Spotify has launched a new direct messaging feature as part of its strategy to enhance social interaction on the platform and strengthen user engagement beyond just audio streaming.

Until now, sharing music or podcast links required users to rely on third-party messaging apps. With the new feature, Spotify aims to keep these conversations within its ecosystem. The messaging tool also preserves a history of shared content, eliminating the need to scroll through multiple apps to retrieve past links.

Initially, one-to-one messaging is supported, and conversations can only be started with people users have already interacted with on Spotify-such as collaborators on playlists, Jam or Blend participants, or those connected via Family and Duo plans. A chat request must be approved before a conversation begins.

Spotify is also integrating this feature with external platforms. If a user sends a Spotify link through WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or TikTok, recipients can tap to approve a chat request. Additionally, invite links can be sent directly to contacts.

Messages can be accessed through the ‘Messages’ tab by tapping a user’s profile picture. Users can also react with emojis to individual messages, adding a more expressive layer to interactions.

In terms of privacy, Spotify states that messages are encrypted in transit and at rest, but not end-to-end encrypted. The platform will monitor messages for violations and allow users to report problematic content in line with its terms and community standards.

This move reflects Spotify’s broader ambition to evolve into a social-first audio platform, fostering deeper user connections through native features.