Meta announced Tuesday it expanded the Threads API to allow third-party apps to manage reply approvals and include text attachments in scheduled posts. According to company officials, the updates enable users to control which replies appear publicly and support enhanced content scheduling features like GIFs and spoiler tags.
The update introduces reply approvals, a feature that allows Threads users to moderate which replies become publicly visible before they appear to others, according to Meta officials. This capability, now accessible through the Threads API, enables third-party applications to manage pending replies and maintain conversation quality by filtering responses in real time. Meta described the feature as a tool for users to “set the tone of the conversation” with greater control over engagement, as reported by TechCrunch on Thursday.
The Threads Reply Management API requires specific permissions—`threads_basic`, `threads_manage_replies`, and `threads_read_replies`—and enforces a limit of 1,000 API-published replies per profile within a 24-hour period, according to Meta’s developer documentation.
Alongside reply approvals, the expanded API supports text attachments within scheduled posts, enhancing content creation options for social media managers using external platforms. These attachments can include GIFs and spoiler tags for text, images, and videos, allowing for richer and more diverse Threads content. Social Media Today highlighted that these additions facilitate integrated scheduling and posting capabilities, broadening the functionality of third-party tools.
Meta also extended developer options to pre-configure topic tags, set reply controls, and compose replies or quotes directly through the API. Developers can now embed public Threads posts on external websites without requiring an API access token, increasing the accessibility of Threads content beyond the app itself.
Further enhancements include real-time notifications for post publications, deletions, and reply management events, which improve the responsiveness of third-party applications managing Threads engagement. Analytics capabilities have been upgraded to allow searching public posts by media type or author username, and the follower threshold for profile discovery has been lowered from 1,000 to 100 followers, enabling broader access to third-party insights. Additional sorting options now allow filtering verified users or those with and without profile images, according to sources familiar with the update.
User controls have been refined with activity feed filters that now include views for replies from followed users or mentions, complementing existing filters for verified accounts, quotes, and reposts. Instagram head Adam Mosseri noted ongoing tests aimed at tuning the Threads algorithm based on topic interests, reflecting Meta’s continued efforts to optimize user experience across its platforms.
The API expansion supports Threads’ growth, which has reached approximately 400 million monthly active users, as reported by Global Dating Insights. These developments are designed to empower social media managers and developers by integrating posting, scheduling, moderation, and analytics tools into third-party platforms, according to company officials.
Meta’s announcement follows earlier API enhancements that introduced ghost posts and the ability to share Threads content to Instagram Stories via external applications. These updates collectively aim to strengthen the Threads ecosystem by enabling more robust third-party integrations, as outlined in Meta’s official release and corroborated by industry reports from TechCrunch and Social Media Today.
The company continues to refine its API offerings to accommodate the evolving needs of developers and users, positioning Threads as a more versatile platform within Meta’s social media portfolio.
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