YouTube is bringing back in-app messaging (for now)

Technology Nov 20, 2025

YouTube is trying out a new private messaging feature in Ireland and Poland, letting users share videos and chat directly within the app.
This isn't the first time—YouTube had a similar feature back in 2017 but shut it down in 2019.
The goal this time? To keep conversations on YouTube instead of losing them to Instagram or WhatsApp.

What's included—and what's next

Right now, you can privately share videos and chat with friends in a small, private thread, but sharing outside YouTube still works the same as before.
Google says messages might be reviewed for guideline compliance, so there's some moderation happening.
If users like it, YouTube could roll this out to more countries by 2025, which could help make the platform feel more social—not just about watching videos.