If you remember YouTube’s old direct messaging feature, you might also remember how quietly it disappeared—almost like a comment that got deleted. Now, the platform is bringing it back, and this time it’s expanding to many more users.

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New rollout across 30+ countries

The latest expansion means users in several European countries can now try the messaging feature within the YouTube app.

Instead of copying video links and sending them through other platforms, users can directly share videos and start conversations with friends inside the app itself.

After a limited test earlier this year in Poland and Ireland, YouTube is reviving its DM feature to more than 30 countries across Europe. From Austria to Switzerland, and yes, including old favourites like France, Germany, and Italy, users can now chat, share, and react to videos without hopping over to WhatsApp or Messenger.

The rollout comes after the feature was tested on a limited scale earlier this year, and YouTube appears to be gradually expanding access to more regions.

Safety and privacy controls in place

The feature isn’t just about convenience, it is designed accordingly, keeping safety and privacy in mind. Only signed-in users aged 18+ can send messages, and recipients can accept or decline chats, unsend messages, or even delete entire conversations.

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Basically, YouTube is letting users slide into someone’s DMs responsibly.

YouTube says that the motive behind the move was to make the platform more interactive. Since watching videos is a solo activity, the new messaging feature could make it easier for users to chat, react and share moments with friends while watching content.