Meta’s Threads just dropped a content bomb: disappearing posts! Sure, you’ve seen it before, but Threads is sprinkling in its own secret sauce. Will this fresh take be the key to unlocking mass adoption? Only time will tell, but things are about to get interesting.
Good to know : you might also want to check how to blur text on Threads to hide spoilers.
How Threads Approaches Disappearing Content
Vanishing acts aren’t just for magicians anymore. Social media is getting in on the disappearing game. Think Instagram and Facebook Stories: fleeting glimpses into lives, gone in 24 hours. But the real magic happens in private. Both apps offer messages that self-destruct, leaving no trace behind. Instagram even lets you send Quicksnaps in DMs – blink, and they’re gone. The digital age of “now you see it, now you don’t” is here, and it’s captivating.
Snapchat, the platform that pioneered disappearing content, lets users fling Snaps into the digital ether – view them once, and poof, they’re gone. Their 24-hour Stories offer a fleeting glimpse into users’ lives. Not to be outdone, TikTok also dips its toe into the ephemeral with its own Stories feature, though these, like on other platforms, remain separate from the core feed experience.
Threads shakes things up with disappearing “Ghost posts” right in your main feed. Think Snapchat Stories, but living alongside your regular updates for 24 hours. Meta’s bet? Letting you share those unfiltered, in-the-moment thoughts where everyone’s already looking.
How to Create a Ghost Post on Threads
Unleash spooky season fun! To conjure this brand-new Threads feature just in time for Halloween, make sure your app is updated to the latest version.
Open the Threads app on your phone and press the+at the bottom to start creating a new post.
Ready to share your brilliance with the world? Instead of just hitting “Post,” spot that subtle grey switch beneath it. Flip it. A magical portal will appear (okay, a pop-up). Click “Continue” and prepare for liftoff!
It will also show up this way in your feed after you post it, as you can see here:
Unleash your inner ghost hunter! Just tap the menu icon lurking in the top-right corner of your feed to unveil a spectral realm of active and interacted-with Ghost posts. Ready to pen your own paranormal tale? This hidden portal is also your gateway to crafting fresh, hauntingly good content.
On iPhone, there’s also a ghost post icon in your feed at the top, in theWhat’s newbar.
Ready to haunt Threads with your first ghost post? On Android, look for a spectral shimmer emanating from your profile picture in the app. See that playful+bubble perched on top? Tap it. Your ghostly composition awaits.
While you’re admiring your profile, take a peek beneath the “What’s new” bar. Your latest Ghost creations shine front and center, perched atop your older “Threads,” giving your audience a quick view of your freshest insights.
Check underneath an active Ghost post to see how long it has left to stay visible.
Tip : need to see all your comments on Instagram? Here’s how.
Who Can Reply to Ghost Posts
Your Ghost posts just got a whole lot more intimate. Only those you’ve already invited into your inner circle the people you follow can directly chime in on your fleeting thoughts. Everyone else? They’ll have to slide into your DMs with a request to connect. Consider it a VIP line to your disappearing content, with their message waiting for you.
Ghost posts feeling a little too quiet? If you’ve locked down your message requests, remember that’s also putting a muzzle on comments from anyone you don’t follow. Want to unleash the conversation? Head toSettings >Privacy >Messagesand set it to“Anyone.”Let the comments flow!
Want to fire back at a Ghost post? Spot that subtle “reply” arrow nestled below the message, give it a tap, and unleash your thoughts. Type away, then hit “Send” – just like you’re sending any other electrifying message into the digital ether!
Ghost replies go straight to your DMs! Think of it as a secret tunnel connecting your public posts to private conversations. If you’re already chatting with someone who reacts to your Ghost, their reply will simply slide right into your existing DM thread – keeping everything neat and tidy.
What Happens to Ghost Posts Once They Expire
After 24 hours, your Threads Ghost posts vanish into your personal archive, ready for you to rediscover them whenever you like.
Go toSettings ->Archiveto view your older ghost posts.
Want to tuck a Ghost post away for safekeeping? Simply navigate to the post from your profile, then summon the hidden menu by tapping the three dots in the upper right corner. A single tap onArchiveand poof, it’s filed away!
Will Threads’ Disappearing Posts Catch On
Threads’ Newest Mystery: Ghost Posts – A Fleeting Fad or Future Feature?
Threads may have cracked the code that eluded others. Where fleeting content initiatives like X’s ill-fated Fleets crashed and burned, this new feature finds fertile ground, suggesting a genuine synergy between ephemeral visuals and the platform’s text-centric roots.
Threads just got a whole lot cleaner (and cooler). Imagine tossing a thought into the digital ether, a fleeting comment on today’s trending topic, a burning question that needs an immediate answer. That’s the magic of Ghost posts on Threads – popping up directly in the feed for instant engagement, then disappearing without a trace, leaving your timeline pristine. Forget X’s messy reliance on third-party apps; Threads hands you a built-in cleaning crew to keep your feed sparkling. Think of it as ephemeral brilliance, perfectly timed and effortlessly managed.
In case you prefer Instagram to Threads, check out how to reset your Instagram algorithm for a fresh feed.
Thanks for reading Ghost Posts Arrive on Threads – Smart Move or Just Following Trend?
