Meta is rolling out yet another way for users to sign up for Threads, this time by allowing Facebook profiles as the entry point. The move, announced in Meta’s official update, aims to make onboarding faster for people who aren’t already active on Instagram.
Instead of linking an Instagram account, newcomers can now set up a Threads profile using their Facebook credentials—at least, in markets where the test is live. It’s a strategic pivot designed to tap into Facebook’s much larger user base and build out the Threads community.
How the new sign-up option works
Users in the test group can select their Facebook profile when creating a Threads account. This means:
- Threads can pull in their Facebook information during setup
- Personalized content suggestions are based on Facebook activity
- Ads displayed on Threads will reflect their Facebook-linked interests
- Content recommendations leverage Facebook’s signals, rather than Instagram’s
This approach skips the default of importing Instagram connections, although that remains an option for some users. Now, Facebook-first sign-ups get a feed and recommendations rooted in their history from Meta’s oldest social app.
Looking back, Threads’ early success leaned heavily on its Instagram connection. That shortcut allowed millions to create a profile with almost no friction and instantly follow accounts from their existing social graph. This growth hack propelled Threads to over 100 million sign-ups in record time.
However, internal research revealed users prefer separate experiences on the two platforms. Meta executives have acknowledged that interests on Instagram and Threads often differ, leading the company to rethink how it seeds new user feeds and connections.
Now, the Facebook integration marks another attempt to balance frictionless onboarding with a more relevant content graph. By including Facebook’s billion-plus active users—many of whom don’t use Instagram—Meta is broadening Threads’ reach far beyond its initial audience.
For marketers and creators, this expansion is significant. Brands now have clearer access to audiences that haven’t yet jumped to Instagram but remain active on Facebook. Building a presence on Threads may soon mean reaching a wider cross-section of demographics, interests, and communities—important for those relying on organic discovery to drive growth.
Threads Hits Download Milestones and Intensifies Competition with X
Threads continues to see strong download momentum, according to the latest data from AppFigures. The Twitter/X alternative remains one of the fastest-growing social apps globally, riding a wave of interest alongside the rise of AI apps like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, both of which are topping global app download charts in 2025.
On the social media front, TikTok outpaced Instagram in total downloads for June, but Meta still dominates the app marketplace, claiming four of the top six most downloaded apps. Notably, Threads’ continued strong interest is a bright spot for Meta’s ecosystem.
Meta’s Twitter/X clone continues to gain ground: as of April 2025, Threads had reached 350 million active users, quickly closing in on X’s 600 million. Recent data indicates Threads is now very close to surpassing X in daily mobile app usage, suggesting that Threads could overtake X in overall usage numbers before year’s end.
However, there is debate about X’s actual user numbers. While Elon Musk claimed X hit 600 million monthly users in March, official EU disclosures showed a 10.5% decline in European users since August last year.
Despite conflicting reports, one trend is clear: Threads is rapidly gaining share and poses a real threat to X’s dominance in the text-based social space. Continued user growth, in part driven by easier onboarding like the Facebook profile option, is attracting more communities and conversations to Threads.
For marketers, this expanding audience reach—combined with Meta’s advanced AI ad targeting—could make Threads an increasingly important channel for reaching diverse demographics. Brands with an established Facebook presence may soon find it even easier to activate their audience on Threads as Meta streamlines cross-app engagement.
The integration comes as Facebook itself is making waves with algorithm changes. For example, Meta recently introduced a new algorithm to penalize unoriginal content and boost authenticity on its flagship platform, a shift likely to influence the kind of content that performs best across all Meta apps—including Threads.
Meta hasn’t shared a timeline for when—or if—Facebook profile sign-up will roll out globally. In the meantime, select users can also try registering for Threads without linking an Instagram account, signaling more flexibility ahead for onboarding options.
If the Facebook test proves successful, look for a major influx of new creators and more diverse audiences on Threads in the coming months. Brands with a foothold on Facebook should prepare to mirror their reach on Threads, as friction between these platforms keeps decreasing.
