TikTok is giving users new ways to interact with others via direct messages (DMs), the company told TechCrunch on Friday. Users will now be able to send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos in one-to-one and group chats on the platform.
With these new features, TikTok is positioning itself as more than just an entertainment platform, aiming to become a place where users interact regularly beyond simply sending each other TikTok videos. Additionally, the new capabilities bring TikTok’s messaging experience more in line with that of other popular social apps and services.
With voice notes, users can record and send audio messages up to 60 seconds long. The launch of the feature comes as services like Instagram already offer the ability to send voice notes to others via DMs.
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It makes sense for TikTok to add voice notes to its DMs, especially as a growing number of people, particularly Gen Z, are embracing the format for communication. The feature is rolling out over the next few weeks, TikTok says.
As for sharing photos and videos, users can either take a photo or video with their camera or select one from their camera roll to share it with others. They can also choose to edit the content before sending it.
For user safety, people can’t send an image or video as their initial message request. For example, if someone messages you for the first time, they can’t send a photo or video they have taken themselves; they can only share content already on TikTok. Additionally, when someone chooses to send a photo or video, TikTok will remind them to protect their privacy and be mindful of who they’re sending that content to.
While DMs on TikTok are unavailable to users under the age of 16, the company is adding protections for users between the ages of 16 and 18. For instance, TikTok has automated systems in place to detect and block images containing nudity. This means that the sender will be blocked from sending the nude image, and the receiver won’t see the image at all. Users above the age of 18 can choose to toggle this safety feature on in their app settings.
TikTok sees the new features as a way for users to express themselves and connect with others in ways that they’re already accustomed to. The move comes as TikTok has been working to build out its messaging product. Last year, the platform launched group chats, giving users the ability to chat with up to 32 people at once. TikTok also recently rolled out Creator Chat Rooms, a dedicated space for creators and their followers to connect and interact with each other.
TikTok’s Long Road to Becoming a “Social Platform”
TikTok’s DM expansion is the latest chapter in the app’s ongoing attempt to reposition itself from being viewed solely as a short-video entertainment hub to functioning as a full-fledged social platform. The company has experimented with this idea before. One notable effort was TikTok Now, a feature launched in 2022 that closely mirrored BeReal, the French social app that encouraged users to post real-time, unfiltered photos. The experiment was aimed at sparking more spontaneous social sharing, but it failed to gain significant traction and was quietly retired in many markets.
Beyond TikTok Now, the platform has also struggled to rival Instagram’s messaging ecosystem, where DMs are central to how users interact daily—sharing memes, posts, and short-form videos seamlessly. Instagram’s head start and Meta’s broader integration across WhatsApp and Messenger created an entrenched messaging network that TikTok has long sought to challenge but has yet to match in depth or adoption.
This history underscores why TikTok is doubling down on DMs today. The company is attempting to replicate the daily-use features that keep users locked into rival apps, while also leveraging its massive Gen Z audience already engaged with short-form video content.
Messaging Beyond Messaging Apps
TikTok is not alone in adding messaging capabilities as a way to expand beyond its core offering. Spotify, for instance, recently introduced its own in-app messaging tools, allowing users to share and discuss music directly inside the platform rather than relying on external apps. This signals a broader trend in the tech industry where platforms are trying to capture more of users’ social interactions within their ecosystems, reducing reliance on competitors like WhatsApp, iMessage, or Instagram.
The bigger aim for TikTok is to use the conversations that happen within its app to boost revenue. The more engaged users remain, the more opportunities the platform has to strengthen community bonds, surface content, and ultimately increase revenue through advertising and potential new features.