TikTok is enhancing its Direct Messages (DMs) with new features designed to make private conversations more dynamic and expressive. Users can now send voice notes up to 60 seconds long and share up to nine images or videos per message in both one-on-one chats and group conversations, bringing the app’s messaging features closer to rivals like WhatsApp and Instagram.
Voice Notes Bring Conversations To Life
Recording a voice note (up to 60 seconds long) is simple — just hold down the microphone icon next to the text box to start. Release it to send, swipe to delete, or swipe up to lock and keep recording without holding the button. You can also delete any sent voice message within three minutes of sending it, if you have changed your mind, thereby giving you more control over your conversations.
Share Photos And Videos With Ease
Sharing pictures and videos is easier, too. In addition to audio, TikTok now allows users to attach up to nine images or videos in a single message. Users can attach media from the camera roll or capture them directly using TikTok’s camera before sending. Messages can be sent to individuals or groups, improving the app’s versatility for private communication.
This update aligns TikTok’s messaging features with established platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, which have long offered multimedia messaging as a standard feature.
Safety First
TikTok places a strong emphasis on safety in its Direct Messages. Users under 16 cannot access DMs, while those aged 16–18 are protected by automated systems that block images containing nudity. Adults over 18 can enable similar filters to prevent receiving inappropriate content. Additionally, TikTok restricts sending images or videos as the first message to new contacts, helping ensure safer interactions and reducing the risk of misuse.
Expanding TikTok’s Messaging Ecosystem
These updates continue TikTok’s efforts to improve private communication and expand its messaging ecosystem. Over the past year, the platform has added group chats, broadcast channels for brands, and DMs during live streams. By introducing voice notes and richer media sharing, TikTok is making conversations more expressive and personal, positioning itself as more than a short-video platform and evolving into a full-fledged social hub where users can connect privately and meaningfully.
Availability
The new features will roll out to all accounts eligible for DMs in the coming weeks, allowing users to experience new ways of connecting. TikTok’s move signals its ambition to transform from a video-focused platform into a full-fledged social hub, where private messaging and interactive communication take center stage.
