Threads, Meta's alternative to Twitter, has officially launched. But users thinking of installing the social media app just to check it out should be aware that you can't delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account.
Meta describes Threads as "Instagram's text-based conversation app," and there's purpose in that precise phrasing. It doesn't just mean that your Instagram username ports over to Threads and that you have the option to follow the same people you follow on Instagram. It also means that once you create a Threads profile, there's no way to delete it unless you're prepared to delete your Instagram account wholesale.
If you want out of Threads but you're not prepared to delete your Instagram account, the only other alternative is to "temporarily" deactivate your Threads profile. This is Meta's way of encouraging you to keep both. Threads' privacy policy makes it pretty clear: "You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account."
I deactivated my threads account already but it turns out you can’t delete your threads account *without also deleting your Instagram account* so maybe just don’t sign up! — emily hughes ✨ (@emilyhughes) July 6, 2023
The moral of the story for Instagram fans is that if you don't want an eternal Threads profile on Meta's servers, then don't sign up to Threads. If it's too late for that, the less-than-ideal alternative is to deactivate your Threads profile, which you can do by following the steps below.
- In the Threads app, tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Tap the two-line menu icon in the top right of your profile.
- Tap the Account icon, then tap Deactivate profile.
- Tap Deactivate Threads profile, then confirm your choice.
When you deactivate your profile, your posts and interactions with others' posts won't be visible until you reactivate your profile. That said, those posts will still live on Threads' servers unless you manually delete them one by one.
If you change your mind after deactivation, you can re-activate your Threads profile simply by logging back into the Threads app using your Instagram account. Just bear in mind that you can only deactivate your profile once a week.
