Threads to break away from Instagram with independent DM feature

Meta is taking a critical step in evolving Threads into an independent social platform, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing that the app will begin testing its own direct messaging (DM) feature, one that no longer depends on Instagram. As per the reports, the standalone Threads inbox will debut in select regions including Hong Kong, Thailand and Argentina, before expanding globally. For now, the feature is limited to one-on-one conversations, group chats are not yet supported.

The move breaks a major dependency that has defined Threads since its July 2023 launch. Initially tethered tightly to Instagram’s user graph and infrastructure, Threads is now clearly charting a path of its own, starting with one of the most fundamental features, messaging, of any social platform.

This change directly addresses one of the biggest user friction points. Many Threads users have built networks distinct from their Instagram circles, shaped by the platform’s open, public nature and similar to the dynamics seen on X, formerly Twitter, or Bluesky. Yet, until now, communicating with those new contacts still required switching to Instagram, an experience many found disjointed.

Meta has been exploring messaging options for Threads for over a year. In 2023, Instagram was prototyping a system that allowed Threads users to DM via their Instagram inbox. Instagram head Adam Mosseri had also publicly entertained the idea of a shared inbox, based on the assumption that user bases largely overlapped. But over time, it’s become clear that Threads has developed a personality and community of its own.

Zuckerberg’s announcement signals more than a feature rollout; it’s a quiet but clear statement that Threads is graduating from Instagram’s shadow.

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