Threads launches direct messaging support on the web

Threads is introducing messaging on the web, adding support for one-on-one and group chats on desktop, the Meta-owned platform announced on Tuesday. With this update, Threads is bringing its desktop experience closer in line with competitors such as X and Bluesky.

Connor Hayes, who leads Threads at Meta, said in a post that web messaging was the most requested feature from users following the introduction of direct messages in July 2025.

"Our most engaged people spend time on the web because they're at their desks, tapped in, using Threads for longer sessions," Hayes wrote. "A conversation app needs to work wherever you are, and now it does."

The web version of Threads now includes a "Messages" tab that opens a user's DM inbox, along with a "Requests" section for incoming messages. Users can also search through conversations and quickly start new chats directly from the desktop interface.

The rollout had been hinted at earlier, with Hayes signalling in April that messaging functionality would expand to the platform's web version.

Although Threads initially launched without built-in messaging, DMs have quickly become a key part of how people use the app. The company said via email that users have been sending 30% more messages per week since the beginning of the year, with total weekly usage reaching around 350 million messages.

Since its debut in 2023, Threads has steadily introduced new features to stay competitive in the social media space. One recent addition is Live Chats, a feature not currently offered by its main competitors.

Live Chats are designed to support real-time conversations about major cultural events and are being introduced first within the NBA Threads community during the playoffs. Participants can share messages, images, videos, links, and emoji reactions. Up to 150 users can actively send messages in a chat, while additional participants can join as spectators, reacting to content and taking part in polls.

The expansion of web messaging alongside Live Chats highlights Threads' growing emphasis on making conversations a central feature of the platform, extending beyond traditional posts and replies.