Threads Tests Long-Form Text Sharing

Threads Introduces Long-Form Text Sharing

Meta is currently evaluating a new functionality for Threads that simplifies the sharing of extended text content. This development was confirmed by Meta to TechCrunch on Thursday.

New “Text Attachment” Feature

The new feature enables users to directly attach a substantial block of text to a post. This eliminates the necessity of creating multiple, sequential posts when aiming to convey more detailed thoughts or ideas.

Radu Oncescu, an application researcher, initially identified the “text attachment” feature on iOS and disseminated a screenshot. The application’s description highlights its purpose: to facilitate the sharing of longer texts and provide styling options for deeper insights, news summaries, and excerpts from books, among other uses.

Benefits for Creators and Writers

The capacity to share lengthy content could be instrumental in retaining creators and writers. These individuals often seek broader distribution for articles that might otherwise be published on personal blogs or newsletter platforms like Substack.

Furthermore, this feature removes the need for temporary solutions when content exceeds the standard post word limit. Users will no longer need to resort to sharing screenshots of text from their phone’s notes application.

How the Feature Works

Threads user Robert P. Nickson demonstrated the feature in a post. A preview of the long-form text appears within a gray box inside the post. Users can click this preview to access and scroll through the complete content.

Comparison with X

X, a competitor to Threads, already provides a similar functionality for sharing long-form content through “Articles.” However, X’s feature is currently restricted to Premium subscribers.

In contrast, Threads’ feature is presently available to all users, although this accessibility may be subject to change in the future.

Currently, Threads only supports text-based attachments. X’s feature, however, allows for the inclusion of images and videos. Given that the Threads feature is still in its testing phase, the addition of multimedia support remains a possibility.

Future Plans and Recent Growth

Meta has indicated its intention to extend the availability of this feature to a wider user base in the coming months.

The introduction of long-form post support represents the latest in a series of new features implemented by Threads over the past year. These include DMs, integrations with the fediverse, customizable feeds, and AI-powered enhancements.

Threads has recently surpassed 400 million monthly active users, achieving this milestone just two years after its initial launch. X, conversely, boasts over 600 million monthly active users, as stated previously by former CEO Linda Yaccarino.