YouTube expands experimental direct messaging to US mobile users

YouTube has extended its experimental direct messaging feature for mobile users to the United States, broadening the scope of the trial that previously operated in European markets. The Google-owned video-sharing platform confirmed the expansion, which allows American users aged 18 and older to send video and Reel invites to other users on the platform.

The rollout follows positive feedback from earlier trials conducted in Ireland and Poland late last year, with the feature subsequently expanding to additional European countries in March. YouTube stated that direct messaging has been a top feature request from its user base, and the current iteration builds on the data gathered from these initial test markets.

To access the functionality, users can tap the 'Messages' button located in the top right corner of the YouTube mobile application. This opens an 'Invite to chat' option, which recipients can choose to accept or decline. The primary objective of the feature is to streamline the sharing of YouTube content and Reels among friends, although the company noted that users can still share videos through external messaging applications if they prefer.

This move represents a strategic reversal from 2019, when YouTube discontinued its previous direct messaging service to prioritise public conversations within the comments section. The platform initially launched a messaging feature in 2017 before removing it two years later. The renewed effort signals a shift in how the company wishes to facilitate private interactions alongside its public engagement tools.

YouTube indicated that the direct messaging feature remains in the testing phase and plans to expand the experiment to further countries in the future. Users in regions not yet included in the trial will need to wait for subsequent rollouts, as the company continues to evaluate the feature's performance and user adoption rates in its current markets.