Threads Redesigns Website and Adds Direct Messages to Desktop
Threads is redesigning its website and finally adding direct messages to the desktop for the first time.
Connor Hayes, Threads’ head, shared a preview of the new interface in a platform post on April 19, 2026. He noted that web will become an even more important part of user interaction as they scale their global advertising business and surpass 450 million monthly active users.
Key Changes:
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Redesigned Web Interface: The redesign replaces the multi-column layout with a cleaner single-feed view anchored by a left-side navigation rail.
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Direct Messages (DMs): DMs, initially launched on mobile in June 2025, will now be available on the web "over the coming weeks." This includes one-on-one chats, group conversations of up to 50 people, emoji reactions, and media sharing.
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Improved Navigation: The sidebar offers shortcuts to saved posts, performance insights, activity, notifications, and feed switching – features already present in the mobile app but previously harder to access on web.
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Influenced by Mobile Design: The redesign resembles X’s desktop layout, suggesting either a pragmatic choice or an acknowledgment that Threads’ original format was more successful than expected.
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Messaging Infrastructure Expansion: Threads has been steadily building its messaging capabilities, including a basketball mini-game within DMs and a shortcut to open direct messages. The system leverages Instagram’s infrastructure for reliability but is tied to different privacy expectations and content norms.
Hayes emphasized the importance of web as a platform for engaged users, promising continued investment in this area moving forward.