What to know

  • The Threads app doesn’t offer a dedicated “Delete” option for removing your Threads account from its servers. 
  • You can only delete a Threads account if you’re willing to delete the Instagram account associated with it; which will remove content from your accounts on both Threads and Instagram permanently. 
  • You can avoid this and hide your Threads content by either deleting your posts and replies from Threads individually or by deactivating your Threads account on a temporary basis. 
  • Instagram also lets you partially unlink your account from Threads by allowing you to remove the Threads badge from your Instagram profile. 

Can you delete your Threads account?

Yes, but not directly. Since your Threads profile is an extension of your Instagram account, you won’t be able to delete your Threads account individually. This means the only way to delete your Threads account is by deleting the Instagram account that it’s linked to. 

The account deletion process involves accessing the Account settings inside your Threads app doing so opens Meta’s Account Centre screen which lists all of your linked accounts on Meta. Weirdly so, you won’t be able to find your Threads account listed here since it’s associated with the Instagram account you used to sign up on it.

After a slew of user feedback, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has stated that they’re “looking into” a way to delete a Threads account separately, without it affecting someone’s Instagram account. At the moment, however, you can only deactivate your Threads account or delete your posts on the platform if you don’t want others to see your content on Threads. 

What happens when you delete your account on Threads?

Threads’ “Delete account” option on Meta’s Account Centre is accessible only when you select the Instagram account linked to Threads. There’s no dedicated option that deletes only your Threads profile without deleting your Instagram profile.

So, when you use the Delete account option for your Threads account, it will not only remove your Threads account and all of your posts and replies but you will also lose access to the associated Instagram account and all of its contents as well.

You can, however, avoid deleting your Instagram account along with Threads by either deleting each of your posts and replies you shared on Threads individually or by deactivating the Threads account. The latter will hide your Threads profile from others on the platform, even if they follow you. 

Instagram also lets you hide your Threads presence on its original platform by allowing you to remove the Threads badge from your profile. You can take this action if you don’t wish to deactivate your Threads profile entirely. 

How to remove your Threads profile without deleting it

If you don’t want to lose access to your Instagram account, then you’ll have to find other ways to hide your Threads profile from others. You can follow the methods below to remove your Threads profile without deleting your Instagram account. 

Method 1: Deactivate your Threads account

If you don’t want others to view your content on Threads or you no longer want to access it, the only way to hide your account without deleting it is by using the Deactivate option. With your Threads account deactivated, you can continue to use the Instagram account that you signed up with on Threads without any issues. 

To deactivate your Threads account, open the Threads app on your phone. 

Inside Threads, tap on the profile tab at the bottom right corner. 

When your profile screen shows up, tap on the two lines icon (next to the Instagram icon) at the top right corner. 

This will open the Settings screen on Threads. Here, tap on Account. 

On the next screen, tap on Deactivate profile. 

Threads will ask for your approval to deactivate your account. To proceed, tap on Deactivate Threads profile at the bottom.

In the prompt that appears, tap on Deactivate to confirm your action.

Your Threads account will now be deactivated and hidden from everyone on the platform. Although your posts and replies on Threads will not be visible to others, they will still be stored on Instagram’s servers for you to access when you re-activate your profile.

▶︎ Unlink Threads From Instagram: All You Need to Know 

Method 2: Remove the Threads badge from your Instagram profile

In case you don’t wish to deactivate your Threads profile but want to simply hide its existence from your Instagram profile, there’s a way you can hide the Threads badge on Instagram. Although Instagram calls it a temporary badge, hiding it will permanently remove the Threads badge from your Instagram account and there’s no way to bring it back when you want to. 

To remove the Threads badge from your profile on Instagram, open the Instagram app on your phone. 

Inside Instagram, tap on your profile tab at the bottom right corner. 

When your profile shows up on the next screen, tap on the Threads badge at the top (it’s a clickable number that shows up just underneath your Instagram bio). 

This will open a pop-up screen that says “You’re No. [number] to join Threads”. To remove the Threads badge from Instagram, tap on Hide badge at the bottom. 

You’ll see a prompt appear asking for confirmation where Instagram will alert you that removing this badge is an irreversible process. To proceed with the removal, tap on Remove Badge on this prompt. 

The Threads badge will now be removed from your Instagram profile and no one on the platform will be able to see it when they visit your profile. 

► How to Take Threads off of Instagram

What happens when you delete the Threads app?

While your Threads profile is a part of your Instagram account, it still has its own app that you can use to access the platform. So, unlike a Threads account which can only be deleted when you delete your Instagram account, the Threads and Instagram apps have nothing to do with each other and can operate separately.

When you delete the Threads app from your phone, you’re only removing it from the device but all of your posts and content you uploaded through your account will still be on the app’s servers. Deleting your Threads app doesn’t delete your account and won’t affect how you use Instagram. Regardless of whether you’ve deleted the Threads app or deactivated your Threads account, you may continue to use the Instagram app on your phone without any issue. 

That’s all you need to know about what happens when you delete Threads.