How to limit and manage replies on Threads

Reply settings apply to one post at a time. In the app or on threads.com:

1. Start a new post.
2. Tap Anyone can reply & quote in the bottom left.
3. Choose Profiles you follow or Mentioned only.
4. Tap Post in the bottom right.

• The same setting controls who can quote the post
• Limiting replies and quotes also limits who can reuse media in your post
• A post with limited replies isn't shared to the fediverse

Sources: Instagram Help Centre: Start a new thread on Threads, checked 15 October 2026; Instagram Help Centre: Manage your posts on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

On threads.com:

1. Click Profile on the left.
2. Click Options in the top right of the post.
3. Click Reply options.
4. Below Who can reply and quote, select who can reply.
5. Click Update at the bottom.

• Existing replies and quotes aren't deleted
• The change applies only to that post
• You can't change it on a post that's already been shared to the fediverse

Sources: Instagram Help Centre: Manage your posts on Threads, checked 15 October 2026; Instagram Help Centre: Start a new thread on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

With Review and approve replies on, a reply only shows once you approve it. You set it per post:

1. When writing a post, click Reply options in the bottom left. For a live post, click Options in the top right, then Reply options.
2. Switch on Review and approve replies. The change saves automatically.
3. When someone replies, you're notified in Activity. Open the post and click Pending replies.
4. Click Approve or Ignore on each reply, or approve or ignore them all at once at the bottom.

• Ignored replies stay hidden until you approve them
• An approved reply can't go back to pending, but you can still hide it
• Posts with approvals on aren't shared to the fediverse, and you can't turn approvals on for a post already shared there

Source: Instagram Help Centre: Turn approvals on or off for replies to your post on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

To hide one reply to your post, click Options next to it and click Hide for everyone. To filter replies automatically, use Hidden Words in the app:

1. Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right.
2. Tap Menu in the top right, then Content preferences.
3. Tap Hidden Words.
4. Check Hide common offensive words in replies is on. It's on by default.
5. To add your own words, tap New filter below Custom filter, add the words, choose how long to hide them and tap Save.

• Hidden replies move to a covered section at the bottom of your thread, which others can still open
• Hidden Words doesn't apply to messages

Source: Instagram Help Centre: Hide posts you don't want to see on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

If the problem is one person rather than one post, Threads has three account-level tools. None of them tells the other person:

• Restricting someone on Threads doesn't restrict them on Instagram. Do it in each app

Source: Instagram Help Centre: Privacy and visibility on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

• You changed a different post. Reply settings apply to one post at a time
• They were there before. Changing the setting doesn't delete existing replies or quotes, so hide them one by one
• The setting won't change. Reply options and approvals can't be changed on a post already shared to the fediverse
• Others opened the hidden section. Hidden replies sit under a cover people can still open, so restrict or block a repeat offender

Sources: Instagram Help Centre: Manage your posts on Threads, checked 15 October 2026; Instagram Help Centre: Turn approvals on or off for replies to your post on Threads, checked 15 October 2026; Instagram Help Centre: Hide posts you don't want to see on Threads, checked 15 October 2026

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