Threads Launches in the European Union

Threads is now available to users in the European Union, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced. The move comes five months after the social media network launched in most markets around the world, but remained unavailable to EU-based users due to regulatory hurdles.

instagram threads app
"Today we're opening Threads to more countries in Europe," wrote Zuckerberg in a post on the platform. "Welcome everyone." In addition to creating a Threads profile for posting, users in the EU can also simply browse Threads without having an Instagram account, an option likely introduced to comply with legislation surrounding online services.

The company's delay in launching the service in EU countries is believed to have been caused by the EU's Digital Markets Act, or DMA, which is intended to make the tech sector more open and balance competition.

When Meta launched Threads in July, users signed up through their Instagram account, which allowed Threads to gain millions of users. The integration between the two platforms wasn't universally welcomed though, and led to complaints that it was impossible to delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account.

Then in November, Meta loosened the integration by rolling out a way to delete or deactivate a Threads profile separately while leaving the associated Instagram account intact.

The expansion into a market of 448 million people should see Threads' user numbers get a decent boost. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a company earnings call in October that Threads now has "just under" 100 million monthly users. Since its launch earlier this year it has gained a web app, an ability to search for posts, and a post editing feature.

Tag: Threads

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
walmart new ornametns

Walmart Black Friday Deals Begin Today With Low Prices on Headphones, TVs, and More

Friday November 14, 2025 7:55 am PST by
Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that's also seeing some matching deals in retail locations. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including savings on headphones, TVs, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...

Top Rated Comments

Glenny2lappies Avatar
25 months ago
Don't do Facebook.

I am not a product.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
breather Avatar
25 months ago
For the small small price of every possible data about you on your phone.
There is no privacy on threads, none at all.

[HEADING=3]Data Linked to You (as listed in Apple's App Store)[/HEADING]
Third-Party Advertising:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Developer's Advertising or Marketing:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content ( Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Analytics:


* Health & Fitness (Health, Fitness)
* Purchases (Purchase History, Financial Info, Payment Info, Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Audio Data, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Product Personalization:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

App Functionality:


* Health & Fitness (Health, Fitness)
* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Payment Info, Credit Info, Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Emails or Text Messages, Photos or Videos, Audio Data, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Sensitive Info
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data

Other Purposes:


* Purchases (Purchase History)
* Financial Info (Other Financial Info)
* Location (Precise Location, Coarse Location)
* Contact Info (Physical Address, Email Address, Name, Phone Number, Other User Contact Info)
* Contacts
* User Content (Photos or Videos, Gameplay Content, Customer Support, Other User Content)
* Search History
* Browsing History
* Identifiers (User ID, Device ID)
* Usage Data (Product Interaction, Advertising Data, Other Usage Data)
* Diagnostics (Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data)
* Other Data
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
25 months ago
This is awesome news, now people in the EU can enjoy Threads for all of one week before losing interest and forgetting it exists afterwards. :p
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thehangmn Avatar
25 months ago
Zuck's threads or Elons X... its like the american political system, two lousy options both set up to profit billionaires at your expense
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gank41 Avatar
25 months ago
Yeah, this implies I’d need to open an account up with Facebook- er, Meta- er, Instagram… whatever. I’ve been off Facebook for about 6-7 years now and will not be giving them more ad fodder.

Good to see I’ll soon be able to communicate with them all on Mastodon, though.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
currocj Avatar
25 months ago
Facebook is for grandmas to stalk family members who don’t post their anymore.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)