Spotify is expanding its social features as it looks to keep users from leaving the app to share music. On Wednesday, the company announced a new Messages feature that allows users to see what their friends are listening to in real time and send requests to start Jams, Spotify’s collaborative listening experience.
To use the feature, users must first go to Settings and enable “listening activity” under the “Privacy & Social” section. Once enabled, a user’s current listening activity will appear at the top of their Messages chats. Tapping on a friend’s activity lets you play the track, save it, open additional options, or react with an emoji.
Premium users can also start a Jam directly from Messages by tapping the “Jam” button in the top-right corner of the chat. If the recipient accepts the request, they become the Jam host, allowing both users to add songs to a shared queue and listen together in real time.
Listening Activity and Request to Jam are rolling out on iOS and Android in markets where Messages is available, with full availability in those regions expected by early February. Listening Activity is accessible to all users who have access to Messages, while Free users can join a Jam session only when invited by a Premium subscriber.
Spotify notes that because both features are integrated into Messages, they are limited to users aged 16 and older.
The company first introduced Messages in August 2025 as part of an effort to make Spotify more social. While users have long shared links to songs and podcasts outside the app, the addition of messaging reflects Spotify’s push to keep more interactions within its own platform, boosting user engagement and encouraging paid subscriptions.
Currently, Spotify Messages only support one-on-one conversations, and users can message only people they’ve previously interacted with by sharing content, collaborating on a playlist, or taking part in a Jam or Blend. Messages are encrypted both at rest and in transit, though they do not offer end-to-end encryption.