So you’ve signed up for Threads. Despite the millions who’ve supposedly also joined, it’s kind of quiet in here so far, with folks signing up and testing out various posts and vibes in Meta’s answer to Twitter.
But if you’re anything like me, you arrived to what feels like a party where you maybe recognise one or two friendly faces, but the rest is noise. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri has said a feed full of accounts you actually follow is “on the list”(opens in a new tab) but there’s a way you can make it a little more attuned in the meantime.
Threads is trying to entice people from Instagram using badges
Threads, Meta’s version of Elon Musk’s tempestuous Twitter, launched on Thursday in the UK and U.S. on iOS and Android. Accessible only through Instagram, the standalone app requires you to login through your Meta account. Once you’re signed up to Threads, you’re given the option to follow everyone you already followed on Instagram (which, as our social media identities can be wildly different across platforms, might be very different to who you follow on Twitter). But despite following people you know, your Threads feed automatically defaults to a whole bunch of accounts you don’t.
While Instagram is working on a following feed, here’s how make your feed a little more full of people you actually follow. And if it’s getting too much, here’s how to pause Threads notifications.
How to change your Threads feed to accounts you actually follow
- Phone
- Threads app through iOS or Android
- an Instagram account
Step 1:
Open the Threads app
If you haven’t signed up for Threads yet, you can find it in your Instagram app’s Settings — hit the three lines in the top right corner of your Instagram profile page and click Threads to install it through iOS or Android.
Step 2:
Tap your Threads Profile
In the bottom left corner of the Threads app menu, tap the icon that looks like a little person to head to your Profile.
Step 3:
Open Settings
Tap the two lines in the top corner of your Profile page to bring up Settings.
Step 4:
Tap Notifications
Open Notifications — it has a little bell icon next to it.
Step 5:
Tap Threads and replies
Credit: Shannon Connellan
Step 6:
Change your settings to “From people you follow”
Toggle the settings from “Everyone” to “From people you follow.” You can change this for First threads, Likes, Replies, Mentions, Reposts, and Quotes. This won’t change the entire feed to only people you follow (Instagram’s working on that), but you’ll see a lot more content from people you do.
Credit: Shannon Connellan
Step 7:
Hit the Home icon to return to your feed
Your feed should only be showing posts from people you follow on Threads now. If you want to change it back, just follow the same steps as above, but toggle “First threads” back to “Everyone”.
It’s important to keep in mind, if you sign up for Threads and want to delete the whole thing, Meta will also delete your Instagram account. Fair warning. And like all social media platforms, Threads is absolutely tracking you in a bunch of ways.
While you’re here, Mashable has some handy guides that might make your arrival on Threads a little smoother:
Read the full article here