Instagram Threads is a new feature that allows you to send private messages to a select group of friends. Threads, unlike Twitter, is designed to be more personal and intimate than traditional Instagram messages, and they offer a number of features that make them ideal for connecting with your closest friends and family.
But away from the Threads vs. Twitter Saga, let’s review how to use Instagram Threads like a pro. We’ll cover everything from creating a thread to sending messages and media. We’ll also give you some tips on using Threads to connect with your friends and family more meaningfully.
What is Instagram Threads?
Threads is a new (sort of) app from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The Instagram team designed and built the app, which is described as an app for sharing text updates and joining public conversations.
Does this sound familiar? You’d be correct if you thought it sounded a lot like Twitter. Meta appears to have identified a potential market gap for a microblogging social network that is not plagued by some of the issues that Twitter is currently experiencing. Interestingly, a similar app called Threads was announced in 2021, but we haven’t heard much about it since, except for now, when the app appears to have been revamped and relaunched.
What Do Threads Offer?
The Threads app allows you to post messages of up to 500 characters in length, which is significantly more than Twitter’s current 280-character limit (unless you’re signed up for Twitter Blue) and the same as Mastodon’s default 500-character limit. Photos, videos up to five minutes long, and web links can all be included in your posts.
How Do Instagam Threads Work?
Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can sign in with your existing Instagram account. Your username and any verification will be carried over to your Threads account, and you can choose to customize your profile for your new Threads account.
Then, from within the Threads app, you can choose to automatically follow the same accounts you already follow on Instagram and find and add new accounts to follow. Your feed is a mix of posts from people you follow and content that has been recommended to you. You can respond to, repost, or quote other people’s posts like you can in rival apps.
Is There Anyone I Know on Threads?
Any new social networking app takes time to gain traction, but because you can access Threads by logging in to your Instagram account, it shouldn’t be long before it has a sizable user base. Shakira, F1 driver Lando Norris, NBA player Seth Curry, soccer star Kingsley Coman, and everyone’s favorite sweary chef, Gordon Ramsay, are among the early adopters.
Is Instagram Threads Safe?
Threads incorporate many of the features found in Instagram to help you filter out content you don’t want to see. You can limit who can reply to you or mention you in a post, and you can add a word filter to prevent posts with those words from appearing in your feed or replies. Any Instagram accounts you’ve blocked are automatically blocked on Threads, and you can unfollow, restrict, or block accounts from within Threads.
Threads will also enforce Instagram’s Community Guidelines, which include only allowing posts appropriate for a diverse audience and not allowing hate speech or posts intended to degrade or shame private individuals. This is another way Threads is attempting to differentiate itself from its competitors; Meta is quick to point out that more than $16 billion has been invested in the teams and technology required to enforce Instagram’s guidelines and that those same resources will be used to keep Threads a place for ‘positive and productive conversations.’
Is Threads Considerate of Its Users’ Privacy?
Well, it’s a Meta-owned app, but make of that what you will. However, there appears to be an emphasis on privacy from the start. Anyone under the age of 18 or under the age of 16 in some countries is automatically assigned a private profile when they first sign in. They can then approve Threads users who want to follow them like you can on Instagram. Threads also include many of the same privacy features on Instagram, such as blocking or reporting other users.
How Do You Get Threads?
Threads will be available in more than 100 countries worldwide on July 6, 2023. It’s currently available for iOS and Android, and you can get it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
How to Create a Threads Account
You can easily set up an account on this new Twitter alternative after downloading the Threads app on your phone.
Threads will use your Instagram credentials to log in if you are an existing Instagram user with your Instagram account logged in on the same phone.
During the signup process, you will be given the option of using your default Instagram account. If you want to use a different account, click the “Switch accounts” button at the bottom of the screen.
After selecting an Instagram account to sign up for Threads, you must confirm your profile information. Threads does not allow you to change your username because it is derived from your Instagram account. To change your Threads username, you must first change your Instagram username.
