Threads’ hidden words and political content settings
Threads has two settings for this. Hidden Words hides posts containing your words from your feeds, and the Political content setting stops Threads suggesting political posts from profiles you don’t follow. Both are in the Threads app’s menu. Here’s how to set them up, and what still gets through.
Updated November 2, 2026Hidden Words on Threads
Threads’ Hidden Words goes further than Instagram’s. Posts that contain anything on your list are hidden from your feeds, and covered in search results and on other people’s profiles. Replies to your own posts that use your words are moved under a Hidden replies cover at the bottom.
To set it up in the Threads app:
- Tap your profile picture at the bottom right.
- Tap the menu at the top right.
- Tap Content preferences, then Hidden Words.
- Under Custom filter, tap New filter.
- Give it a name, tap Add words to add words, phrases, hashtags or emojis, and choose how long to hide them.
- Tap Save.
On the same screen, Hide common offensive words in replies is on by default. It moves likely offensive or spammy replies on your posts to the covered section at the bottom (other people can still open it).
Hidden Words doesn’t apply to messages, and it’s separate from Instagram’s, so your Instagram list doesn’t carry over.
The political content setting
Threads counts content that mentions governments, elections or social topics as political, and may suggest it from profiles you don’t follow. To stop that:
- In the Threads app, tap your profile picture at the bottom right.
- Tap the menu at the top right.
- Tap Account, then Political content.
- Switch off Suggest political content.
It has no effect on profiles you follow. Instagram and Facebook each have their own version: see Instagram’s sensitive and political content settings and how to see less politics on Facebook.
Other Threads controls worth knowing
- Mute. To stop seeing someone you follow without unfollowing, tap the three dots on their post and choose Mute. Their posts and replies leave your feed, and they aren’t told.
- Not interested. On a post you don’t want more of, mark it Not interested in the app.
- Dear Algo. Write a public post starting with “Dear Algo”, followed by what you want to see more or less of, and Threads adjusts your feed for three days. Meta launched it in February 2026 in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
- Custom feeds. Build a feed around topics or people you choose.
What still gets through
- Posts that skip your exact words. Hidden Words matches words. Hide “election” and posts about polls, candidates and debates still show up.
- Every spelling and nickname. Each one is another entry on your list.
- Images. A screenshot of a headline has no text for Hidden Words to match.
- Politics from people you follow. The political setting is only about suggestions.
- Anything temporary. Dear Algo lasts three days, and filters you set to expire do just that.
For the X version of this, see how to mute words on X.
Filter Threads by meaning
Remedy is a Chrome extension that filters Threads on the web (threads.com) as you scroll. Describe what you’re done seeing, like “nothing about the election” or “no crypto hype”, or switch on a category like Political or Rage-bait, and it removes matching posts and replies from your feed, whatever words they use and whoever posted them. On Plus, it checks images and videos too.
It works on a computer, in Chrome, not in the Threads app. The same filter covers Instagram, Facebook, X and other sites, and the popup lists everything it took out.
Questions
Does Threads use my Instagram hidden words?
No. Hidden Words on Threads is a Threads-only setting, so you set up your list separately in the Threads app.
Does Hidden Words on Threads filter messages?
No. Threads says Hidden Words doesn’t currently apply to messages you receive.
Does the political content setting on Threads hide people I follow?
No. It only decides whether Threads suggests political posts from profiles you don’t already follow.