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How to Remove Threads From Instagram w/o Losing Your IG Profile

Updated on October 22, 2024

12 min to read

Content Writer

Published March 30, 2024

How to Remove Threads From Instagram w/o Losing Your IG Profile
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You’re not a fan of IG Threads.

You’re looking to remove it, but you’re paranoid it might delete your client’s IG profile.

You thought of leaving it as is, but you’re concerned about privacy concerns, clutter reduction, etc.

Friend, you are not alone…

Many social media managers and IG profile owners have considered removing their IG Threads but have delayed doing so for fear of accidentally deleting their IG profiles.

We’ll fix that issue right now.

Continue reading this guide to learn how to remove Threads from Instagram without losing your IG profile.

Table of contents

What you will learn

  • Why you may want to remove Threads from Instagram
  • Ways to remove Threads from Instagram
  • Develop and plan Threads content with Vista Social
  • Additional resources
  • How to Remove Threads from Instagram: What are the Common Pitfalls 
  • When should you not remove Threads from Instagram? 
  • What are the benefits of an integrated content strategy across Threads and Instagram?
  • Threads and Instagram marketing: What you can learn from marketing leaders
  • What are the FAQs on removing Threads from Instagram?
  • Remove Threads from Instagram with ease

Why you may want to remove Threads from Instagram

Removing your clients’ Threads account from Instagram isn’t always ideal, but there can be valid reasons, including the following.

  • Low engagement. While data shows that Threads has 130 million users, many users haven’t joined Threads, and many would rather stay on Instagram. It can lead to your clients’ content getting lost in the Threads void without significant engagement, making them rethink their decision to stay on the platform. 
  • Limited audience reach. If most of your target audiences aren’t on Threads, your clients are unlikely to reach them on the platform. Your clients may want to focus on reaching audiences on a platform they already frequent, such as Instagram, and get off Threads. 
  • Time and effort drain. Managing another social media profile and its content on top of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more can take a lot of time and effort. Your clients may be better off spending their resources on content strategies that will likely get them higher returns than spreading themselves thin to keep up with Threads.

[Must read: Instagram Threads Statistics 2024: Active Users, Growth, Etc.]

Remember to thoroughly discuss with your clients their reasons for wanting to opt out of IG Threads.

Point out the pros and cons, especially the potential engagements and business they could miss out on if they ignore Threads.

According to Jeneration PR and Profitable PR Pros founder Jennifer Berson

“Instagram Threads seems like it’ll just get bigger and bigger. As a PR pro, you need to decide if you want to use it to reach new media contacts or if it’s a trend to pass on.” 

…so help your clients not to take this decision lightly.

Ways to remove Threads from Instagram

You can remove your Threads profile without losing your Instagram accounts using two main methods: Deactivating and deleting your Threads profiles. 

1. How to remove Threads from Instagram by deactivating your Threads profile

You can “turn off” your client’s Threads account by temporarily deactivating their profiles.

Deactivating means your clients’ interactions and posts won’t be visible on the platform until you reactivate your Threads profile. 

However, deactivating your Instagram account will also deactivate your Threads profile. 

Follow the steps below to deactivate your clients’ Threads account on a desktop.

Start by going to www.threads.net and logging into your client’s Threads account. 

Next, click the menu icon at the top-right corner of your screen and select Settings.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram1

Click the Account tab and select Deactivate or delete profile.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram2

Select Deactivate Threads profile. 

How to Remove Threads from Instagram3

Finally, confirm your choice by clicking Deactivate. 

Deactivating your clients’ Threads profile on an Android or iPhone (iOS) device is pretty much the same.

Open the Threads app and log in using your client’s username and password.

Tap the profile picture icon on the bottom-right corner of your screen to go to the Threads profile page.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram4

On the profile page, tap the menu option at the top-right corner.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram5

Tap the Account icon and Deactivate or delete profile.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram6

Tap Deactivate Threads profile and confirm your choice to complete the deactivation process.

Instagram Threads only lets you deactivate your profiles once a week.

Important note: If your client turned on sharing to the fediverse on Threads, the platform will turn off sharing from your client’s profile. It will request that other fediverse servers delete the profile and content from their servers.

