Direct messages is finally coming to Threads
Threads is still playing catch-up, adding basic features long after its release
Remember when Threads launched as the platform that was supposed to dethrone Twitter sorry, X? That was July 2023. Now, almost two years later, it’s only just beginning to test a core feature users have been asking for since day one: direct messaging.
On June 10, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Threads will begin testing its own standalone DM system, starting with users in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Argentina. A wider rollout is apparently on the way, but Meta didn’t provide a timeline. Until now, users had to jump to Instagram to send private messages, a strange omission for a “Twitter competitor.”
The new inbox is independent of Instagram’s, marking a small but meaningful shift toward platform maturity. Users will see an envelope icon in the bottom taskbar (on mobile) or the left sidebar (on desktop) to access it. But given Threads' deep integration with Instagram login, followers, and algorithm all tied to it, how independent can it really be?
Despite boasting around 350 million users, as per TechCrunch, Threads still feels incomplete. Direct messaging is basic functionality for any modern social platform. The fact it’s arriving this late reflects the slow, uncertain pace of development. It suggests Meta hasn’t fully decided whether Threads should evolve into a standalone product or remain a secondary layer on top of Instagram.
It doesn’t help that competitors aren’t standing still. X, despite its controversies, remains the default town square. Bluesky is carving out its niche with decentralised social networking. Threads, meanwhile, still feels like an Instagram side project trying to find its voice.
Louis Eriakha
For users, especially creators and brands who rely on one-on-one interaction, the move is welcome, if not overdue. Separate inboxes make communication cleaner, but they also highlight how incomplete Threads still is compared to its peers.
Looking ahead, adding DMs might help Threads feel more like a full-fledged platform. But unless Meta starts prioritising core functionality and giving the app its own identity beyond Instagram, Threads risks fading into the background, reduced to a latecomer in a race it once insisted it was built to win.
