Threads has evolved rapidly since its 2023 launch, growing from a simple text-based app into a powerful social platform with over 400 million monthly active users. With features like trending topics, advanced analytics, community spaces, and disappearing posts, Threads now offers creators and brands more ways than ever to build meaningful connections and grow their audience. Knowing which features truly matter—and how to use them strategically—can make a big difference in boosting your visibility and engagement on Instagram’s sister platform.
Top Threads Features to Use in 2026
Threads is no longer just a simple text-sharing app. In 2026, it has become a powerful platform packed with features designed to boost visibility, encourage interaction, and help creators grow faster. Understanding how these tools work — and using them strategically — can make a major difference in how your content performs. Below are the most important Threads features you should be using to build reach, strengthen engagement, and stay ahead of the competition.
1. Topics on Threads and How Do They Work?
Topics replaced traditional hashtags on Threads, functioning as interest-based markers that connect users around shared passions rather than simply sorting posts. Unlike surface-level hashtags, Threads’ topic tags integrate with enhanced search and recommendation systems to surface relevant content and communities you might not otherwise discover.
Posts that include a topic typically generate more views than those without, according to Threads’ official guidance. This makes topics one of the most effective discovery tools for creators and brands looking to expand their reach beyond existing followers.
How to add topics: Next to your username in the composer, tap Add a topic—or simply type a hashtag before your chosen phrase. When you see a post with a topic tag, tap it to explore more conversations around that subject.
Trending Topics represents one of Threads’ most valuable growth features, allowing you to join high-visibility conversations before they become yesterday’s news. You’ll find trending topics at threads.com/search before entering any search terms, though availability varies by region. Marketers who want to stay ahead of changing social media trends may benefit from understanding how the Threads algorithm influences what content appears in feeds, how engagement is measured, and how these factors shape overall performance and growth on the platform.
2. Insights and Analytics
Threads has significantly upgraded its Insights experience, transforming basic metrics into comprehensive performance data that reveals not just how posts perform, but where and why they gain traction. The enhanced analytics dashboard now includes engagement split by likes, replies, reposts, and quotes, plus follower growth tracking with geographic and demographic breakdowns.
Performance comparisons now track views and interactions across 7- to 90-day periods, helping you identify patterns and optimize posting strategies. Perhaps most valuable, Insights now reveals whether people discovered your posts directly on Threads or via recommendations on other Meta apps including Instagram and Facebook.
Additional features include link click tracking for up to five bio links and posts containing URLs, plus weekly Insights recaps offering snapshots of week-over-week changes in posts shared, total views, new followers, and replies. These metrics provide actionable data for refining your content strategy based on actual performance rather than guesswork.
3. Polls on Threads: How Do They Work?
Threads polls offer a straightforward way to gather quick feedback and spark conversations, though they remain intentionally simple compared to polling features on other platforms. All polls automatically close after 24 hours—you cannot set custom durations.
Each poll supports multiple choice options with up to 25 characters per option. When Mark Zuckerberg announced the poll feature, he shared a tongue-in-cheek poll with no question and three identical “Done” options, demonstrating the feature’s playful potential.
How to create a poll: Start a thread by clicking the pen and paper icon, then click the three horizontal dots in the composer and choose Poll. Add your question to the main post text, fill out your answer options in the buttons below, and hit Post when ready.
Polls work best for quick temperature checks, audience preferences, and conversation starters rather than in-depth surveys or research. According to Sprout Social’s research on social media polls, interactive content like polls consistently generates higher engagement rates than standard text posts.
4. Edit Posts on Threads After Publishing
Threads allows post editing with specific parameters designed to balance flexibility with transparency. You can edit posts for up to 15 minutes after publishing, updating post text and tags or topics during that window.
However, you cannot add or remove media (images or videos) once a post goes live. All edited posts display a visual indicator showing readers that changes were made, maintaining transparency about content modifications.
This editing capability addresses a longstanding frustration users experienced on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where typos and errors remained permanently visible. The 15-minute window provides enough time to catch mistakes while preventing extensive post-publication rewrites that could mislead engaged readers.
5. Following Feed: How Does It Differ From For You?
Threads operates with two distinct feeds: the For You feed, where algorithms recommend content based on your interests and behavior, and the Following feed, which displays only posts from accounts you actively follow. This dual-feed structure mirrors TikTok’s approach, giving users control over whether they want algorithmic discovery or chronological updates from chosen accounts.
Unlike Instagram, where the Following feed remains somewhat hidden in a dropdown menu, Threads makes both feeds easily accessible. Simply tap “Following” at the top of the mobile app (you may need to tap the home icon first), or use the toggle button on the browser version.
The Following feed proves particularly valuable when you want to ensure you see updates from specific accounts without algorithmic filtering. For creators, understanding that your followers can choose between these feeds emphasizes the importance of creating content compelling enough to surface in the algorithmically-driven For You feed, where discovery potential is highest.
