Hey there! I noticed you started using Threads, the new private messaging app from Instagram. As you‘ve probably discovered, Threads has some bugs and glitches that need fixing. The good news is, you can easily report any issues directly to the developers. I‘ll walk you through the steps so you can help improve Threads for yourself and everyone else using it.
Finding the Problem
First, spend some time poking around the app to identify exactly what the problem is. I definitely recommend checking out all the main features like messaging, stories, camera, feed, and settings.
Keep an eye out for things like:
- The app freezing or crashing
- Weird bugs when sending/receiving messages
- Push notification errors
- Issues with logging in or contacts disappearing
Basically, make a note anytime something doesn‘t work as expected. The Threads team even has a public Trello board where you can see what bugs other users have reported.
Once you‘ve found a reproducible bug, take a second to document exactly what happens. Do you get an error message? Does the app crash or simply freeze? Can you recreate the problem consistently or only some of the time?
Digging into these details really helps the engineering team diagnose what‘s wrong under the hood. For example, here are two good bug reports:
"App crashes immediately whenever I tap into a group conversation with more than 15 people."
"Stories section loads indefinitely if I have more than 200 followers."
Including specifics like that allows the developers to better isolate and fix the issue.
Gathering Useful Info
To write a truly effective bug report, you‘ll want to include some context about your device, Threads version, and steps to recreate the problem.
Here are some things worth including:
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App Version: Settings > App Info – include the exact version number
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Device Model: iPhone 11 Pro, Pixel 5, etc.
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OS Version: Android 12, iOS 15.2, etc.
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Repro Steps: Explain exactly how to make the bug happen, step-by-step
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Frequency: Does the problem occur every time or only sometimes?
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Media: Attach screenshots or screen recordings showing the issue
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Connection Type: Are you on WiFi or mobile data when it happens?
Documenting these details only takes a minute but can really accelerate the debugging process. The Threads engineering team even calls out specifically that bug reports with steps to recreate are the most helpful.
Submitting Your Report
Ready to send your writeup to Threads? Just follow these steps:
Step 1) Access the Reporting Screen
From any page in Threads, long press the house icon in the bottom left corner. After a second, a popup will appear. Tap "Report a problem."
Long press the house icon to start reporting a problem
Step 2) Describe the Issue
In 2-3 sentences, summarize the core problem you‘re seeing.
For example: "App freezes every time I open a group conversation with over 15 people. Requires force quit. Started happening after latest update to v1.2.3."
Avoid vague descriptions like "app is buggy." Be specific!
Step 3) Include Diagnostic Data
The next screen will ask if you want to send usage stats and crash logs. Say yes to share this technical data with the engineering team.
Step 4) Attach Media
If you have any screenshots or screen recordings illustrating the bug, attach them here!
Step 5) Submit Your Report
Review your description one last time and hit send! That‘s all it takes to file an effective bug report.
The Threads team may not follow up directly, but rest assured they are grateful for detailed reports that help them prioritize fixes for the most pressing issues.
Why Your Reports Make a Difference
You might be wondering if it‘s worth taking the time to report bugs – after all, can‘t the developers just find issues themselves?
In reality, user-submitted reports are super valuable for apps like Threads. Here are a few reasons why:
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Real-world usage data: Engineers can‘t account for every possible device and usage scenario. Your reports provide that realistic context.
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Faster fixes: Known issues get prioritized over guessing what might be wrong. More reports = higher priority bugs.
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Track impact: Bug volume over time shows if recent changes improved or degraded quality.
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Community engagement: Submitting reports demonstrates you‘re invested in improving the product.
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Help everyone: Reporting an issue you find could spare other users from encountering it.
According to a StackOverflow survey, over 50% of developers rely heavily on user reports to guide development. So take a minute to speak up when Threads isn‘t working right!
What Makes a Good Bug Report
Not all reports are created equal. Here are some tips for making yours as effective as possible:
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Well-written: Spell things correctly and use clear language to describe the issue accurately.
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Specific details: The more context like repro steps, version, device, etc., the better.
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Constructive: Avoid rants. Focus on facts and how to improve.
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One issue per report: Don‘t group multiple problems together in one ticket.
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Search first: Check existing threads to avoid duplicate reports.
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screenshots: Including media of the bug is extremely helpful.
The best reports make the developer feel like they are looking over your shoulder as the problem occurs. The more you can make them feel your frustration, the quicker they‘ll jump on a fix!
Recent Threads Issues
To give you an idea of recent problems users have reported in Threads, here are a few common ones:
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Chat delay: Messages sending/receiving delayed by up to 10 minutes. Particularly affecting group chats.
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Overheating: Latest Android app update causes severe battery drain and overheating issues.
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Stories crash: Viewing stories consistently crashes the app on iOS 16.
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Missing notifications: Push notifications not being delivered on Android devices.
As you can see, recent problems span stability, performance, chat, notifications, and more. Don‘t hesitate to add your voice if you notice something amiss!
How Messaging Apps Evolved
Part of the reason reporting problems matters so much for Threads is that messaging apps have become the dominant way we communicate online.
Just look at some of these stats:
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WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger each have over 1 billion monthly active users. Source
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Daily messaging app usage jumped from 17 to 27 minutes per day from 2019 to 2022. Source
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78% of 18-29 year olds say messaging apps are their primary communication method. Source
This shift from public social media posting to private messaging completely changes the app experience. Things like stability, speed, notifications, and privacy become even more critical.
That‘s why the Threads team relies so heavily on user-reported bugs to rapidly improve quality. Your feedback steers the direction of the product in many ways!
Privacy Considerations
One last benefit to reporting issues is that it forces companies like Meta to focus resources on fixing problems rather than adding new features that might compromise privacy.
As you know, messaging apps have access to incredibly personal conversations. WhatsApp alone sends over 100 billion messages per day.
Threads goes a step further by auto-connecting you to your Instagram "Close Friends" by default. This raises some questions around consent and privacy controls.
By keeping the feedback focused on bugs, you encourage Meta to strengthen the foundation of Threads as a trusted messaging platform before expanding the scope.
Prioritizing your privacy helps elevate the experience for everyone.
Raising Other Issues
While bug reporting is the focus here, I‘d be remiss not to mention a few other ways to share feedback:
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Suggest a feature via threads.instagram.com
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Report offensive content directly through in-app options
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Get account help via Instagram‘s Help Center
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Review the app honestly in your device‘s app store
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Contact Instragram/Threads on social media (respectfully!)
I definitely encourage you to check out those options for non-bug-related feedback. But for technical issues, the in-app reporting is the way to go.
Let‘s Improve Threads Together
Messaging apps like Threads have become our main way to connect online. But that means quality issues stand out so much more. By taking a few minutes to properly document bugs, you help steer the app in a more stable direction.
So next time Threads crashes or acts up, speak up! The detailed steps and context you provide are invaluable for the developers. And who knows – you might help fix an annoying problem that affects thousands of other users too!
Together, our feedback makes Threads better with each new release. Now get out there and start reporting!