It happens every time you open the app. You’re just trying to check a DM or look at a photo of your friend's new puppy, and there it is—a bright red dot or a sliding banner telling you that someone you haven't spoken to since high school just posted a "thought" on Threads. It’s annoying. Meta really wants Threads to happen, and they’re using the prime real estate of your Instagram feed to make sure you don't forget it exists.
Honestly, the integration between the two platforms is aggressive. If you've been wondering how to stop getting threads notifications on instagram, you aren't alone. Millions of users have felt that specific "notification fatigue" where your phone buzzes, you think it’s something important, and it turns out to be a suggested post from an app you might not even have installed.
The thing is, these isn't just one "off" switch. Meta buried these toggles in different sub-menus because, well, they want you to stay engaged. They want that cross-pollination. But your attention is yours, and you can claw it back if you know where to look.
Why Instagram Keeps Bugging You About Threads
Meta launched Threads as a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter), but they didn't launch it as a standalone island. They built a bridge. A very loud, very crowded bridge. Because Threads is technically an extension of your Instagram account, the two apps share a nervous system.
When you see those "Suggested Threads" carousels in your Instagram feed, that’s not a bug. It’s a feature designed to boost "Time Spent" metrics. According to Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, the goal was to make Threads feel like a natural extension of the conversation you’re already having. But for many of us, it just feels like clutter. It’s like being at a dinner party and having someone from the next room over keep shouting jokes through the drywall.
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There’s a difference between a "push notification" (the buzz in your pocket) and an "in-app notification" (the red dot). We need to kill both.
The Direct Fix: Killing the Push Notifications
First things first. Let’s stop your phone from vibrating. If you want to know how to stop getting threads notifications on instagram that actually wake up your screen, you have to dive into the "Navigation" section of your settings.
Open Instagram. Tap your profile picture. Go to the three lines in the top right—the "hamburger" menu. Tap "Settings and activity." Now, look for "Notifications."
Inside this menu, you’ll see a specific section labeled "Threads and Replies." This is the primary culprit. You might think turning off "Global" notifications would work, but Meta often categorizes Threads suggestions differently. You need to manually enter this sub-menu and toggle everything to "Off." This includes likes, replies, mentions, and—most importantly—first threads.
But wait. There's more.
Sometimes the notifications aren't coming from the Threads app settings, but from Instagram’s own "From Instagram" notification category. Scroll down to that section. You’ll find a list of "Product Announcements" and "Reminders." Turn those off too. Instagram loves to sneak Threads updates under the guise of "Product Announcements." It's a bit sneaky, isn't it?
Getting Rid of the In-App "Suggested Threads"
This is where people get frustrated. You’ve turned off the push notifications, but every time you scroll through Instagram, you see a giant block of text posts from Threads.
Can you delete it forever? Honestly, no. Not in a "one-click and it's gone for life" kind of way. Meta hasn't provided a permanent "Hide all Threads content" button because that would defeat their growth strategy.
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However, you can suppress it. When you see a Threads suggestion in your feed, look for the small "X" in the top right corner of that specific post block. Tap it. Instagram will usually show a small message saying "This post will be hidden. We'll show you fewer posts like this."
It’s a bit like training a puppy. You have to keep saying "No" consistently before it gets the hint. If you do this three or four times over a week, the algorithm eventually learns that you have zero interest in Threads content. The carousel will disappear for a while. It might come back after a major app update, but for the most part, this "X" button is your best friend.
The "Pause All" Nuclear Option
Sometimes you just need a break from everything. If you're overwhelmed, you can use the "Pause All" feature. It’s a temporary fix, but it’s a blissful one.
In that same "Notifications" menu, there’s a toggle at the very top called "Pause All." You can set it for 8 hours. While this doesn't specifically target how to stop getting threads notifications on instagram long-term, it's a great way to clear the deck if the app is blowing up your phone during a workday.
Managing the Connection from the Threads Side
If you actually do have the Threads app installed, the problem might be originating there. Threads has its own notification logic. If you have "Pre-release features" or "Account suggestions" turned on in the Threads app, it can trigger cross-platform alerts that show up on your Instagram icon.
Go into the Threads app. Tap your profile. Hit the two lines above your profile pic. Tap "Notifications."
Check the "Following and followers" section. If "New followers" is on, Instagram will often send you a notification saying "Your Instagram friend [Name] is on Threads." Turn that off. It’s one of the most common ways the two apps talk to each other. By silencing the "Friend joined Threads" alert, you stop about 40% of the annoying cross-app pings.
Why "Muting" Isn't Enough
A lot of people think muting a user on Instagram will mute them on Threads. That’s not always the case. The "Mute" lists are supposed to sync, but there have been numerous reports on forums like Reddit and through tech analysts at The Verge noting that the sync is buggy.
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If a specific person is the reason you’re getting bombarded with Threads alerts, you might need to go into Threads and mute them there specifically. It’s an extra step. It’s annoying. But it’s the only way to be sure.
Dealing with the "Badge" Annoyance
The little red number on your Instagram app icon is the hardest thing to get rid of. It triggers our brains. We have to click it.
If your badge won't go away even after you've checked all your DMs and likes, it’s almost certainly a "suggested" notification from Threads. To kill this, you often have to go into your phone's system settings—not the Instagram app settings.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Instagram and toggle off "Badges." On Android, it's usually Settings > Apps > Instagram > Notifications > Advanced > Allow notification dot.
The downside? You won't see when you have actual Instagram likes either. It’s a trade-off. For many, the peace of mind of a clean app icon is worth the sacrifice of not knowing exactly when someone liked their sunset photo.
The Privacy Angle: Why This Matters
Beyond just the annoyance of a buzzing phone, the way Meta pushes these notifications raises questions about user intent. When you signed up for Instagram in 2015, you didn't sign up for a text-based Twitter clone. By forcing these notifications, Meta is blurring the lines between their products.
Experts in user interface design, like those at the Nielsen Norman Group, often talk about "dark patterns"—design choices that trick users into doing something they didn't necessarily mean to do. Forcing Threads notifications onto Instagram users is a textbook example of trying to manufacture "active users" for a new platform.
Knowing how to stop getting threads notifications on instagram is about more than just quiet; it’s about maintaining the boundaries of how you use technology. You shouldn't be a pawn in a "monthly active user" war between tech giants.
Practical Next Steps to Reclaim Your Feed
You don't have to live with a cluttered notification shade. Follow these steps right now to clean things up:
- Step 1: Open Instagram settings and go to Notifications > Threads and Replies. Toggle every single option to "Off." Don't just set them to "From people I follow"—kill them entirely.
- Step 2: Go to the "From Instagram" section in the notification settings. Turn off "Reminders" and "Product Announcements." This stops the "You might like this Thread" pings.
- Step 3: The next time you see a "Suggested Threads" block in your main feed, hit the "X." Do this every time it appears. It usually takes about 3 to 5 times for the algorithm to "get it."
- Step 4: If you have the Threads app, go into its settings and turn off "New Followers" and "Account Suggestions." This stops the app from "inviting" you back via Instagram.
- Step 5: If the red dot on your home screen is driving you crazy, go into your phone's main system settings and disable "Badges" for Instagram entirely.
By taking these steps, you’re effectively putting up a firewall between the two apps. Instagram will stay for photos, and Threads will stay in the background where it belongs—unless you actually want to go looking for it. Control your phone; don't let it control you. It's your digital space, after all. Keep it clean. Keep it quiet. Enjoy the silence.