6. Ads on Threads Now?
Yes, Threads ads are officially rolling out worldwide, marking the platform’s transition from rapid-growth experiment to sustainable business model. Ads appear natively in the feed, designed to look and feel like regular posts rather than disruptive interruptions.
Brands can run image ads, video ads, and carousel ads through Meta’s existing advertising system. This integration means you can extend existing Meta campaigns to Threads, use the same targeting and optimization tools, and add Threads automatically via Advantage+ or manually select it in Ads Manager.
Ad delivery is rolling out gradually with intentionally low ad volume as Meta tests what works while protecting user experience. For advertisers already running Meta campaigns focused on awareness or reach, experimenting with Threads makes strategic sense—especially while competition remains relatively light compared to established platforms.
The introduction of ads signals Threads’ long-term viability and Meta’s commitment to the platform. According to eMarketer’s analysis of Threads advertising, early adopters may benefit from lower costs and higher visibility before the ad marketplace becomes saturated.
7. Ghost Posts on Threads
Ghost posts are temporary updates that automatically disappear after 24 hours, giving you freedom to share spontaneous ideas without worrying about permanent visibility. Once published, ghost posts appear in followers’ feeds like regular updates but archive themselves after one day.
What makes ghost posts distinctive: replies don’t appear publicly underneath the post but instead go directly to your inbox where only you can see who responded or liked the post. In the feed, ghost posts display with a different visual style, often with a grayed-out or dotted outline.
To create a ghost post, simply toggle the ghost icon in the composer before publishing. This feature works well for time-sensitive content, casual thoughts, behind-the-scenes moments, or experimental content you want to test without committing to permanent visibility.
Ghost posts reflect broader social media trends toward ephemeral content, following the success of Instagram Stories and Snapchat. For more insights on using temporary content strategically, check out our guide on Trending Now on Threads: 5 Tips to Stay Ahead of the Game.
8. Create Group Chats on Threads?
Yes, Threads now supports group conversations directly within the app, providing private spaces to connect with followers, collaborators, teammates, or friends without leaving the platform. Group chats support up to 50 participants, making them suitable for small communities, teams, or event groups.
You can assign custom names to keep chats organized and recognizable, and only group admins can remove users, helping manage the space if someone joins who shouldn’t be there. Some versions of Threads also allow you to generate group chat invite links for sharing access instead of adding everyone manually—particularly handy for campaigns, collaborations, or open invites.
How to start a group chat: Tap the messages (DM) icon to open your inbox, create a new message, select Create group chat, add participants, click + Add group name to customize it, and start chatting.
Group chats extend Threads beyond public broadcasting into private collaboration, supporting community building and relationship development that public posts alone cannot achieve.
9. Saved Quotes on Threads
Saved Quotes let you bookmark quote posts—instances where someone shares another person’s post with their own commentary—so you can revisit them anytime. Instead of scrolling endlessly to relocate valuable insights, you can quickly jump back to saved quotes when you need inspiration, context, or reference material.
This feature adds significant value for creators, community managers, and anyone who wants to preserve the best conversation moments without keeping them pinned in the feed. To save a quote, tap the quotation mark icon in the composer to see lists of posts you’ve saved and liked, choose the one that inspires you, add your perspective, and quote it.
Saved Quotes is currently available on iOS and rolling out on Android in the coming weeks. The feature supports content curation and helps you build on existing conversations rather than always starting from scratch.
Conclusion
Threads continues to evolve quickly, and the introduction of Threads new features is shaping how creators and brands grow on the platform. From improved discovery tools and advanced analytics to communities and disappearing posts, these innovations give users more control over how they connect, engage, and share content.
Staying updated on these changes to manage your content more efficiently—can help you make the most of Threads as it continues to expand. By understanding and leveraging these features strategically, you’ll be better positioned to grow your audience and stay ahead as Threads matures into a major social network.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does Threads compare to X (Twitter)?
Threads is designed around interest-based discovery, meaningful conversations, and algorithm-driven recommendations. In contrast, X leans more toward real-time updates, trending hashtags, and news-focused content, making the overall user experience quite different.
2. Does Threads use hashtags?
Not in the traditional way. Instead of relying on hashtags, Threads uses topic tags to categorize content. These tags act as interest signals that help surface relevant posts and connect users with communities that match their preferences.
3. Can you schedule posts on Threads?
Yes. You can schedule Threads posts using tools like Buffer, which allow you to plan content in advance, cross-post across platforms, monitor performance, and manage your ideas in one place.
4. Does Threads offer analytics or insights?
Yes. Threads Insights provides valuable data such as views, engagement rates, follower growth, audience demographics, and where your content was discovered across Meta’s ecosystem. These metrics help you understand what works and refine your strategy.
5. Can you edit a post on Threads?
Yes. Threads allows you to edit a post within 15 minutes after publishing to fix text or update topics. However, media files cannot be added or removed once the post is live.