- Threads now supports group chats with up to 50 members, extending its private messaging functionality.
- The update coincides with direct messaging expansion to the European Union, where messaging features were previously unavailable.
- Meta frames the rollout as part of its strategy to build smaller, interest-driven communities within Threads.
- Group chats emphasize conversation depth and privacy, though they are not end-to-end encrypted.
- Threads’ growth—surpassing 400 million monthly active users—positions it as the most credible rival to X in real-time discussion.
The app’s latest update strengthens its shift toward community and private engagement as messaging reaches European users.
Meta’s Threads platform is evolving from a minimalist microblogging alternative to a fully-fledged social ecosystem with the introduction of group chats and the expansion of direct messaging across Europe.
The update, announced this week, enables Threads users to host shared conversations with up to 50 participants, a step that aligns the app more closely with Meta’s broader messaging infrastructure and user behavior trends. After rolling out individual DMs in July, the new feature builds on growing demand for private, community-oriented spaces where users can engage beyond the public timeline.
The group chat feature is being released globally—with the EU rollout of DMs happening in parallel—bringing long-awaited functionality to one of Threads’ largest markets. Meta confirmed that the update is rolling out “over the next few days,” expanding the app’s footprint to millions of users who were previously excluded due to regulatory delays.
A New Layer of Private Communication
Threads’ group chats mark a decisive shift from broadcast-style posting to conversational depth. Users can create new group threads by starting a message and adding participants they follow.
These conversations can be named, moderated by admins, and will soon support invite links, according to Meta spokesperson Alec Booker, who said the company is working to extend access to all regions “as quickly as possible.”
The feature allows text, videos, GIFs, and emojis, and users can edit messages within a 15-minute window. Importantly, only followers can be added to a chat, and only admins can remove members—guardrails that aim to balance connectivity with user control.
While Meta confirmed that Threads’ DMs and group chats are not end-to-end encrypted, the platform positions them as spontaneous social interactions rather than secure communication.
“We see messaging as a way for people to connect more deeply with the people they’re already having conversations with,” said Emily Dalton Smith, Threads’ VP of Product Management. “It’s really about going deep with people who share your interests.”
That intent—facilitating richer, smaller-scale discussions—is consistent with the broader direction of Meta’s social portfolio. Across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, private or semi-private spaces are increasingly where user engagement thrives.
Europe Joins the Chat
The addition of group chats coincides with a significant expansion milestone: Threads’ messaging is now live in the EU. The region had been left out of the platform’s early DM rollout, due largely to compliance requirements under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and GDPR-related interoperability rules.
Meta’s staged European rollout suggests a growing confidence in the app’s data architecture and moderation capabilities. It also strengthens Threads’ ability to compete globally—especially as it surpasses 400 million monthly active users, a figure CEO Mark Zuckerberg referenced in recent internal updates.
This expansion positions Threads as one of the few Western social platforms capable of scaling both open and closed communication formats without compromising user experience.
Meta’s Broader Strategy
Threads’ pivot toward private communication mirrors Meta’s ongoing evolution across its ecosystem. The company has steadily repositioned its apps around DMs, groups, and algorithmic discovery, as user behavior moves away from public posting.
Meta’s executives have repeatedly emphasized that the next phase of social networking lies in personalized, small-group engagement powered by AI-assisted content recommendations. By embedding messaging into Threads’ core functionality, Meta is ensuring that the app grows into an environment where users both consume and contribute without leaving the platform.
As of this update, Threads has established three key pillars for long-term growth:
- Real-time engagement (public posts)
- Community conversation (group chats)
- Cross-app integration (with Instagram and eventually Messenger/WhatsApp)
Each layer reflects Meta’s ambition to make Threads the conversation hub of its ecosystem—a place where social, cultural, and topical discussions coexist within private and public formats.
A More Conversational App
Threads’ latest update cements its evolution from a Twitter alternative into a hybrid social platform that blurs the lines between feed and chat. While Meta has not yet confirmed encryption plans or interoperability with Instagram DMs, the current rollout demonstrates the company’s commitment to building a sustainable, scalable social product rather than a viral experiment.
As more users transition from public threads to smaller, interest-based discussions, Threads is positioning itself not just as a replacement for X—but as a blueprint for the next generation of social interaction, where community, control, and context converge.
