PostEaseThe short answer
Threads has direct messages built into the app, so you no longer need to move a conversation to Instagram. Meta launched messaging on Threads on 1 July 2025, calling it “one of the top requested features,” and has since added messages from people you don’t follow, photos, videos, GIFs and stickers, and group chats of up to 50 people.
Messages from people you don’t follow land in a separate Message Requests folder, and you can turn requests off entirely by choosing Only people you follow. Threads’ help pages note that messaging is not yet available to everyone.
How it developed
From Meta’s announcement and its updates:
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2025 | Messaging launches, between Threads followers or mutual Instagram followers aged 18 and older |
| 12 September 2025 | Messages to people you don’t follow announced, with message requests, a privacy setting and a hidden folder |
| 15 October 2025 | Group chats of up to 50 people who follow you; messaging expands to the EU; photos, videos, GIFs and stickers already added |
Controls for unwanted messages
Meta describes three protections, and the Threads help pages add the settings path:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Message requests | Messages from people you don’t follow go to a separate folder; links and media are disabled there, and senders are limited in how many requests they can send |
| Who can message you | Profile, Menu, Privacy, Messages: choose Only people you follow or Anyone |
| Hidden folder | Threads filters messages it detects as harmful or spam out of sight |
| Blocking | Blocked profiles can’t send requests; block each profile if someone has several |
Group chats
To start a group, create a new message and add up to 50 people who follow you on Threads, then give the chat a name that fits its topic. Meta said invite links were coming, so people can join by link instead of being added one by one. It frames group chats as a way to gather people around the topics and communities they follow on Threads.
Messaging as a creator
Meta pitched open messages partly at creators, saying messages from non-followers can lead to collaborations with other creators and potential monetization opportunities, while noting not everyone wants an open inbox. If you want those requests, set Who can message you to Anyone and check the Message Requests folder; if requests become noise, switch back to Only people you follow. A group chat of your most engaged followers is another way to keep a community close.
Questions
Does Threads have DMs?
Yes. Meta launched messaging on Threads in July 2025. The Threads help pages note it isn’t available to everyone yet.
Can people I don’t follow message me on Threads?
Only as message requests, if your setting allows Anyone. Choose Only people you follow under Privacy, then Messages, to turn requests off.
How big can a Threads group chat be?
Up to 50 people who follow you on Threads, according to Meta’s October 2025 update.
Can I send photos in Threads messages?
Yes. Meta says photos, videos, GIFs and stickers were added after launch. Links and media are disabled in message requests.
Sources
- Meta, Introducing Messaging and Highlighted Perspectives on Threads, October 2025.
- Instagram, Manage who can send you messages on Threads, checked October 2026.
- Instagram, Who you can send messages to on Threads, checked October 2026.