TikTok is rolling out a major update to its messaging features, giving users much more flexibility when chatting with friends or groups. Soon, TikTok users will be able to send voice notes, images, and videos directly in their direct messages (DMs) or group chats. This feature aims to enhance communication within the platform and helps TikTok keep up with other social media apps that already offer similar options. Here is everything you need to know about this update and what it means for users of the app.
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New Features Coming Soon to TikTok Messaging
According to TikTok, the new messaging features will be available within the next few weeks. The most significant additions are:
- Voice Notes: Users will be able to send audio messages to each other. However, each voice note will be limited to one minute in length. The feature is useful for users who want to send a quick spoken message instead of typing.
- Images and Videos: TikTok will allow users to send up to nine images or videos per message in DMs or group chats. These files can be selected from the user’s phone camera app or media library, giving a lot of flexibility in sharing visual content instantly.
These upgrades mark a shift for TikTok, which started as a platform focused only on short videos, toward becoming a full-featured social platform where users can communicate, share, and collaborate in more ways.
Privacy and Security Measures
TikTok is introducing some restrictions and guardrails to protect users with this update. For instance, users will not be able to send images or videos as the very first message to another user. This step aims to prevent unwanted content and maintain a safer chatting experience.
There are also age restrictions on TikTok’s chat features. Only registered users aged 16 and above can use the messaging tools. For images in chats, TikTok has a feature that automatically detects and blocks nude images for users aged between 16 and 18, adding another layer of safety for younger users. Users who are 18 and older have the option to turn this feature on or off depending on their preference.
Why Is TikTok Upgrading Its Chat Features?
Voice messaging is rapidly growing in popularity across social media platforms. Apps like Messenger, WhatsApp, and Snapchat allow users to send not just text messages, but also voice notes, pictures, and videos. TikTok’s move to introduce these same features means the app is staying competitive, giving its audience fresh ways to connect, react, and share their day-to-day life beyond just short video clips.
These updates follow previous improvements to TikTok’s communication tools. In the past year, TikTok rolled out group chats, enabling conversations with up to 32 participants. More recently, TikTok added a “Footnotes” feature, which lets community members add context or clarifications to content in a similar way to Community Notes seen on other social platforms.
Comparing TikTok to Other Social Platforms
By introducing voice notes, image, and video sharing in chats, TikTok is closing the gap with apps that have long had these features. Messenger and Snapchat users are already used to sending audio messages or media files freely. With TikTok’s update, the messaging experience feels more familiar, reducing the need to switch between apps for different communication styles.
However, TikTok maintains its focus on safety. The restriction on sending images or videos as a first message is not found on all platforms, and age-specific controls help make the environment friendlier to young people.
What Users Should Expect
When this messaging update rolls out, users will get a notification or see the new options appear in their chat window. Sending a voice note will be as simple as holding down a record button. To share images or videos, users can select the paperclip or gallery button, choose up to nine files, and send them in one message.
Since images and videos cannot be sent as a first message, users may need to start conversations with text before sharing media.
The new tools are rolling out in the next few weeks, and TikTok is expected to continue refining the experience based on user feedback. For users aged under 18, the app will keep enforcing its strict safe-image detection features.
