly.
How the messaging feature works?
Spotify has added a messaging tool to its app, letting users swap songs and podcasts without turning to WhatsApp or Instagram.
The feature supports one-on-one chats between people already linked inside Spotify, through playlists, Blends, Jams, or shared plans.
Starting a conversation is as simple as hitting the share icon on a track and picking a friend, but the other person must accept before messages go through.
Chats will be live under a new “Messages” tab beneath the profile menu.
Beyond text, users can send emoji reactions and scroll back through past recommendations. Even links shared from outside the app can open an in-app chat request, pulling conversations back into Spotify’s ecosystem.
It’s the company’s clearest attempt yet to fold discovery and social features into one place.
Features for free and premium users
Spotify has added a messaging feature inside the app, letting people send songs, podcasts, and audiobooks directly to friends. It works for both free and premium users, but only for those 16 and older.
The company says it’s meant to make sharing easier without replacing apps like WhatsApp or Instagram.
To start a chat, the other person has to accept the request first. Messages are encrypted while stored and sent, but they aren’t end-to-end encrypted.
Users can block or report contacts, or switch off messaging completely if they want. Spotify also reviews reports of inappropriate content and says it watches for illegal or harmful activity.
All conversations appear in a new “Messages” section under the profile menu. People can send text, react with emojis, and scroll through previously shared tracks, podcasts, and audiobooks.
Links sent from outside the app can also trigger a request to chat, so recommendations from other platforms stay within Spotify.
This is Spotify’s most ambitious attempt yet to make its service more social. Past efforts, including Blends, Jams, and podcast comments, encouraged interaction, but messaging centralizes these exchanges in one place.
The company hopes the feature will increase engagement and keep users discovering and sharing content without leaving Spotify.
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