Threads has added a new feature called Live Chats that lets users join live conversations about events happening right now inside the app. Meta says Live Chats are meant to make Threads feel more up to date and connected to big moments like sports playoffs, new album drops, or award shows. This feature will start in the NBAThreads Community during the playoffs, with some creators and media figures leading the chats.
With Threads Live Chats, up to 150 people can join a public chat to share messages, photos, videos, links, and emoji reactions. When the chat is full, others can still watch, react with emojis, and vote in polls. Live scores update during the game. Chats stay available afterward so users can look back at the conversations.
How Threads Live Chats work and who can host them
At launch, only a select group of creators can start a Live Chat. This includes Community Champions who are active in certain Threads communities. If you are eligible, you can schedule a chat by tapping the three-dot menu in your community, naming your session, setting the start and end times, and inviting people to join. You can also share the chat link on your Threads feed or Instagram Story to let others know. For the NBA playoffs debut, Meta is working with several sports journalists and media personalities.
- Malika Andrews (ESPN)
- Rachel Nichols (The Athletic)
- Trysta Krick
- David Rushing
- Lexis Mickens
When a host starts a live session, you’ll see a red ring around their profile photo. You can join a Live Chat from the top of your community feed, from a shared post in your main feed, or by tapping the red ring. Threads includes moderation tools to help keep conversations respectful. Meta will automatically detect and remove messages that break the rules, and anyone in the chat can report a message. Hosts can also manage the chat in real time by moving disruptive users to spectator mode or removing them from the chat.
What’s next for Threads Live Chats?
Meta plans to expand Live Chats to more communities in the coming months, with several new features already in development:
- Co‑hosting capabilities
- Play‑by‑play content with real‑time updates
- Lock screen widgets that highlight live chat activity.
- The ability to quote and share chat messages directly to your Threads feed
While Threads initially struggled to compete with X (formerly Twitter) for real‑time commentary and breaking news, the platform has steadily added search, custom feeds, and, most recently, Live Chats to close the gap. Meta reports that Threads now has 150 million daily active users as of October 2025.
Threads Live Chats are helping turn the platform into a place where people can share cultural moments. With real-time group discussions, strong moderation, and upcoming features like co-hosting, Threads is creating a unique space for live event engagement that its main competitor has not matched yet.
