Instagram Threads, Meta's latest social network and competitor to X, has officially relocated from Threads.net to Threads.com, marking a significant milestone in the platform's development. The transition is accompanied by a series of quality-of-life improvements to the Threads web app, aimed at enhancing user experience and competitiveness in the social media landscape.

The move to Threads.com was made possible after Meta acquired the domain name in September 2024, which was previously owned by a Sequoia-backed Slack alternative startup that was later sold to Shopify. Starting today, users will no longer be redirected from the .com to the .net domain, and instead, will be taken directly to their Threads home screen when typing in Threads.com. Conversely, those who enter Threads.net will be redirected to the new URL.

The rebranding effort is expected to give Meta a more prominent and memorable URL for its social app, which has reached over 320 million monthly active users, as of the company's last public earnings announcement in January. This change may allow Threads to better compete with its rival X, which boasts a simple and easily recognizable domain name.

In addition to the domain change, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced several minor updates coming to the Threads web app, primarily used by creators. These updates include the ability to access custom feeds in the same order as they appear on the mobile app, as well as easier access to liked and saved posts via the main menu. Users will no longer need to create a pinned column to view these posts.

Another notable feature allows users to copy a Threads post as an image, eliminating the need for screenshots and making it easier to share content across other apps, such as Instagram. Furthermore, users can now add a column by clicking a new column icon on the right side of the screen, and compose a post by clicking a plus "+" button in the bottom-right corner.

Meta has also introduced a feature that enables users to find and follow the same creators they previously followed on X. This feature, which was introduced earlier this month, works by having users download an archive of their X data, which is then uploaded to Threads. Although the feature remains in testing, it has the potential to attract more users from X to Threads.

The cumulative effect of these updates is expected to enhance the overall user experience on Threads, making it a more attractive option for creators and users alike. As the social media landscape continues to evolve, Meta's efforts to improve Threads may help the platform gain a stronger foothold in the market and better compete with its rivals.

With the relocation to Threads.com and the introduction of these quality-of-life improvements, Meta is signaling its commitment to developing a robust and user-friendly social network. As the platform continues to grow and mature, it will be interesting to see how these changes impact user engagement and adoption rates in the coming months.