Meta Rolls Out Direct Messaging on Threads, Limiting Feature to Adults and Mutual Followers

Highlights

Meta’s Threads app now supports private one-on-one DMs, though without encryption and limited to adult users with mutual follows.

Meta has officially introduced direct messaging to Threads, its standalone text-based social platform spun off from Instagram. Starting this week, users aged 18 and above can now chat privately within the app—without needing to hop over to Instagram for one-on-one conversations.

This long-requested feature enables Threads users to send direct messages to mutual followers. At launch, DMs will support basic tools like emoji reactions, muting chats, and spam reporting. However, group chats or advanced controls are not yet part of the experience, with Meta hinting at gradual feature expansions in the near future.

Despite the excitement, the update also comes with notable caveats. The company has confirmed that messages on Threads will not be end-to-end encrypted, raising concerns about privacy. A Threads spokesperson, Alec Booker, told The Verge, “Threads will not support end-to-end encryption for messaging.” He added that Meta will “continue evolving DMs on Threads based on feedback from the community.”

At present, the messaging function will only be accessible to users aged 18 and older, and will not be available in certain regions including Japan, Australia, the UK, and the European Union. Users will only be able to send messages to accounts they follow or who follow them back, keeping interactions limited and relatively secure.

To start a DM, users can simply tap the envelope icon at the bottom of the app, then use the pencil icon at the top-right corner to compose a message.

In addition to DMs, Meta is rolling out a new visual feature called Highlighter, aimed at promoting engaging and thoughtful content. This feature will spotlight standout posts in the For You feed that have sparked conversation and community interest.

Meanwhile, Meta is also testing increased account flexibility, particularly in Europe. New login options using Facebook or setting up Threads-only accounts are being explored, and the company is also considering allowing users to browse Threads content on the web without logging in—part of its ongoing effort to differentiate Threads from Instagram.

With these changes, Threads is gradually stepping into the spotlight as more than just an Instagram extension, though it's clear the app still has a long way to go in winning user trust—especially on the privacy front.