TikTok is expanding its direct messaging features with voice notes and image sharing, making the platform feel a lot more like a full-fledged social app than just an entertainment feed.
The company confirmed that users can now send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos in one-to-one and group chats.
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Until now, TikTok’s DMs were primarily used to send, you guessed it, TikTok videos. With the addition of voice notes (up to 60 seconds long) and image sharing, TikTok is positioning itself as a place where users can connect and communicate daily, not just passively consume content.
The move aligns TikTok with competitors like WhatsApp, Instagram, and iMessage, where voice notes have quickly become a go-to way for Gen Z to communicate.
The updates come with built-in safety and privacy:
- First-time messages can’t include photos or videos taken outside TikTok (only TikToks themselves).
- Automated systems detect and block nudity in images shared by users aged 16–18. Senders are blocked, and recipients never see the image.
- Users over 18 can choose to toggle these protections on in their settings.
This rollout follows TikTok’s steady push into messaging: group chats (up to 32 participants) arrived last year, and more recently Creator Chat Rooms gave fans new ways to connect with creators. By making DMs more expressive and interactive, TikTok is clearly signaling that it wants to be a space for conversation and connection, not just short-form video.
The update is rolling out globally over the next few weeks.
