The Threads app from Instagram is a messaging app for your close friends. But unlike usual chat apps, here you can choose the people from Instagram that should appear in the app. These people should be added to the close friends list on Instagram. The idea of the app is to make conversations with your BFFs faster. Everything related to a conversation is available directly in this app. You don’t have to juggle through various taps to begin a chat. We have already covered in detail how to use the app. In this post, we will help you to make your conversations quicker with these tips and tricks for the Threads by Instagram app.
1. Switch Between Camera and Home Screen Quickly
There are two important screens in the Threads app — camera and home screen. To switch between them, Instagram has provided dedicated buttons. But when you are on any one of those screens, you can switch to the other quickly by simply swiping down. The gesture is similar to the one that you use for reloading in Chrome or Snapchat, i.e., pull down from top to bottom.
2. Use Shortcuts to Send Photos and Videos
The shortcuts available next to the capture button on the camera screen aren’t just for decoration purposes. Tap on them to capture a photo and send it directly to that person. Hold the profile picture of the person to begin shooting a video.
3. Discard Message with Gesture
If you don’t like the captured photo or video, swipe down on the screen to discard the captured media. You will see the remove icon when you pull down the screen. Release the screen to discard it.
4. Send Message with Gesture
After capturing a photo or video, swipe up on the captured file to send it to the other person. You can also use the send button.
5. Download Photo
Once you have made the required changes to your photo or video, you can save it on your device before sending it to the other person. For that, tap on the Download icon on the send screen.
6. Flip Camera While Recording Video
To record a video, you have to hold the camera button. To flip the camera while recording, you need to use both hands. You can keep recording the video with one hand, and use the other to flip the camera by double-tapping on the screen.
7. Remove People from App from Home Screen
Instead of opening the app settings or the Instagram app to remove people from your close friends list, you can do it directly from the home screen of this app. For that, swipe right on the chat thread of the person that you want to remove. A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm. Tap on Remove.
8. Open Camera for Close Friend
If you are on the home screen of the app, swipe left on the chat thread of the person to open the camera directly for them. You don’t have to open the camera screen first and then tap on the shortcut. This further reduces the time needed to send something to your close friends.
9. Change Viewing Time
Similar to Instagram Direct, you can change the message viewing time in this app too. You can choose between View once, Replay, and Keep in chat. Select the option after you have captured the photo.
10. Change Position of Capture Button
It’s no surprise that you can rearrange the shortcuts of your friends on the camera screen. But did you know you can also change the position of the capture button or the camera icon? For that, follow these steps: Step 1: On the home screen of the Threads app, tap on the three-bar icon, and select Customize Camera. Step 2: Similar to other shortcuts, hold and drag the Default camera to the position where you want to keep it. As you can see in the following screenshot, the capture button is now available at a different location.
11. Add Group as Shortcut
Besides adding individual contacts as shortcuts, you can even add Instagram group chats having your close friends as one of the shortcuts. For that, first, create a group with them. Then, go to Customize Camera from Settings. Here tap on the plus button next to the group.
12. Change Status from Home Screen
Typically, the status feature introduced in the Threads app can be changed from the app settings. But you can also do it from the home screen of the app. Just tap on your profile picture in the top middle and select your status. You can also toggle the auto status feature.
13. Start a Video Chat
In case you didn’t notice, you can video chat with your close friends using this app too. For that, open the chat thread of the person from the home screen of the app. Then tap on the video call icon at the top.
14. Change App Theme
Everyone keeps asking for dark mode. Instagram has provided it in this app, along with other themes from the first version itself. You can choose between 5 themes in this app. Interestingly, when you change the theme on iPhone, it also changes the app icon. To change the app theme, go to the app settings, and tap on Themes. Then, select your preferred theme.
15. Delete Chat Thread
You cannot directly delete a chat from the Threads app. You can remove the person from your close friends list to hide their chat from the Threads app. Alternatively, you can delete the thread on the main Instagram app. That will remove it from the Threads app as well.
Keep Close Friends Closer
We hope the above tips and tricks improve your experience on the Threads app. This is a new app that’s different from the traditional chat apps. It would be interesting to see how Instagram updates this app in the future. Now that Instagram is giving special preference to messages, we hope they let us send text from desktop soon. Meanwhile, there are smart hacks to use Instagram messages on the web. Next up: How does block differ from mute and hide on Instagram? Find out the answer next.