Read Also: How to Change Your Name on TikTok: Best 2023 Practices
Next, enter your bio and any important links, such as your website or links to other social media handles. If you’re lazy like me, you can auto-fill these details from Instagram by clicking “Import from Instagram,” which also syncs your Instagram profile’s display picture.
Click “Continue” to proceed to the next page, where you can choose whether to make your profile public or private. Everyone will be able to interact with your posts if you share them on a public profile. If you want to limit the visibility of your profile and content, choose Private profile, which allows only your approved followers to see, share, or interact with your content.
The following page displays a list of Instagram accounts you follow and allows you to quickly follow them. If none of your friends have yet joined Threads and you click on follow, your request will be marked as pending. When they join Threads, you’ll automatically begin following them. You can follow all of these accounts by clicking “Follow all” at the bottom, or you can move to the next screen by tapping the next arrow in the top right corner.
To finish the Threads sign-up process, tap on Join Threads at the bottom.
Keep in mind that if your Instagram account is verified, you can only change your profile picture. Automatically, a verification badge will appear alongside your Threads profile information.
Instagram Threads: How to Import Instagram Followers
You can no longer bulk import your Instagram followers to Threads. They can, however, follow you if they join Threads.
The process is the same when you join and follow your Instagram friends on Threads. However, you can follow all of your friends or manually select which ones to follow.
How to Edit Your Instagram Threads Profile
Click the human icon at the bottom right of the app to change your profile information. This will bring you to your profile page.
You can update your bio, add links, remove or add a profile picture, or even import one from Instagram by clicking the “Edit Profile” button. As previously stated, Threads does not yet allow you to change your profile name.
The profile page also includes a quick link to Instagram and two buttons for changing app settings. You can also see all of the threads you’ve started and the responses you’ve shared.
How to Post on Threads
Threads, unlike Instagram, is a test-first platform heavily “inspired” by Twitter. This includes creating and posting a message, reacting to a post, commenting, and quoting posts. We’re not sure what the slang for posting a text update on Threads is just yet. Tweeting is not permitted on Threads.
To post a message, click the “Draft” icon in the bottom center of the screen and begin typing. Threads of up to 500 characters are permitted. Threads also lets you include images and videos in your posts.
You cannot currently edit a previously posted Thread. Even after you’ve shared a post, you can limit who can reply to it or hide the number of likes.
Can Gifs Be Shared on Threads?
Threads, unlike Twitter, does not currently have a native GIF keyboard. However, if your phone’s keyboard supports GIFs, you can insert them into a post or reply.
For this, we recommend Google Keyboard on iOS and Android, though there are other options. Hopefully, Meta will add GIFs to the app in the coming days.
You can also download a GIF and manually share it on Threads. Here’s how to go about it:
- Open the Threads app on your smartphone.
- Create a new thread
- To access the device’s gallery, tap the paper clip icon.
- Find and select the GIF
- Tap “Post” to post a GIF to Threads.
Because the app is still in its early stages, you may encounter difficulties when sharing GIFs. You may need to try again because the Threads app may crash while sharing GIFs, videos, or images.
Do Hashtags Work in Instagram Threads?
Threads currently does not support hashtags. While hashtags are important for making posts go viral on Twitter, using them in your Threads post will have little effect.
Though Threads allows you to use hashtags in your posts, they are not clickable and do not increase the reach of your post. Hashtags may be added to the platform soon. However, no firm timeline has been established.
How to React on Threads
Thread can be reacted to in three ways. To like a post, click the heart icon, or leave a relevant comment in the thread. If you want to report the content, click the double arrow icon, which is similar to the retweet icon on Twitter.
You have two choices: repost the thread or quote it with additional comments.
If you want to share the Thread, you can do so by clicking the share button, which will allow you to post the post as a story on your Instagram profile with a Threads background.
