Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is testing a new feature that could boost engagement between its platforms. Threads, Meta’s microblogging service, is currently exploring the possibility of integrating cross-posting with Instagram to compete with X (formerly Twitter). This feature will allow users to share images from Instagram to Threads simultaneously.
Some Instagram users have reported noticing a new option in their account settings that allows cross-posting to Threads via a toggle in the menu. However, it is currently only available for a select group of users for testing purposes. The cross-posting feature will initially be launched globally for a limited number of users before gradually expanding to everyone over time.
Initially, only image sharing will be supported, while Instagram Reels will not yet be compatible with this feature. Users must manually upload videos to Threads even if cross-posting is enabled on Instagram. When an image is posted from Instagram to Threads, the caption will automatically become the post’s text, but hashtags with the pound symbol are not supported on Threads and will be removed.
Apart from this new feature, Threads is also experimenting with other exciting capabilities such as automatically archiving old posts and introducing real-time search results for some users. They have also launched a tool that enables users to save drafts, capture photos directly through the app and share content and stories on Facebook. This tool leverages functionality similar to existing cross-posting tools for Facebook.