How to Sign Up for Threads (Without Getting Stuck)

Threads is a text-first social app from Meta, the company behind Instagram. To sign up, download the Threads app, tap "Log in with Instagram," choose whether to import your Instagram profile, pick a public or private profile, and tap "Join Threads." The whole thing takes about two minutes.

This guide walks through every step, explains the most common sign-up problems, and shows how to leave Threads later without losing your Instagram account.

What is Threads?

Threads launched in July 2023 as a way to post short updates and join public conversations. It looks a lot like other text-based social networks. You can:

• Post text, photos, GIFs, and videos
• Reply to other people and join conversations
• Repost and quote posts you like
• Follow accounts and find new ones by topic
• Control who can reply to or mention you

A post can be up to 500 characters, which is roughly 75 to 100 words. Meta says posts can also include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long.

What you need before you start

Threads uses your Instagram login. Here is what to have ready:

• An Instagram account. Meta's launch announcement explains that you sign in with your Instagram account, and your username and verification carry over.
• The Instagram app on the same phone, if you can. It makes sign-in smoother, since the Threads app can find your account.
• A phone with a recent version of iOS or Android, or a computer with a web browser.

If you do not have an Instagram account, make one first in the Instagram app, then come back to Threads. In most countries you cannot create a Threads account without Instagram.

How to sign up for Threads (6 steps)

1. Download the app. Search for Threads in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Look for the app by Instagram (Meta). Check the developer name before you tap Install, since fake apps exist.
2. Open the app. Tap Log in with Instagram. If you already use Instagram on this phone, you will see your account and can tap to continue. If not, enter your Instagram username and password.
3. Set up your profile. You can import your info from Instagram, which brings in your bio and link, or you can customize it. You can change your Threads bio and link later.
4. Choose public or private. A public profile can be seen by anyone, even people who do not have Threads. A private profile limits who can see your posts to followers you approve. You can change this later.
5. Pick who to follow. You can follow the same accounts you follow on Instagram, or skip this step and find people later.
6. Tap Join Threads. That is it. You are in.

How to sign up on a computer

You can also use Threads in a web browser:

1. Go to threads.com (it also works at threads.net).
2. Click Log in with Instagram.
3. Enter your Instagram username and password.
4. Follow the same steps to set up your profile.

You still need an Instagram account to log in.

Your first five minutes on Threads

Once you are in, do these things so the app feels useful:

• Add a profile photo and short bio. People are more likely to follow accounts that look real.
• Follow 10 to 20 accounts you like. Your feed gets better when you follow people who post things you enjoy.
• Write a first post. Introduce yourself in one or two lines. You do not need to be clever.
• Reply to a few posts. Replies are the fastest way to get noticed.
• Check your privacy settings. Look at who can mention you and who can reply.

Common sign-up problems and fixes

"Log in with Instagram" does not work

• Check your password. Try logging in to Instagram first to make sure it works.
• Update both apps. Old versions of Instagram and Threads can cause login errors.
• Restart your phone and try again.
• Check your internet by switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
• Try the web version at threads.com.

The app asks for a code you do not get

• Wait a minute or two before asking again, since many requests in a row can lock you out for a while.
• Check your spam folder if the code comes by email.
• Make sure the phone number or email on your Instagram account is correct.

Your Instagram account is not found

• Make sure you are using the Instagram login, not Facebook. Your Instagram username is not always the same as your name.
• If you recently changed your username, use the new one.
• If you cannot remember the account, use Forgot password in the Instagram app.

Threads is not available in your area

Threads has been available in most countries since 2023. If you cannot find it in your app store, check that your phone is up to date and your app store region is set correctly. A VPN can cause store problems, so turn it off while you download.

Your account is flagged or limited

If Instagram has restricted your account, you may not be able to join Threads until the issue is fixed. Open the Instagram app and follow any steps it shows, or visit the Instagram Help Center.

How Threads connects to Instagram

Because Threads runs on Instagram, a few things are linked:

• Username and name come from Instagram.
• Verification carries over if you are verified on Instagram.
• Blocks and mutes from Instagram can carry over.
• A Threads badge can appear on your Instagram profile. You can hide it in your Instagram profile settings.

You can still choose a different bio and link for Threads, and you can change who can see your posts.

Privacy tips

• Use a private profile if you only want people you approve to see your posts.
• Limit who can reply to your posts, and who can mention you.
• Hide offensive words using the hidden words setting.
• Do not share your phone number, address, or financial details in posts.
• Review who you follow now and then, and remove accounts that are spam or fake.

How to deactivate or delete Threads

You do not need to keep Threads forever. In the past, deleting Threads also deleted your Instagram account. Meta changed this, and you can now remove Threads on its own. TechCrunch explains the steps:

1. Open Threads and tap your profile.
2. Tap the two lines (menu) at the top right.
3. Tap Account.
4. Tap Deactivate or delete profile.
5. Choose Deactivate to hide your profile for now, or Delete to remove it for good.

Deactivating hides your profile, posts, and likes, and you can come back by logging in again. Deleting starts a waiting period of about 30 days, during which you can change your mind by logging back in. After that, your Threads content is gone.

Is Threads worth joining?

It depends on what you want:

Threads is easy to try. It takes two minutes to join, costs nothing, and you can leave whenever you like.

Threads and your other social apps

Many people use Threads next to Instagram, Facebook, and messaging apps. A simple plan can keep things from getting messy:

• Post short updates on Threads, and save photos and longer stories for Instagram.
• Use one profile photo and bio style on every app, so people know it is you.
• Turn off notifications you do not need. Too many alerts make social apps tiring.
• Check your login activity in Instagram settings now and then, and remove devices you do not use.

Keep your accounts tidy

When you use several apps, your old activity piles up. If you want a fresh start on other platforms, learn how to delete your YouTube search history on your phone.

The bottom line

To join Threads, download the app, log in with Instagram, choose public or private, and tap Join Threads. You need an Instagram account first. Posts are limited to 500 characters. If you ever leave, you can deactivate or delete Threads on its own without losing Instagram, but deleting Instagram will also remove your Threads profile.