Threads by Instagram is Meta’s text-based social app, built by the Instagram team and launched in July 2023 as a rival to X (formerly Twitter). You sign up with your Instagram account, post updates of up to 500 characters with photos, videos and links, and reply, repost or message other users. Meta says Threads reached 500 million monthly users in June 2026.
How Threads started. Meta, which also owns Instagram, launched Threads in July 2023 as a competitor to Twitter (now X). Within days the company reported 30 million sign-ups, and the app reportedly passed five million sign-ups in its first four hours and around 70 million users soon after, making it one of the fastest-growing apps ever. Billboard, HBO, NPR and Netflix all had accounts running within minutes of the launch, and celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Oprah and Kim Kardashian soon joined them. We are on Threads too: follow Itzfizz Digital on Threads.
But what exactly is Threads today, how does it work, and is it worth your brand’s time? Here’s what you need to know about the app that critics first dubbed the “Twitter killer”.
Key takeaways
- Threads is Meta's text-based app for public conversations, launched in July 2023 as a rival to X.
- Meta says Threads reached 500 million monthly users in June 2026.
- Posts can be up to 500 characters, with optional text attachments of up to 10,000 characters.
- Direct messages arrived in July 2025, and ads opened to all eligible advertisers in April 2025.
- Brands with an Instagram audience can start quickly, but replies and conversation drive reach more than promotion.
What Is Threads by Instagram?
Threads is an app from the company that brought you Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. It resembles X (formerly Twitter) in many ways, with a feed of mostly text-based updates (users can also post images and videos) where real-time conversations take place.
Users publish short posts and then like, repost, quote and reply to them. Posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, images and videos; at launch, Meta said videos could run up to five minutes. Since September 2025 you can also attach a longer text of up to 10,000 characters to a post.
Threads is its own app, but Instagram users can sign in with their existing account and follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram. There were no ads at launch; Meta has since opened Threads to advertisers. If Instagram is already your main channel, our guide to Instagram management explains how to run the two side by side.
Threads gives you the ability to interact with the online community and have your voice heard while staying within Instagram’s community guidelines.
What Are the Key Features of Threads?
Threads is built for public conversation, with most of the safety tools Instagram users already know. Its main features are:
- Posts of up to 500 characters, with optional text attachments of up to 10,000 characters.
- Photos, videos and links in posts, plus the option to share a post to your Instagram story or as a link on other sites.
- A recommended For You feed and a Following feed of accounts you follow.
- Direct messages, added in July 2025, with group chats rolling out after.
- Controls over who can reply to or mention you, plus hidden words to filter unwanted replies.
- Options to unfollow, block, limit and report profiles; an account you block on Instagram is also blocked on Threads.
- A web version at threads.com as well as the iOS and Android apps.
Threads vs X: How Do They Compare?
Threads and X both centre on short public posts, replies and reposts, so they feel similar at first. The differences sit in post length, account setup, messaging and how brands can advertise.
| Feature | Threads | X (formerly Twitter) |
|---|---|---|
| Post length | 500 characters, plus text attachments of up to 10,000 characters | 280 characters on standard accounts; longer posts for X Premium subscribers |
| Account | Usually created through Instagram | Standalone sign-up with email or phone |
| Direct messages | Yes, since July 2025 | Yes |
| Web access | threads.com and mobile apps | x.com and mobile apps |
| Advertising | Open to eligible advertisers since April 2025, run through Meta Ads Manager | Run through X Ads |
| Open social web | Public profiles can share posts to ActivityPub apps such as Mastodon | Not connected to the fediverse |
| Best for brands that | Already have an Instagram audience and want conversation-led reach | Need real-time news, live commentary and an established public debate |
Similarities
Short-form content: Threads and X are both geared towards short messages and the discussion that follows. Both make it easy to share ideas, spread information and make new connections.
Two feeds: Both offer a recommended feed and a Following feed, so users can switch between discovery and the accounts they chose.
Interaction tools: On both sites, users can like, reply, repost and quote posts, which keeps conversations moving.
How Do You Create a Threads Account?
Meta’s Threads app is founded on, and heavily integrated into, the Instagram platform. Most people sign up with their Instagram account, although Meta has started allowing profiles created with an email address or phone number. X (formerly Twitter) has always worked as a standalone account.
Here’s how to create an Instagram profile from scratch if you don’t already have one.
When that is completed:
Step 1: Get the Threads app for your Android or iOS device. If you type threads into your Instagram search bar you’ll get a direct invitation to download the Threads app.
Step 2: Once you’ve downloaded and launched the app, you’ll be asked to sign in using your Instagram credentials. If you are already logged into Instagram on this smartphone but still can’t see any of your accounts when you open Threads, try restarting the app.
Step 3: Following the viewing and selection of an Instagram account, you will be invited to edit your Threads profile. Instagram handles the import of your username.
Step 4: Your Threads profile can include a bio and a custom link, or you can transfer your Instagram information by tapping the transfer from Instagram option.
