🔒
Private profile
Settings → Privacy → Private profile
Only followers you approve can see your posts. Anyone else has to request to follow.
OptionsOn · Off
💡 Fediverse sharing needs a public profile.Threads gives you control over who sees your posts, who can reply, mention or message you, and what shows up in your replies. Every setting is explained below in plain English. Pick a privacy level to get recommended settings, then run the 5-minute checkup.
Pick the closest match. You'll get a recommended setting for each control and where to find it. Tick them off as you change them.
Most live in Settings → Privacy (open your profile, tap the menu icon, then Settings). Labels can vary slightly by app version.
Settings → Privacy → Private profile
Only followers you approve can see your posts. Anyone else has to request to follow.
Settings → Privacy → Tags and mentions
Controls who can @mention you in posts and who can tag you.
Settings → Privacy → Hide like and share counts
Hides the like and share totals on posts you see.
Settings → Privacy → Private likes
Only you and the person who posted can see that you liked a post.
Settings → Privacy → Messages
Controls who can start a conversation with you.
Settings → Privacy → Muted
Hides someone's posts from your feed without telling them.
Settings → Privacy → Blocked profiles
Blocked people can't contact you or interact with your posts.
Settings → Privacy → Restricted profiles
Limits someone quietly - their replies to you are kept from others unless you approve them.
Your profile → Following
Review who you follow - it shapes your Following feed.
Settings → Account → Fediverse sharing
Shares your public posts with other networks such as Mastodon, where available.
Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security
Adds a code when you log in from a new device.
Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you're logged in
Shows devices that are logged in, so you can log out ones you don't recognise.
Settings → Account → Deactivate or delete profile
Deactivating hides your Threads profile until you log back in. Deleting removes your Threads profile.
Some choices are made post by post, so you can keep most posts open and lock down the sensitive ones.
When writing a post, open the reply options to choose who can reply and quote - for example anyone, people you follow, or only people you mention.
Turn on approvals in a post's reply options to review replies before anyone else sees them.
On a reply to your post, open its ••• menu and hide it. Hidden replies are tucked away from everyone else.
On your post, open ••• and hide the like and share counts for just that post.
Text posts that disappear after 24 hours - good for casual or time-sensitive thoughts.
Open ••• on your post and choose Delete. Reposts and quotes of it may still show it was removed.
| 🔇 Mute | ⚠️ Restrict | 🚫 Block | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Are they told? | No | No | No |
| Their posts in your feed | Hidden | Still shown | Hidden |
| Their replies on your posts | Still visible | Only they see them unless you approve | They can't reply |
| Can they see your profile? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best for | A break from someone | Someone unpleasant you don't want to cut off | Harassment, spam or anyone you want gone |
Someone breaking the rules? Report the post or profile from its ••• menu as well.
Do this when you join, then every few months.
Start with number 1.