TL;DR
Spotify has added a new Listening Activity feature to its iOS app that displays what friends and family are playing in real time. The feature is opt-in and integrates into Spotify’s Messages area alongside a new Request to Jam option for shared listening.
What happened
Spotify rolled out a Listening Activity feature in its iOS app that shows what friends and family members are listening to at the moment. The feature appears in the Messages area of the app and requires users to opt in via the app’s Privacy and social settings, accessed from the side drawer next to the “View profile” button. Once enabled, activity shows up in the chat row of the side drawer and at the top of Messages chats. Tapping a contact’s listening activity lets a user add the track to their library, start playback, open the track’s context menu, or respond with one of six standard emojis. At the same time, Spotify introduced Request to Jam in Messages, a tool for asking others to join a shared listening session. Both features began rolling out to markets where Spotify’s Messages is available and are expected to be broadly available in those markets by early February.
Why it matters
- Adds real-time social sharing to Spotify’s in-app Messages, increasing social engagement around listening.
- Opt-in design gives users control over whether their listening is shared with contacts.
- Interactive controls (add to library, playback, emojis) make it easy to act on what friends are listening to.
- Request to Jam creates a built-in option for synchronous listening without leaving the app.
Key facts
- Feature name: Listening Activity.
- Platform: Spotify iOS app (Messages section).
- Users must opt in via Privacy and social settings in the side drawer next to “View profile.”
- Activity appears in the chat row of the side drawer and at the top of Messages chats once enabled.
- Tapping an activity lets users add tracks to their library, start playback, open the context menu, or react with six standard emojis.
- Spotify also launched Request to Jam in Messages for shared listening, described as similar to Apple’s SharePlay.
- Rollout started the day of the announcement and will be broadly available in markets with Messages by early February.
- The Messages section was added to Spotify last year and is the host for these new features.
What to watch next
- Whether Spotify will bring Listening Activity and Request to Jam to Android or other platforms: not confirmed in the source.
- How users respond to opt-in social sharing and whether Spotify adjusts privacy controls: not confirmed in the source.
- Any additional moderation or privacy tools for managing who can see listening activity: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Listening Activity: A feature that displays, in real time, what a user’s friends or contacts are currently listening to.
- Messages (Spotify): An in-app section within Spotify where users can send messages and interact with friends, including shared listening options.
- Request to Jam: A Spotify Messages feature that asks friends to join a shared listening session, enabling synchronous playback.
- Opt-in: A setting that requires a user’s explicit consent before their activity or data is shared with others.
Reader FAQ
How do I turn on Listening Activity?
Enable it in Privacy and social settings accessible from the side drawer next to the “View profile” button.
Who can see my Listening Activity?
Friends and family in your Messages area after you opt in.
What can I do when I see a friend's activity?
You can add the track to your library, start playback, open the track’s context menu, or react with one of six emojis.
Is Listening Activity available on Android or other platforms?
not confirmed in the source
I think Apple should take this radical approach to the new Siri Ben Lovejoy Jan 5 2026 SPOTIFY Spotify’s iOS app adds ‘Listening Activity’ to see what friends are listening…
Sources
- Spotify’s iOS app adds ‘Listening Activity’ to see what friends are listening to
- Introducing Listening Activity and Request to Jam in …
- Spotify is finally bringing your friends' Listening Activity to …
- Spotify now lets you share what you're streaming in real …
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