Spotify has introduced an in-app messaging tool that lets people share songs, podcasts, and audiobooks without leaving the platform.
The update strengthens Spotify’s social side by giving listeners a single place to swap recommendations and keep track of what friends send. Until now, most users shared Spotify links through WhatsApp, Instagram, or Snapchat. With the new feature, that back-and-forth moves inside Spotify itself.
Chats are one-to-one and limited to people you’re already connected with on Spotify—through a shared playlist, a Jam, a Blend, or a Family/Duo plan. If you start a conversation, the other person must approve the request before messaging begins.
You can still receive a Spotify link from outside the app and have it create a chat request, and you can also send invite links to contacts to connect. Once approved, messages live in a new “Messages” hub, accessed by tapping your profile photo. Listeners can react with emojis, reply to specific items, and revisit a history of shared tracks and episodes.
Spotify says messaging is meant to complement, not replace, external sharing. The company frames it as a way to make recommendations—whether a book-club pick, a new favorite song, or a history podcast—easier to discuss in one place.
On safety and privacy, Spotify says conversations are encrypted in transit and at rest, but they are not end-to-end encrypted. The platform will proactively scan for harmful or illegal content, while users can report or block others and can turn messaging off entirely in settings.
The launch fits into a broader push toward a “more interactive” experience, a direction hinted at by Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström. It follows features like podcast comments and a more video-forward feed.
Availability is rolling out gradually. The feature is live for users aged 16 and up in select Latin American countries, with expansion planned for the US, Canada, Brazil, the EU, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand in the coming weeks. Both free and Premium listeners on mobile will get access.
Not everyone is excited. Some users already see Spotify as crowded with features, with one describing “an overwhelming display of visual clutter” when trying to navigate from the home page to the music they want.
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