You can also share the thread on Instagram, copy the link for sharing, or manually post it on another platform. The final option in the share menu allows you to send the link via third-party messaging apps such as WhatsApp, SMS, or email.
How to Follow People on Threads
A search icon can be found in the bottom navigation bar. Tap it to open the search page, where you can look up people by their names or Instagram handles.
You can also find and follow your favorite YouTubers, athletes, celebrities, and other users. Threads also shows the number of followers for a specific account.
Is it possible to use multiple accounts on Threads?
Threads, unfortunately, only allows you to log in with a single account. Though logging in with multiple accounts on Threads may be possible in the future, you can only sign up with one account at a time at the time of writing this article. You cannot change profiles either.
The best solution is to log out and then log back in with a different account.
How to Unhide Instagram’s Threads Badge
Instagram automatically adds a Threads badge to all user accounts when you join. This badge is located on your Instagram profile page, directly below your profile image. If you do not want it to be visible on your profile, you can hide it by following the steps below. You cannot recover the badge once it has been hidden and it is permanently removed from your profile.
- Click the Threads badge.
- Select “Hide badge.”
- Click “Remove the badge” to confirm the removal.
According to Instagram, this is a temporary badge to notify your followers and friends that you’ve joined Threads. It also serves as a link to your Threads profile. To be fair, Instagram has stated that it is only temporary and may be removed from your profile soon.
How to Edit a Thread
Unfortunately, once a thread has been posted, users cannot edit it. You can only delete and repost it after making the necessary changes.
The edit button was recently added to Twitter but is only available to Twitter Blue subscribers. That being said, Meta may introduce the edit threads option sooner than Twitter; however, we can only wait until then.
Can you join Threads if you don’t have an Instagram account?
Instagram Threads is a standalone app that can be downloaded from either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, depending on your smartphone. However, your Instagram account is the only way to access this app.
There is currently no other way to create an account on Threads.
Instagram Threads: How to Use Them Like a Pro
How to Use the Threads App Like a Pro
This guide will teach you how to use Threads from start to finish and become a professional. Configuring notifications, creating a calm environment by filtering out any unnecessary private access, sharing, hiding, muting, and many other tips are included.
Let’s get this party started!
#1. Instagram Accounts to Follow
When you create an account on Threads, you must connect your Instagram ID, which allows the app to retrieve the necessary information from your Instagram account. This allows you to easily discover and follow accounts that you already follow on Instagram.
Follow these steps to follow Instagram accounts on the Threads app:
- Start the Threads app and tap the profile icon in the bottom-left corner. Then, tap on the two bars in the top-right corner to access the Settings menu.
- Select ‘Follow and invite friends” from the Settings menu. Select ‘Follow accounts from Instagram’ from the drop-down menu.
You can now follow the same accounts on Threads that you already follow on Instagram.
Even if those accounts aren’t currently on Threads, their profiles will be marked as pending until they do.
#2. Thread Notification Preferences
If your inbox is overflowing with mentions, likes, reposts, and other notifications, it’s time to adjust your Threads notification settings.
- Tap your profile icon in the bottom-left corner of the Threads app. To open Settings, tap the two bars in the upper-right corner.
- Select Threads and replies from the Notifications menu.
- You can disable notification categories entirely or limit them to people you follow.
- Select “Following and followers” from the previous menu. Disable notifications for new followers, follow requests, account suggestions, and other events.
#3. Threads Profile Sharing
To share your Threads profile, open it and then tap “Share profile” to send the account link. Alternatively, you can share your Threads profile with others by providing them with your Instagram handle.
- Start the Instagram app and tap the profile icon in the bottom-left corner. Then, tap on the three horizontal lines at the top of the screen to access the menu.
- Select “Threads” from the menu to launch the Threads app.
- Check and share your Threads profile with others once you’ve joined.
You can easily check and share your Threads profile with others by following these steps, either through the account link or by sharing your Instagram handle.
