Meta continues to carve out a separate identity for Threads, and its latest feature update takes another step in that direction. The app has introduced a dedicated content filter system that no longer relies on Instagram’s settings, giving users finer control over what shows up in their Threads experience.
Previously, people using Threads had to share one universal filter setting with Instagram, meaning any phrase or emoji blocked on one platform would be hidden on the other as well. With the new update, that link has been removed. Now, users can adjust filters within Threads itself, without affecting their Instagram preferences.
The feature, called Hidden Words, acts as a filter for unwanted content across several parts of the app. Whether it's a comment on your profile, a reply in a thread, or something in your search results, you can block words, phrases, or emojis you’d rather not see. Threads also lets you mute certain topics for up to 30 days, which can be helpful if you want to avoid spoilers or distance yourself from overhyped discussions for a while.
What’s new in this update is the ability to manage those filters in groups, making it easier to control the types of content that appear in one go. The platform’s leadership says the move is part of a broader effort to give users more influence over how they engage with the app, so they feel more at ease sharing and participating.
Since Threads made its debut in 2023, the app has gradually been moving out from Instagram’s shadow. Meta has started testing a standalone messaging system within Threads, and users can now deactivate a Threads profile without touching their Instagram account. These changes show that Meta is still reshaping Threads to be a space with its own rules and rhythms, rather than just a secondary feed for Instagram users.
Read next: YouTube Tests AI Tools That Could Change How Users Search, And How Creators Earn
Previously, people using Threads had to share one universal filter setting with Instagram, meaning any phrase or emoji blocked on one platform would be hidden on the other as well. With the new update, that link has been removed. Now, users can adjust filters within Threads itself, without affecting their Instagram preferences.
The feature, called Hidden Words, acts as a filter for unwanted content across several parts of the app. Whether it's a comment on your profile, a reply in a thread, or something in your search results, you can block words, phrases, or emojis you’d rather not see. Threads also lets you mute certain topics for up to 30 days, which can be helpful if you want to avoid spoilers or distance yourself from overhyped discussions for a while.
What’s new in this update is the ability to manage those filters in groups, making it easier to control the types of content that appear in one go. The platform’s leadership says the move is part of a broader effort to give users more influence over how they engage with the app, so they feel more at ease sharing and participating.
Since Threads made its debut in 2023, the app has gradually been moving out from Instagram’s shadow. Meta has started testing a standalone messaging system within Threads, and users can now deactivate a Threads profile without touching their Instagram account. These changes show that Meta is still reshaping Threads to be a space with its own rules and rhythms, rather than just a secondary feed for Instagram users.
Read next: YouTube Tests AI Tools That Could Change How Users Search, And How Creators Earn
