Meta has rolled out two major features to its Threads app – direct messaging and a new Highlighter tool that surfaces trending content. These updates mark a shift in Threads’ capabilities, moving beyond just public conversation.
Announcing the updates, Meta posted, “As Threads moves into year three, we’re dedicated to supporting communities and creators, emphasizing fresh perspectives and maintaining an environment where conversations and communities thrive.”
Responding to user demand, Threads now supports direct messaging, allowing one-on-one chats within the app. Messaging is currently limited to followers or mutual Instagram connections aged 18 and above. Meta says the feature is backed by its existing safety protocols and privacy settings.
However, Threads DMs do not currently support end-to-end encryption. Unlike WhatsApp, Meta retains visibility into message content, which may raise privacy concerns for some users. The company says more messaging features will follow soon, including:
- Message controls with filtering options
- Group messaging
- Inbox filters for organizing conversations
- Threads Highlighter
The new Highlighter feature surfaces noteworthy conversations and trending topics within the app. Posts featured by Highlighter will appear more prominently in discovery feeds. Meta says it plans to expand this feature across other sections of the app in the coming weeks.
Both features, direct messaging and Threads Highlighter, are now rolling out globally to all users.
