Threads tests long-form text feature for creators

Sharing deeper thoughts and drawn-out updates just got easier on Threads. Meta is testing a new feature that lets users attach longer-form text to their posts, eliminating the need for screenshots or multi-post workarounds—news confirmed by TechCrunch.

What's changing on Threads

The long-form text feature allows creators and brands to add a block of styled text within a single post. Instead of linking several consecutive updates together, users can now present stories, book extracts, or expanded commentary as a visible snippet. Viewers see a gray box in the feed, which opens into a scrollable, full-length reading window with a tap.

This new long-form update is currently being live tested with select users. If you have the feature, you’ll notice a new page icon among the posting options in the Threads app. Tapping it brings up an info pop-up that introduces the feature, leading to a dedicated text editor window—essentially a mini blog composer that offers a larger space for writing, plus text-styling tools for formatting your post. See examples here, and check if your app already supports the editor.

To use the feature: open the Threads app, create a post, select "Add text attachment," and craft your longer message with font and styling tools. After posting, your audience can engage with the snippet and read the entire text by clicking through. At launch:

Any user can add a text attachment (no paywall—for now)

Content supports rich text formatting, not images or video

Recipients can open and scroll through attached text within Threads

A competitive boost against X

Longer sharing options have become a battleground among social platforms vying for creator loyalty. X offers an "Articles" feature for premium members, letting them post full stories with media. Threads' new tool, meanwhile, is accessible to all users during this test phase, though only supports text.

This move parallels updates by rival platforms. Previously, Twitter (now X) considered a dedicated "Articles" option—an answer to the widespread use of Notes app screenshots for lengthy posts. After Elon Musk’s acquisition, X enabled 25,000-character posts for paying users, keeping "Articles" as a premium feature, while Threads’ take is currently open to everyone (source: Social Media Today).

Adding this capability keeps Threads in step with core rivals, and it builds on a rapid pace of social network feature releases across the industry. Meta appears eager to court newsletter writers and long-form content creators who flocked to Substack, Medium, or even premium X.

How creators and brands benefit

For writers, thought leaders, or experts sharing analyses, the hassle of splitting commentary into fragmented posts—or uploading screenshots from the phone's Notes app—is gone. Text attachments allow a more professional, accessible approach. Brands can now publish press releases, campaign stories, or showcase customer testimonials directly within the social feed, improving reach and engagement without driving audiences elsewhere.

Threads' prior launches—like direct messaging, custom feeds, and fediverse support—signal a strategy that values user retention and rich expression. The rollout of long-form posts fits this blueprint, giving creators who prize engagement and organic visibility a stronger incentive to stay on Threads. While some may feel adding long-form options contrasts with the short-form, thread-based roots of the platform, providing more space for nuance and context addresses real user demand.

Where Threads stands in the social race

Threads recently surpassed 400 million monthly users, according to Meta, although it still trails X's follower base, which is estimated to exceed 600 million. Platform growth is being driven by continuous feature development and a focus on creator tooling. As long-form text debuts, the convenience, accessibility, and visual style of Threads' approach could help it chip away at X's legacy in news and commentary.

Next for Threads, and what to watch

While only text is supported today, Meta may eventually add photo and video to text attachments—especially if user demand mirrors X's multimedia capabilities. Access is currently open to everyone on Threads, though Meta could shift this in the future to encourage either onboarding or upgrades.

Once rolled out globally, this feature is set to become a core offering for brands and independent voices searching for richer ways to engage their markets on Threads. In an environment where Instagram growth tips and storytelling techniques migrate across platforms, Threads' long-form push is another step in the evolving social content arsenal.