Threads is experimenting with a new shortcut to simplify direct messaging, the Meta-owned company announced on Thursday. Test participants can type “DM me” or “Message me” in a post or response to create a link for others to start a private chat.
Clicking the shortcut opens a one-on-one direct messaging chat. If both parties follow each other, the message goes to the primary inbox; otherwise, it goes to “Message Requests” to filter spam.
The company asserts that this shortcut eliminates the need to visit a user’s profile to initiate a DM conversation.
Although Threads introduced a native DM feature later, this update shows the platform aims to make messaging more prominent by reducing steps to initiate communication.
The feature is being introduced to select users in the U.S and Canada. Its wider launch remains uncertain.
The DM shortcut is one of many new features on Threads recently. The social network also launched an AI-driven feature for feed personalization and an option to share posts directly to Instagram Stories without leaving the app. Additionally, in-message games are being explored.
These updates follow a report from Similarweb indicating Threads surpasses X in daily mobile usage, though X still leads on web usage. Threads’ mobile app has seen increased daily activity on iOS and Android.
The report showed Threads had 141.5 million daily active users on mobile as of January 7, 2026, compared to X’s 125 million.