Deactivation won’t delete your clients’ Threads data or affect their Instagram accounts.

You can get further assistance deactivating your profile from the Instagram Help Center.

[Must read: How to Temporarily Deactivate Instagram (Or Delete It): 2024]

2. How to remove Threads from Instagram by deleting your Threads profile

If your clients want to stay away from Threads permanently, they can delete their profiles.

If you delete your Threads account, it won’t impact your Instagram profile.

You’ll need to wait 30 days for your clients’ profiles, content, followers, and likes to be permanently removed from Threads. After the 30-day period, you can no longer retrieve this information.

[Must read: Instagram Threads Ideas: What to Post on Threads to Get Views]

Consider the following before deleting your clients’ profiles:

  • For security reasons, the platform can’t delete Threads users’ profiles. You must log into your clients’ Threads accounts and request deletion. 
  • Consider downloading your Threads information before deleting the profile. 
  • Your clients must wait 90 days to sign up again (using the same Instagram account) after their Threads profiles are deleted. 
  • The Threads profile and content deletion process can take 90 days from when requested. Also, copies of your clients’ information can remain in backup storage after 90 days for recovery purposes in case of errors, data loss events, legal issues, harm prevention efforts, and terms of use violations. It means your clients’ Threads data may remain publicly visible despite already submitting the request for account deletion.

If your client’s Threads account gets blocked or deleted for violating the platform’s Community Guidelines, they’re not likely to be allowed to sign up again using the same Instagram account.

Your client will likely need to create a new or different Instagram creator account to sign up for Threads again.

[Must read: Instagram Restrict vs Block: Differences, When, and How to Use It]

Deleting your clients’ Threads profiles follows the same steps as deactivating accounts, except for the last few steps.

  • To delete your client’s Threads profile on a desktop, go to their profile by clicking the menu icon . 
  • Click Settings > Account > Deactivate or delete profile. 
  • Click Delete profile.
  • Follow the prompts and click Delete Threads profile.

Follow these steps to delete Threads without losing Instagram profiles on an iPhone or Android device.

  • Launch the Threads mobile app and log into your client’s account.
  • Tap the profile icon in the bottom right to go to your client’s profile.
  • Select the menu icon at the top right corner. 
  • Tap the Account icon > Deactivate or delete profile. 
  • Select Delete profile at the bottom. 
  • Follow the prompts and select Delete Threads profile. 

Develop and plan Threads content with Vista Social

The API to allow scheduling and auto-publishing Threads posts isn’t available yet.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t leverage sophisticated social media management platforms like Vista Social.

For now, you can use Vista Social to plan and develop your clients’ Threads content with these features:

  • A content calendar that simplifies planning, sorting, and managing your clients’ social media posts. If you plan on sharing the same content on Instagram and Threads, you can create Instagram post drafts and save them in the calendar.
  • An AI Assistant for instantly generating taglines, descriptions, and captions for your clients’ Instagram posts, saving you time and energy.
  • A link in bio tool that includes Vista Pages, which are mico websites and landing pages that you can customize for your clients’ brands, products, services, and lead generation efforts. 
  • Free hashtag generators so you won’t need to search for trending and relevant hashtags manually.
  • An option to boost your clients’ scheduled, unscheduled, and already published posts to amplify their visibility and reach
  • A social media analytics feature that can automatically generate and share your reports on a schedule. You can share the reports via direct links or export them as PDF and CSV files. Your reports now include a grid view to give you a side-by-side view of all the connected profiles’ performance

Additional resources

Do you need more resources to amplify your clients’ Threads and Instagram marketing efforts? These resources and related articles can help.

How to Remove Threads from Instagram: What are the Common Pitfalls 

Removing Threads from your clients’ Instagram accounts can be tricky. If you don’t do it right, you can potentially face serious issues that include the following. 

Lose access to Instagram

While deleting your clients’ Threads profiles technically won’t impact their Instagram accounts, it’s still best to exercise caution and follow only the official steps for account deletions. 

