YouTube's inbuilt share feature with messenger goes live in Canada

The feature can be accessed outside Canada only through an invite.

YouTube share — The new share feature allows users to chat with family and friends on their contact list Google Blog

YouTube has started rolling out its built-in share feature for users in Canada. The new Shared tab which had been undergoing tests for months can only be accessed via an invite system outside Canada.

The new feature which will be available for both Android and iOS platforms allows users to share videos through a dedicated tab on the YouTube mobile/tablet app. Users will now be able to add their family and friends as contacts and share videos with them without leaving the app.

The share feature brings a built-in messaging platform where users can send normal text messages and even create groups. Google is going all out with its messaging platforms as YouTube joins Hangouts, Allo, Duo, Spaces, and Messenger.

How it works

Open the YouTube mobile app
Signed-in users with a channel will see a brand new Shared tab
Tap the tab and you can add your friends and family as contacts
Start sharing

According to a Google blog post, the feature has been announced so that users do not have to "copy and paste a link into an email or messaging app to share the moment".

As the feature is invite-only outside Canada, those around the world have to enlist a Canadian friend to send the invite after which they will be able to access the share tab. Google says it chose Canada as its debut market for the feature as Canadians on average share YouTube videos 15% more often than other global users.