Threads gets private messaging and a fresh look to highlight top conversations
The app is evolving beyond public posts, starting with these new tools
Threads is getting two notable updates: the ability to send direct messages and a new feature called the Threads highlighter. These additions come as the app enters its third year and continues to grow its community.
Starting today, users can message each other directly in Threads. Until now, the platform was limited to public conversations, however, with this change, users can now take discussions private, making it easier to stay connected beyond public posts.
To start, only mutual followers on Threads or Instagram who are at least 18 years old can use the messaging feature. Meta says this limit is in place to prioritize safety and user control. The company also says it plans to improve the feature with message controls, group chats, and inbox filters. These tools will help people decide who can message them and make it easier to manage conversations.
Threads has now implemented DMs. | Image credit — Instagram
Alongside messaging, Threads is introducing the Threads highlighter. This is a visual element that highlights posts tied to trending topics or thoughtful discussions. These highlighted posts will show up in places like the explore tab, where users discover new content. The goal is to bring more attention to unique perspectives and active conversations happening on the platform.
Meta says that more than a third of daily Threads users follow different accounts than they do on Instagram. That points to Threads developing its own audience, rather than simply mirroring its parent app. These new features are meant to support that growth and help users connect in new ways.
While messaging and highlighting may seem like small changes, they could play a key role in shaping how people use Threads moving forward. By adding private communication and emphasizing popular conversations, Meta is trying to make the app more useful for regular interaction.
We'll have to wait and see how widely these features are adopted. Messaging is launching with restrictions, and the highlighter is only appearing in limited sections of the app for now. But both updates suggest Meta is still working to define what Threads is and how it fits into its larger social ecosystem.
As the app matures, features like these may help Threads move beyond being an Instagram offshoot and become a platform where different types of conversations can take place.
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