In-Stream Text Expansion Tested by Threads for Longer Updates

Highlights

• New Feature: Threads is testing a custom text editor that allows users to post longer updates.
• Functionality: The editor enables users to expand posts into articles that accompany their updates.
• Access: Not all users have this feature yet; it appears as a new page icon in the posting options.
• Comparison: This feature is similar to long-form options available on other platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

Threads is looking to help users post longer missives, with the addition of a custom text editor, which attaches a separate text window to your update.

As you can see in these examples, posted by Robert Nickson, Threads is live testing a new text editor, which provides an easy way to expand your post into a longer article, that will then be automatically attached to your update.

It’s not available to all users as yet, but if you have it, you’ll see a new page icon in your posting options in the app.

Tap on that and you’ll be shown a new info pop-up, which explains the update:

From there, you’ll be taken to the next text editor window, which is like a blog post composer, including a larger text window and text-styling options.

It’s similar to Twitter’s “Articles” option, which it first experimented with before Elon Musk took over at the app, after then-CEO Jack Dorsey lamented the rise in people posting screenshots of Notes app text in their updates.

Since then, as X, the platform has extended the length of posts in-stream instead, with paying users now able to use up to 25k characters in their updates.

X also has a long-form “Articles” option as well (also for paid users), through which it has encouraged publications to post direct to the app, in order to get better reach.

This is seemingly Threads’ variation of the same, providing another means for Threads users to post longer content without needing to share screenshots of text.

And it looks good, it looks like a handy option that will indeed cater to those who want to include longer descriptions. I mean, it does somewhat go against the short-form nature of the app, and, you know, creating threads, like its namesake, but with so many people looking to post more context, to ensure they’re understood, it could be a helpful addition.

The Threads team is currently testing its long-form update with some users.