Spotify is introducing a new way for you to chat with your friends directly within the app. This move aims to make Spotify a more social platform for content consumption. For years, users have shared music and podcast links with others outside of Spotify. This new feature encourages users to do more of that sharing within the app itself. It also keeps a history of all shared content, so you never have to go searching for a song you were sent.
Messaging is currently only one-on-one. You can only start a chat with someone you have previously shared content with. This includes people you have a collaborative playlist with, or someone you have joined a Jam or Blend session with. This also applies to people on a Family or Duo plan with you. Once you send a chat request, the other person must approve it before a conversation can begin.
If someone sends you a Spotify link on another platform like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or TikTok, you can tap on it to approve their request to chat. You can also send an invite link to someone in your contacts. Spotify has stated that users should continue sharing content outside its app, noting that the new message feature is simply a complement to that existing behavior.
To access messages, tap on your profile picture and find conversations under the Messages section in the hover bar on the left. You can react to specific messages using emojis as well. The company says that messages are encrypted at rest and in transit. However, they are not protected by end-to-end encryption. Spotify proactively reviews messages to check for rule violations. Users can also report messages, and the company will investigate those reports against its terms of service and platform rules.
Last month, Spotify Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström hinted during a quarterly call that the app would become much more interactive. This new messages feature appears to be a direct move in that direction. The feature is rolling out to both premium and free users over the age of 16 in select markets across Latin and South America, and is only available on mobile. Spotify plans to expand the feature to the US, Canada, Brazil, the EU, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand in the coming weeks.
Over the years, Spotify has had limited social elements, like the ability to follow someone and see what they are listening to. This has been changing with recent introductions, such as comments on podcasts last year and a redesigned feed with a greater focus on video. In a past interview, a Spotify executive did not deny the possibility of comments coming to music tracks as well.
In recent months, some users on social media have complained that Spotify’s interface is becoming too cluttered with new features. Some feel the app is overwhelming, with an overwhelming display of visual clutter that can make it slow to navigate from the home page to the music you want. While this messaging feature might encourage more sharing among friends, it could also annoy users who feel the app is already too busy. Thankfully, you can disable messages by going to Settings, then Privacy and Social.