Step 5: The screen with privacy settings is up next. Here you have the option of making your Threads profile viewable only to you or to the general public. Threads’ privacy settings can be different than Instagram’s. To proceed, choose between a Public Profile and a Private Profile.
Step 6: Next, you’ll be asked if you want to follow the same accounts you already follow on Instagram. You can choose to follow specific accounts on Threads, or you can tap Follow All to automatically follow everyone you’re already following on Instagram.
When you’re done here, your Threads account will be active and ready for use. You’ll probably see a welcome screen explaining how Thread works; if you’re ready to check out your timeline, just click through. Now that you have Threads, how can you make the most of it?
How Do You Use Threads?
Threads has many of the same features as X (formerly Twitter). Due to the striking resemblance, several users have joked that Mark Zuckerberg must have simply copied and pasted the program. Threads and Twitter, however, serve different purposes.Â
Here’s what to do when you’ve signed up with Threads and are ready to make your first post.
How to Create A Post on Threads
Step 1: If you want to start a new thread from anywhere in the Threads app, just hit the Create symbol in the bottom-center of the screen.
Step 2: Start writing in the provided space. If you need to add more text than is allowed in the text area, just select Add to thread. Threads posts are limited to 500 characters, but you can attach a longer text of up to 10,000 characters.
Step 3: You can choose who can reply to your threads by tapping the Anyone can reply button at the bottom left of the topic creation screen.
Step 4: You can choose to restrict replies to only those you follow or those you mention or to leave them open to everyone.
Step 5: To make your comment public, click the Post button in the right-hand corner.
How to Change Your Username and Profile Picture on Threads
There is presently no option to do it on the Threads app itself if you wish to alter your username or profile image. Since your Threads profile is linked to your Instagram account, updating either your Instagram handle or profile photo will also update your Threads profile.
How to Follow and Unfollow Users on Threads
When you first sign up for Threads, your timeline may look a little jumbled. Instagram can feel like the same wine in a different bottle if you keep running into the same folks over and over again. The obvious solution is to start following more relevant accounts that will show up in your feed.
If you want to follow people on Threads:
Step 1: Select the search bar at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2: You can search and follow any account by typing its name into the search bar or by selecting it from the list of suggested accounts.
How Can Threads Benefit Businesses?
Threads gives businesses a public, conversation-first channel that builds on the audience they already have on Instagram. It suits brands that can share opinions, quick tips, behind-the-scenes updates and honest replies, rather than only polished promotional posts.
If you’re an entrepreneur, Threads gives you a chance to connect with your audience on a more human level, which can help your company’s reputation and sales. Reply to people in your niche, join timely conversations with a topical marketing mindset, and repost customer feedback. The skills behind short Instagram captions transfer well to 500-character posts, and clear, keyword-rich profiles help people find you in search, much like Instagram SEO.
Brands can now also run ads on Threads through Meta Ads Manager (our guide to social advertising covers the basics), and direct messages make it easier to turn a public conversation into a private enquiry. Treat Threads as one part of a wider social media marketing plan rather than a channel on its own.
What Has Changed on Threads Since Launch?
A lot. Threads launched in July 2023 as a bare-bones app, and Meta has added most of the missing features since. Meta’s product chief Chris Cox had described the goal as a safe, user-friendly and reliable platform where creators can find a “stable home to build and grow their audiences”, and the timeline below shows how that has played out.
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| November 2023 | Users can delete their Threads profile without deleting their Instagram account |
| December 2023 | Threads launches in the European Union, where people can also browse without an Instagram profile |
| March 2024 | Fediverse sharing beta: public profiles can share posts to ActivityPub apps such as Mastodon |
| April 2025 | Ads open to all eligible advertisers worldwide, and the web app moves from threads.net to threads.com |
| May 2025 | Privacy policy updated to allow profiles created with an email address or phone number |
| July 2025 | Direct messages arrive, with group chats of up to 50 people rolling out later |
| September 2025 | Text attachments of up to 10,000 characters |
| June 2026 | Meta reports 500 million monthly users and expands Communities and feed controls |
The fediverse step delivers on an early promise. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which sets the web’s open standards, published ActivityPub as a shared protocol for social networks, and Threads’ support for it means posts can reach people on apps like Mastodon. Expect the app to keep changing quickly, so check new features before you build a strategy around them.
Conclusion
That wraps it up. Threads has grown from a rushed launch into a mature app with its own feeds, messaging, ads and a web version, and it rewards brands that join conversations rather than simply broadcast. To see our early take on the app, watch our Threads reel on Instagram.
Threads still changes quickly. Its deep Instagram integration makes it easy to bring your existing audience along, and its conversation-first design keeps discussions well structured so that users can easily follow along and take part.
Why not try Threads? Join the conversation, follow your interests and connect with people in your industry. If you would like help building a plan that covers Threads alongside Instagram and other channels, our social media marketing services can help.
