Threads is bringing messaging to the web, bringing one-on-one and group chats to the desktop, the Meta-owned social network announced Tuesday. By bringing messaging to the web, Threads aligns its desktop experience more closely with competitors like X and Bluesky.
Connor Hayes, Meta’s Head of Threads, said in a post that web messaging was the most requested feature by users after the company first introduced DMs in July 2025.
“Our most engaged people spend time on the web because they’re at their desks, using Threads for longer sessions,” Hayes wrote in his Threads post. “A chat app should work wherever you are, and now it does.”
The web version of Threads now includes a Messages tab that opens your incoming DMs, along with a Requests section where you can view all incoming message requests. You can also search your messages and quickly start a new conversation.
The launch comes as no surprise, as Hayes had teased in April that messages would come to the Threads web experience.
For a platform that didn’t have native DMs at launch, messaging has become a key part of Threads. The company told TechCrunch in an email that users are sending 30% more messages per week since the start of the year, with usage now averaging around 350 million DM per week.
Since its launch in 2023, Threads has been constantly adding new features to expand its platform and stay competitive with its rivals. It’s worth noting that the social network recently added a feature that even its competitors don’t have: Live chats.
Threads live chats enable real-time conversations during cultural events and are first launched in the NBA Threads community during the playoffs. Users can send messages, photos, videos, links and emoji reactions. Up to 150 participants can send active messages in a chat. Once this limit is reached, additional users can view the conversation, react to messages, and participate in polls in “spectator” mode.
The availability of messages on the web and in Live Chats shows that Threads is focused on making chats a central part of its platform, beyond posts and replies.
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