Meta has begun limited testing of private messages within Threads, signalling a move away from Instagram dependence.

Meta’s social platform Threads is finally getting its own messaging inbox. Mark Zuckerberg announced – in a post on Threads – that the app is starting to test a direct messaging feature that doesn’t rely on Instagram. This means Threads users will soon be able to message each other directly through the Threads app without needing to switch over to Instagram.

The new feature is being tested first in a few select countries. According to Meta, users in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Argentina are the first to try it out. For now, it only supports one-on-one chats, with no group messaging option just yet.

In fact, the messaging situation on Threads has felt a bit behind the times. Other platforms have moved ahead: Bluesky launched DMs in May 2024, and X recently introduced “XChat” with added tools like group conversations, disappearing messages, and file sharing. In comparison, Threads users have had to jump between apps just to reply to a friend.

So why now? According to Meta, it’s what users have been asking for. As TechCrunch reports, “Meta said that it decided to create a separate DM inbox feature because Threads users were asking for a way to have one-on-one conversations without having to switch apps.”

This isn’t the first time Meta has looked at integrating DMs into Threads. A previous idea involved messaging Instagram contacts from within the app. Back in 2023, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said he hoped Instagram’s inbox could serve Threads users too. But the thinking at the time that people have similar followings on both social networks no longer reflects how people are using the platform.

Originally launched in July 2023, Threads leaned heavily on Instagram’s user base. But it’s since developed its own feel – something closer to X or Bluesky, with a more open, public style of posting. As users formed new types of communities, the demand for a more direct, integrated way to communicate naturally grew.

Threads may be late to the party, but this step could help the app stand on its own. Whether Meta expands the DM feature quickly, or adds group chats and richer features later, the platform is finally catching up – and maybe even finding its own voice in the process.

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