Threads adds group chats as messaging expands to EU

Threads is now letting users create group chats with up to 50 participants, and the feature is being released alongside the rollout of full messaging—individual DMs and groups—to European Union users [1]. The update positions Threads as a more robust competitor to X by expanding its conversation tools beyond one‑on‑one direct messages.

Key takeaways

• Group chats can include up to 50 people and support text, video, GIFs and emojis [1]
• Users must follow the person who adds them to a group, mirroring the follow‑only rule for DM requests [1]
• The rollout reaches global users now, with EU markets receiving both individual and group messaging in the coming days [2]
• Future updates will allow invite links for groups and improved inbox management [2]
• Threads’ messaging is not end‑to‑end encrypted; Meta treats it as a “deep‑connect” feature rather than a secure channel [1]

Group chat functionality and rollout scope

Meta’s Threads app, the Instagram‑owned rival to X, introduced group chats that let participants share posts, videos, GIFs and emojis—features already available on the public timeline [1]. A group can be named for easier identification, and Meta plans to let users invite others via a shareable link rather than adding each participant manually [1]. The company says users must be following the person who creates the group, a restriction that is tighter than the existing DM system where messages from non‑followers land in a “Message Requests” folder [1].

The launch is being rolled out globally, but the United Kingdom and Australia are excluded for now, with Meta promising to expand to those regions “as quickly as possible” [2]. In parallel, the company is delivering the full messaging suite—including both individual DMs and group chats—to EU users over the next several days [2][3]. The EU expansion adds privacy controls, media support, and a hidden folder for added privacy, mirroring the broader feature set being offered worldwide [3].

Why it matters

By adding multi‑person conversations, Threads moves closer to the feature parity of X, which is simultaneously promoting its own encrypted chat service [1]. The follow‑only rule and lack of end‑to‑end encryption signal that Meta views Threads messaging as a social‑connection tool rather than a secure communications platform [1]. The EU rollout also demonstrates Meta’s effort to comply with regional expectations for messaging functionality, potentially boosting user engagement in markets where the feature was previously delayed [3]. As Threads continues to refine inbox management and invite mechanisms, the platform aims to keep users within its ecosystem for deeper, interest‑based interactions.