Threads is rolling out a keyword search feature. It lets you find posts using text, including a single keyword, longer phrases, or hashtags. This has been one of the most requested tools by Threads users ever since the app’s launch in early July.
Meta launched Threads as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter). The company’s brand influence, coupled with Instagram integration, helped Threads to gain over 100 million users in just a few days. However, the lack of basic features such as search and reposting means most of them didn’t stick around. The app lost more than half of its users in no time.
In the meantime, Meta has been hard at work on improving Threads. It launched a web version of the platform and also added the reposting feature last month. That was followed by the addition of a search function last week. However, the initial version of the feature was pretty basic, only allowing you to look up profiles and follow them. It didn’t let you search posts using keywords or phrases.
Thankfully, Meta didn’t make Threads users wait long for the latter ability. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that keyword search is now rolling out to “most English and Spanish speaking countries,” with “more to come soon.” More specifically, the feature will be available in countries where users predominantly post in these two languages, Instagram head Adam Mosseri separately announced via his channel.
Keyword search is rolling out to Threads in several countries
According to Mosseri, Argentina, India, Mexico, and the US are among the countries where keyword search is currently rolling out to Threads. It’ll be available on the mobile apps as well as the web version. Note that Threads has been running a limited test of this feature in Australia and New Zealand since last week. This rollout should mean a wider availability in these two countries as well.
Screenshots shared by the Instagram head show that search results for a keyword will have a separate section for posts at the top, followed by account names matching that keyword. The expandable top section will bring up posts containing the keyword, seemingly in reverse chronological order. You can interact with the posts or share them directly from search results.
Threads still doesn’t let you filter or sort search results, though. However, Meta appears determined to add these functions quickly to entice users to return to the platform. A more robust search feature, with support for more languages and wider availability, may arrive soon.