Spotify now lets you share what you’re streaming in real time with friends

In a bid to enhance its social features, Spotify has unveiled an exciting new Messages feature that allows users to share their real-time listening activities with friends. Announced on Wednesday, this initiative is designed to discourage users from leaving the app to discuss music, thereby fostering a more connected experience within the platform. To activate this feature, users must navigate to their Settings and enable the 'listening activity' option found in the 'Privacy & Social' section. Once activated, users will see their friends' listening habits displayed prominently at the top of their Messages chats. This functionality enables users to interact with their friends' music choices by tapping on a track to play it, save it, access additional options, or respond with an emoji. Additionally, Premium subscribers can initiate a collaborative listening session known as a Jam by selecting the 'Jam' option located in the top right corner. If a friend accepts the request, they will assume the role of the Jam host, allowing both users to contribute tracks to a shared playlist and enjoy music simultaneously. The rollout of Listening Activity and the Request to Jam features will occur on both iOS and Android platforms in regions where Messages are accessible, with a broader availability expected by early February. While all users can see Listening Activity, Free users may join Jam requests only if invited by a Premium member. It's worth noting that these features are restricted to users aged 16 and older, as they are integrated into the Messages system. Spotify initially launched its Messages feature in August 2025, aiming to cultivate a more social atmosphere within the app. Although users have traditionally shared Spotify links externally, these new messaging capabilities signify a strategic move to encourage more in-app interactions, which could help improve user retention and attract more subscribers. As it stands, Messages can only be exchanged between individual users, and conversations are limited to those with whom content has been previously shared, such as playlist collaborators or fellow participants in a Jam or Blend. While the messaging system employs encryption for data security, it does not feature end-to-end encryption.