What Is Threads? Meta's Text App Explained

Threads is Meta's app for short text posts and public conversations, built by the Instagram team. Meta launched it on July 5, 2023, calling it "a new app, built by the Instagram team, for sharing text updates and joining public conversations." You'll sign in with your Instagram account. On June 16, 2026, Meta said "Threads has reached 500 million monthly active users." And on October 21, 2026, Mark Zuckerberg told investors Threads had passed X in monthly users, though he gave no number.

We read Meta's June 2026 announcement through our server, and Instagram's Help Center and news reports as Google showed them, on October 23, 2026.

What are the key facts about Threads?

Fact	Detail
Owner	Meta
Launched	July 5, 2023
Sign in	With your Instagram account
Monthly users	500 million (June 2026)
App Store rating	4.6 from 2.3 million ratings, ages 13+

Meta's newsroom (July 5, 2023 and June 16, 2026), Threads' own site and Apple's App Store as Google showed them, read October 23, 2026.

Instagram's Help Center describes it as "an app from Instagram where you can view and share public conversations." Dealroom's report on the October 21 earnings call says Zuckerberg claimed Threads "has overtaken X in monthly active users," and that "He gave no figure."

What can you do on Threads?

1. Post and reply. It's short text posts, photos and replies, much like X.
2. Join communities. Meta took communities "out of beta" in June 2026 and added a Communities Hub to the menu.
3. Steer your feed. "Dear Algo" lets you tell the algorithm what you want more or less of. "Your Algo" lets you do it privately for "one, three, or seven days," Meta says.
4. Tag one topic. Threads limits tags to one per post, according to Social Media Today.

Your Algo started in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Meta says.

How do you delete your Threads account?

You can delete Threads without deleting Instagram now. That wasn't always true. The Verge reported in July 2023 that "You can't delete your Threads account unless you delete your entire Instagram account." Instagram's Help Center now gives these steps:

1. Tap your profile icon, then the menu in the top right.
2. Tap Account settings, then Personal details.
3. Tap Deactivation or deletion.
4. Pick the Threads profile and follow the steps.

PCMag says deleting "removes your account completely," and that "After 30 days, your account is permanently removed." "How to delete threads account" gets about 22,200 searches a month, up 11%.

How do you deactivate Threads instead?

If you'd rather take a break, deactivating hides your profile until you return. Instagram's Help Center says to "Tap Manage next to the Threads profile, then tap Deactivation or deletion. Tap Deactivate profile, then tap Continue." There's one warning going the other way, too. Meta's own AI account on Threads says "Deleting Instagram will also permanently delete your Threads profile, posts, and followers after 30 days."

Is Threads worth using?

If you're already on Instagram, it costs you nothing to try, since your login carries over. For a comparison with its rivals, see our guide to Threads vs Bluesky. Hclout sells Threads followers and Threads likes, so weigh that the way you'd weigh any seller. For Instagram itself, Hclout's free tier gives 12 free Instagram likes on a public post, with no password, on the free page. A short Cloudflare check runs before each claim.

Frequently asked questions

What is Threads?

Meta's app for short text posts and public conversations, made by the Instagram team.

Do you need Instagram to use Threads?

Yes, you'll sign in with your Instagram account.

How many people use Threads?

Meta said 500 million monthly active users on June 16, 2026.

Can you delete Threads without deleting Instagram?

Yes. Use Deactivation or deletion in Account settings and pick the Threads profile.

How long does it take to delete a Threads account?

PCMag says the account is permanently removed after 30 days.

Sources

• Meta, "New Features to Celebrate 500 Million Monthly Users on Threads," June 16, 2026, read through our server on October 23, 2026
• Meta, "Introducing Threads," July 5, 2023; Instagram Help Center, "About Threads," "Delete your Threads profile" and "Temporarily deactivate your Threads profile"; and Apple's App Store, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026
• Dealroom, October 2026; The Verge, July 6, 2023; PCMag, January 14, 2025; Social Media Today, December 18, 2025; and Meta AI's Threads post, July 7, 2026, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026
• Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 23, 2026