Deleting Threads profiles using methods other than those recommended by the platforms can lead to potential issues, such as losing access to your clients’ Instagram accounts. 

So, understand the process and double-check each step before taking irreversible action to ensure your clients’ unlinked Instagram accounts remain accessible and intact.

Data loss

Consider backing up your clients’ data when unlinking, deactivating, or deleting their Threads profiles. 

It doesn’t hurt to stay safe so you don’t risk losing your clients’ valuable data, such as their posts, followers, and messages. 

Profile issues

Removing or unlinking your clients’ Threads profiles from their Instagram accounts can cause profile glitches. 

It can result in missing bio information and profile pictures. 

While these don’t seem too concerning, missing information can impact your clients’ credibility and reputation, significantly influencing audience engagement.  

Double-check your clients’ Instagram profile settings after unlinking Threads to ensure nothing is amiss. 

Privacy concerns

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Review your clients’ Threads and Instagram privacy settings. 

Ensure that the third-party access granted to Threads is revoked to protect your clients’ account security after unlinking from Instagram. 

So, revoke permissions granted when unlinking Threads to keep your clients’ Instagram accounts secure and free from unauthorized access. 

Relinking challenges

Your clients may want to re-link their Threads profiles to their Instagram accounts in the future. 

Ensure you keep a copy of all their information, such as login credentials, secure. 

This way, you can easily re-link and log back into your clients’ Threads accounts in the future. 

When should you not remove Threads from Instagram? 

Removing your clients’ Threads profiles from their Instagram accounts isn’t always the best move, especially during the following. 

During major campaigns

Removing Threads will likely disrupt your workflows and data monitoring if your clients are in the middle of a critical marketing campaign. 

The Threads and Instagram integration can be crucial for audience engagement and real-time analytics. 

Disrupting this during a crucial campaign can result in missed engagement opportunities, incomplete data, and potential confusion within your team. 

Your best bet is to wait until the end of the campaign to avoid interruptions and ensure seamless implementation. 

When facing technical issues

If Threads or Instagram is experiencing downtimes or glitches, it’s best to wait until the issues are resolved and the platforms are running smoothly again. 

Attempting to remove or unlink Threads during technical problems can lead to unexpected errors, such as data corruption or loss and incomplete unlinking. 

Ensure Instagram and Threads are fully operational before unlinking or removing to avoid complications and reduce risks, leading to a smoother transition.

If you are unsure about the process

If you’re not confident about the process of removing Threads from Instagram, it’s best to unlink when you have all the information before proceeding. 

The removal process can involve several steps that, if done incorrectly, can lead to unintended results, such as potential data loss or access to your clients’ IG accounts.

Ensure you understand the process well and back up data before moving forward. 

Research and read official documentation from Threads or Instagram to ensure you do everything right. 

During the middle of a major platform update

If Instagram or Threads is rolling out new features or major updates, it’s best to wait until they are fully implemented before unlinking or removing.

Removing your clients’ Threads profiles from their Instagram accounts during significant updates can cause potential issues. 

High audience engagement periods

If your clients are experiencing high engagement, such as their posts going viral, avoid removing their Threads profiles from their Instagram accounts. 

After all, you want to capitalize on that engagement instead of disrupting and losing it.

What are the benefits of an integrated content strategy across Threads and Instagram?

While your clients may have specific reasons for removing Threads from Instagram, consider the benefits of keeping both platforms connected and implementing an integrated content strategy. 

Wider reach

Combining Instagram and Threads strategies lets you tap into the strengths of both platforms. 

While IG is great for visual content and boosting engagement, Threads can be a great space to manage conversations and build deeper connections with your clients’ followers. 

Consistent branding

An integrated content strategy helps your clients maintain a cohesive and consistent brand image across both platforms. 

The consistency helps your clients build a memorable and recognizable brand that their audiences can easily identify and connect with. 

Increased engagement

An integrated approach lets you leverage the unique features of both platforms to amplify your efforts to boost your clients’ engagement. 

For example, you can leverage Instagram to share stunning visuals and Threads for interactive discussions, fostering a more engaging experience for your clients’ audiences. 