#4. Hide Words and Phrases
Threads has a privacy feature that lets you hide specific words and phrases, resulting in a cleaner timeline. To use this feature, follow these steps:
- Launch the Threads app and tap on the profile icon in the bottom-left corner. Then, tap on the globe icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Navigate to the “Hidden Words” section from there.
You can hide offensive words and phrases in your Threads app by going to the Hidden Words section. You can also manually add custom words and phrases that you want to keep hidden.
#5. Activate Private Profile on Threads App
You can restrict access to only approved followers by enabling a private account setting on the Threads app, providing an effective way to protect your account from unwanted viewers. To switch to a private account, follow these steps:
- Launch the Threads app and tap on the profile icon in the bottom-left corner. Then, tap on the globe icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Locate and enable the “Private profile” toggle in the settings menu. Confirm your decision to change your account’s status to private.
#6. Mute Unwanted Accounts in Threads App
The Threads home menu displays trending updates from various accounts, but if you want to mute specific accounts, follow these steps:
In Threads, go to the Home menu.
- To mute a thread on Threads, tap the three horizontal dots menu located next to the thread and select the “Mute” option. This allows you to turn off updates and notifications from that thread.
- Repeat these steps for any other unnecessary accounts you want to mute, allowing you to trim your timeline and improve your browsing experience overall.
Following these steps will allow you to easily mute specific accounts on Threads, resulting in a more tailored and enjoyable feed.
#7. Thread Replies to Limited Profiles
When creating a new thread on Threads, you can choose who can reply to it. Follow these steps to prevent spammers or bogus profiles from flooding your Threads experience with unnecessary replies:
- Search the thread you posted in and tap the three horizontal dots menu icon next to it.
- Expand the “Who can reply” option and then choose the option to limit replies to profiles you follow or mentioned accounts.
By taking these steps, you can ensure that only profiles you follow or accounts mentioned in the thread can respond to it. This helps to filter out unwanted replies and keep Threads conversations more streamlined and relevant.
#8. Change Profile Picture on Threads App
When you sign up for Threads with your Instagram account, your current profile picture is automatically used. You do, however, have the option of selecting a different display picture for Threads. Here’s how to go about it:
- Launch the Threads app and tap the profile icon in the screen’s bottom-left corner.
- Select “Edit profile” to open the profile editing options. Find and tap your profile picture.
- Select “New profile picture” from the profile picture settings. This lets you choose a different image from your phone’s gallery.
You can easily set another display picture for your Threads account by following these steps, giving it a personalized touch that is distinct from your Instagram profile picture.
#9. Take a Break on Threads App
Threads, like many other social media apps, can be addictive at times. The app allows you to schedule reminders when you spend a certain amount of time on Threads continuously to help you manage your usage and take breaks. To activate this feature, follow these steps:
- Launch the Threads app and tap the profile icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- Then, tap on the two bars in the top-right corner to access the Settings menu.
- Select “Account” from the Settings menu, then tap “Take a break.”
- Choose a suitable time for your break from there. This controls how long you can use Threads before being reminded to take a break.
#10. Add Post to Instagram Story or Feed
It’s easy to add a Threads post to your Instagram story or feed. When you come across an interesting thread, simply tap the share icon and select “Add to Story” or “Post to feed.”
Selecting “Add to story” allows you to use all of Instagram’s story editing features, including filters and other creative tools. This gives you the option to personalize the post before sharing it with your followers. You can also select to cross-post the same content to your Facebook stories.
To summarize, you can easily share a Threads post to your Instagram story or feed with a few taps and use various editing options and filters to enhance your content. If you want to learn more about threads, join us in threads.
Conclusion
Finally, with this ultimate guide to using Threads like a pro, you now have the knowledge and tools to get the most out of this unique social media app. By implementing these tips and techniques, you can improve your Threads experience and have a more tailored and enjoyable platform for connecting with others and sharing your moments.
So, dive into the world of Threads, where you can stay connected and engaged in a way that suits your preferences and style.
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