The Threads team is not yet working on a separate inbox or a direct messaging system for the social network, despite user demands and will continue to use Instagram inbox. However, the company might make it easier to send messages to Instagram right from the Threads app.
App researcher Adwaith Varma posted on Threads an unreleased Threads feature, highlighting a new messaging button on users’ profiles. When tapping that button, users could see a text box and a send button to send a message to someone’s Instagram inbox quickly.
Threads confirmed to TechCrunch that this was a public test with a limited set of users, and it is not active anymore. However, this means the company might bring some features to at least initialize messaging directly from Threads.
At this moment, the only option to message a user privately is to tap on the Instagram icon on their profile and send a message through the Instagram inbox.
Threads is still heavily integrated with Instagram, which is not ideal for users with private profiles. Instagram DMs are also not a good option for contacting someone if the person is not very active on that particular social network.
This move contrasts with its rivals, X and Bluesky. X/Twitter has had a direct messaging system for years. Under Elon Musk, the company has also shipped features like the ability to edit messages. Earlier this year, Bluesky shipped its direct messaging product and also plans to add end-to-end encryption support in the future. While Mastdon doesn’t have a dedicated inbox, you can publish a post that might be visible only to the people mentioned.
While Threads isn’t focusing on building a separate inbox, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said in the past that it might be a possiblity if the company can’t make an integrated inbox work. In his messaging Mosseri indicated the thought process — people follow a similar set of people on both Instagram and Threads. However, some people still have completely different timelines with two separate social graphs and some overlap. Hopefully, Threads will make a separate inbox.
