Threads Expands Live Chats with New Features
Original: Threads adds new features to Live Chats as it expands access
Why This Matters
Live Chats positions Threads as differentiated from X in real-time engagement, supporting platform growth and creator retention strategy.
Meta's Threads announced new Live Chats capabilities on June 30, 2026, including translation support, co-host functionality, and expanded access to Community Champions. The platform now supports up to 150 active participants per chat with spectator mode for additional viewers.
Meta's Threads platform introduced multiple enhancements to its Live Chats feature while broadening user access. The updates include translation support to make conversations accessible globally, expanded ability to start Live Chats to all "Community Champions" (highly followed users who regularly post and maintain active communities), and the option for hosts to invite up to three co-hosts to manage conversations. Additional features include host message deletion capabilities and visual prominence testing for host messages. The platform is testing desktop support and pinned messages, both requested by creators. Live Chats currently support messages, photos, videos, links, and emoji reactions, with up to 150 participants able to actively send messages. Beyond this limit, users enter "spectator mode" where they can view, react, and participate in polls. According to Threads, the feature has generated hundreds of daily chats with thousands of daily participants since launch. Threads reached 500 million monthly active users in June 2026, nearly three years after launch. The platform has added features including direct messaging, ghost posts, and desktop messaging to compete with X.