Topics

Spotify launches a messaging feature in a bid to become more social

Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.

Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.

Most Popular

Coinbase CEO explains why he fired engineers who didn’t try AI immediately

OpenAI lawyers question Meta’s role in Elon Musk’s $97B takeover bid

YouTube Music celebrates 10 years with new features that help it compete with Spotify

Hackers who exposed North Korean government hacker explain why they did it

Google, sorry, but that Pixel event was a cringefest

Harvard dropouts to launch ‘always on’ AI smart glasses that listen and record every conversation

Google launches a new Pixel Journal app

Latest

Amazon

Apps

Biotech & Health

Climate

Cloud Computing

Commerce

Crypto

Enterprise

EVs

Fintech

Fundraising

Gadgets

Gaming

Google

Government & Policy

Hardware

Instagram

Layoffs

Media & Entertainment

Meta

Microsoft

Privacy

Robotics

Security

Social

Space

Startups

TikTok

Transportation

Venture

Events

Startup Battlefield

StrictlyVC

Newsletters

Podcasts

Videos

Partner Content

TechCrunch Brand Studio

Crunchboard

Spotify launches a messaging feature in a bid to become more social Ivan Mehta AM PDT · August 26, 2025 Spotify is introducing a way for you to chat with your friends on the app in a bid to become a more social content consumption app.

Users have shared Spotify links for music and podcasts with others outside the platform for years. With this feature, Spotify wants users to do more of that within the app while also keeping the history of shared content, so users don’t have to go search for a song.

Messages are only one-on-one, and you can only start a chat with someone with whom you have previously shared content. That means if you have a collaborative playlist with someone, or have joined a jam or a blend, you can start a conversation with them. This also applies to people on a Family or Duo plan with you. Once you send a request, they will have to approve it to start a conversation.

Outside of Spotify, if someone sends a Spotify link to you on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or TikTok, you can tap on it and approve their request to chat. Alternatively, you can send an invite link to someone in your contacts.

The company said that users should continue sharing content outside Spotify, and the new message feature is a “complement” to that.

Users can access messages

The company said that messages are encrypted at rest and in transit; however, messages are not protected

Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 REGISTER NOW Last month, Spotify Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström hinted during the company’s quarterly call that the consumer experience will be much more interactive on the app. The new messages feature seems to be a move in that direction.

Spotify is rolling out the messages feature to both premium and free users over 16 in select markets in Latin and South America, only on mobile versions. The company said that the feature will expand to the US, Canada, Brazil, the EU, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand in the coming weeks.

Over the years, Spotify has had only a few social elements, like being able to follow someone and look at what they listen to. That has been changing with the introduction of features like comments on podcasts last year and a redesigned feed with a focus on video.

Last year, in an interview with TechCrunch, Spotify VP of Podcast Product Maya Prohovnik didn’t deny the idea of comments on music tracks as well.

In recent months, users on social media have complained about Spotify’s interface being too cluttered with features. My colleague Amanda Silberling, who left Spotify for Apple Music, had a similar problem.

“There’s an overwhelming display of visual clutter from the time it takes to navigate from Spotify’s home page to the music you’re looking for,” she said.

While messages might nudge some to share more content with friends, it could also annoy some who have been feeling that the app is getting more overwhelming. Thankfully, you can go to Settings > Privacy and social and disable messages.

Topics

Ivan Mehta Ivan covers global consumer tech developments at TechCrunch. He is based out of India and has previously worked at publications including Huffington Post and The Next Web.

You can contact or verify outreach from Ivan

October 27-29, 2025 San Francisco Put your brand in front of 10,000+ tech and VC leaders across all three days of Disrupt 2025. Amplify your reach, spark real connections, and lead the innovation charge. Secure your exhibit space before your competitor does.

Most Popular Coinbase CEO explains why he fired engineers who didn’t try AI immediately Julie Bort

OpenAI lawyers question Meta’s role in Elon Musk’s $97B takeover bid Maxwell Zeff

YouTube Music celebrates 10 years with new features that help it compete with Spotify Sarah Perez

Hackers who exposed North Korean government hacker explain why they did it Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai

Google, sorry, but that Pixel event was a cringefest Sarah Perez

Harvard dropouts to launch ‘always on’ AI smart glasses that listen and record every conversation Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Rebecca Bellan

Google launches a new Pixel Journal app Ivan Mehta

X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram youTube Mastodon Threads Bluesky TechCrunchStaffContact UsAdvertiseCrunchboard JobsSite Map Terms of ServicePrivacy PolicyRSS Terms of UseCode of Conduct Pixel 10Made © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC.