Threads is currently testing a new “text attachment” feature designed to facilitate the sharing of long-form text directly within the platform, Meta confirmed to TechCrunch. This addition allows users to attach extended blocks of text to their posts, offering an alternative to creating lengthy threads for more in-depth content.
The feature was initially discovered by app researcher Radu Oncescu on iOS. The description of the feature indicates its purpose is to enable users to “attach longer text and get creative with styling tools to share deeper thoughts, news snippets, book excerpts, and more.”
This enhancement could prove beneficial in retaining creators and writers by providing a more direct avenue for sharing articles and content that might otherwise be hosted on external blogs or newsletter platforms. It also eliminates the need for users to resort to workarounds, such as sharing screenshots of text from note-taking apps when exceeding the standard post character limit.
Threads user Robert P. Nickson demonstrated the feature’s appearance by sharing a post that showcased a snippet of the attached text within a gray box. Users can click on this snippet to access and scroll through the full content.
X (formerly Twitter) offers a similar feature called “Articles,” but it is exclusive to Premium subscribers. Threads’ long-form text feature is currently accessible to all users, although this may change as the testing phase progresses. A key difference between the two platforms is that Threads currently only supports text attachments, while X allows for the inclusion of images and videos within its long-form articles.
Meta has stated its intention to expand the availability of this feature to a broader user base in the future.
The introduction of long-form post support is part of a series of updates and features Threads has rolled out over the past year, including direct messaging (DMs), fediverse integrations, custom feeds, and AI enhancements.
Threads has reached over 400 million monthly active users since its launch two years ago. X, in comparison, boasts a user base of over 600 million monthly active users, according to statements made by former CEO Linda Yaccarino.
