What to know:

  • Threads’ messaging now officially launches in the EU.
  • Group chats support up to 50 people who follow one another.
  • Media sharing, emojis, and custom names are supported.
  • Link-based invites and inbox improvements are coming soon.

Meta has expanded Threads’ group chat and messaging features to users in the European Union, marking the app’s most extensive communication update since direct messages arrived in July. The rollout, which began mid-October, brings EU users the full Threads messaging experience, including both individual and group chats.​

In the new setup, you can start a group conversation with up to 50 followers directly from the Messages tab. Each group can have a custom name, and participants can exchange text, images, videos, GIFs, and emojis. Meta says link-sharing invitations and improved inbox management tools are being developed to make organizing larger chats easier.​

This update extends the platform’s reach beyond the U.S. and other early regions, fulfilling Meta’s promise to bring Threads messaging to EU users “over the next few days.” The rollout excludes only the UK and Australia, where Meta is still finalizing compliance and infrastructure adjustments. EU users will now have access to features such as DM request filters, a hidden messages folder, and enhanced privacy tools.​

Threads Product VP Emily Dalton Smith explained that group chats are part of Meta’s goal to let you “connect more deeply with people you’re already talking to.” However, she noted in an interview that Threads DMs and group messages are not end-to-end encrypted, emphasizing casual social conversations over secure messaging.

The enhancement positions Threads more competitively against rivals like X, which has long offered direct and group messaging. Meta’s rollout to the EU also boosts the app’s growth potential in a key market, adding another layer of functionality to its 400 million monthly users.