Seamless audience interactions

An integrated strategy allows your clients to interact with their audiences seamlessly across Threads and Instagram. 

It can enhance your efforts to respond to messages, comments, and threads in real time, which can help your clients foster stronger relationships with their Instagram and Threads followers. 

Improved analytics

Managing your clients’ content across Instagram and Threads can give you a comprehensive view of your clients’ performance. 

The big-picture perspective helps you monitor key metrics, understand your clients’ audiences better, and refine strategies for maximum impact and excellent results.

Effective campaign execution

An integrated content strategy across Threads and Instagram allows for more effective marketing campaign implementation. 

You can synchronize your efforts on both platforms, ensuring a unified message while maximizing the impact and reach of your clients’ campaigns.

Creative content opportunities

Instagram and Threads open up various opportunities for you to implement creative content strategies for clients. 

You’ll have more opportunities to experiment with content formats and styles that work best for each platform and audience to keep them interested and engaged. 

Streamlined content management 

Leveraging Threads and Instagram can streamline your content creation, scheduling, and publishing process. 

The integration ensures that your clients’ messages are aligned and consistent with their brands while reaching a wider audience. 

It also saves you time and effort since you can develop an integrated process for creating and distributing content across both platforms. 

Threads and Instagram marketing: What you can learn from marketing leaders

Don’t write off Threads yet, even if your clients decide to unlink them from Instagram. 

Below are some tips and insights from marketing leaders about Threads and Instagram marketing. 

  • Twitter VS Instagram Threads: Here’s the Difference in Performance by Neil Patel
  • Meta Launches Threads: Here’s What You Need to Know by Gary Vaynerchuk 
  • Thoughts on Threads and Bitcoin by Joe Pulizzi
  • Everything You Need to Know about Instagram Threads in 2024 by Jeff Bullas
  • Why The Threads Launch Was A Masterclass In Product Marketing with Eric Siu
  • Threads is Here: My 60-Second Hot Take by Jon Loomer
  • The case against Threads by Mark Schaefer

What are the FAQs on removing Threads from Instagram?

Check out the common questions people ask about removing Threads from Instagram.

What should you back up before removing Threads from Instagram?

Consider backing up essential information, such as your clients’ posts, messages, and follower lists, to prevent potential data loss during unlinking. 

Remember to store the backups securely to keep your clients’ data safe. 

Can you relink Threads to Instagram later?

You can link your clients’ Threads profiles to their Instagram accounts again after removing them. 

Ensure you have the credentials and follow Instagram or Thread’s official re-linking process.

What should you do if you encounter issues while removing Threads from Instagram?

If you face issues when unlinking Threads from Instagram, restart the process. 

You can also check for Instagram and Threads updates and contact the platform’s support for assistance. 

If you’re unsure, avoid repeating the unlinking process since this can lead to potential complications.

Can you remove Threads if your Instagram account is private?

Yes, you can remove Threads from your clients’ public and private Instagram accounts. 

What happens to your data stored in Threads after removal from Instagram?

Data stored in Threads should be managed based on Instagram’s data retention policies. 

However, reviewing and downloading crucial data before going through the unlinking process is still good practice. 

Will removing Threads impact your Instagram engagement or reach?

Technically, removing Threads will not directly impact your clients’ reach or engagement on Instagram. 

However, if your clients rely on Threads to boost engagement, ensure you have alternative strategies to maintain their engagement levels.

Remove Threads from Instagram with ease

Removing Threads from Instagram won’t delete your information and profiles, and the process is easy with the steps, including tips and tricks, in this guide.

While disconnecting Threads from the Instagram app isn’t always practical, the process is straightforward enough when your clients want to do it.

If your clients want to focus more on Instagram, you can use Vista Social, a robust social media management platform, to supercharge your efforts—from content scheduling to reporting and analytics.

Get all these features and more when you create your Vista Social account.

About the Author

Content Writer

Jimmy Rodela is a social media and content marketing consultant with over 9 years of experience, with work appearing on sites such as Business.com, Yahoo, SEMRush, and SearchEnginePeople. He specializes in social media, content marketing, SaaS, small business strategy, marketing automation, and content development.

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