Meta’s Threads app is adding a new feature called “disappearing posts,” giving its more than 400 million monthly users a fresh way to share thoughts and join conversations that automatically vanish after 24 hours.
Starting Monday, Threads users everywhere can try out the feature, which the platform calls “ghost posts.” To use it, anyone on the mobile app can tap the ghost icon on the compose screen before posting. Once shared, the post appears in other users’ timelines with a dotted conversation bubble, making it easy to spot.
Replies work differently on ghost posts. People on both desktop and mobile can respond, but their replies go straight to the original poster’s direct messages instead of showing up publicly in the timeline. Each ghost post displays smiley icons underneath to show if others have reacted, though only the original poster can see how many people liked or replied, and who they were.
The post disappears from public view after a day but remains available in the poster’s archived section, which users can find in the main settings menu. If users turn off message requests, others who don’t follow them cannot reply. When message requests are on, responses from non-followers go to your message request inbox, and you can manage these settings from the menu in your profile.
Meta says the new feature encourages more casual, low-pressure sharing — the kind that feels spontaneous and less permanent. The company hopes this approach will make Threads a more dynamic space for quick thoughts and real-time conversations.
The update could also strengthen Threads’ rivalry with Elon Musk’s X, where users often rely on third-party services to clean up or delete old posts. By offering built-in disappearing content, Threads gives people an easier way to manage what stays on their profiles.
Ephemeral posting isn’t a new idea. Twitter once tried something similar in 2020 with Fleets, which allowed users to share disappearing Stories. That feature didn’t last long and was discontinued in 2021 due to low engagement. Meta, however, believes temporary posts still have a place, pointing to the success of Stories on Instagram and Facebook.
Through ghost posts, Threads aims to encourage users to share more unfiltered thoughts, engage in live threading, and experiment with spontaneous, in-the-moment content.
Since launching in July 2023, Meta has pushed out a steady stream of updates for Threads, including custom feeds, direct messages, fediverse integration (which connects Threads with platforms like Mastodon), and tools that allow text posts up to 10,000 characters. The app also supports spoiler-hiding tools and interest-based communities, showing how quickly Meta continues to shape Threads into a flexible and interactive social space.
