Short answer: Post when your followers are scrolling and in the mood to reply. Threads is a conversation app, so the replies you get in the first hour drive how far a post goes. Start from your Instagram peak hours, then shift toward the hours when your audience talks back. Use the 3-step test below to lock it in.
Threads is not your Instagram feed
- Conversation timing beats photo timing. Threads is text-first. Score your tests on replies and reposts in the first hour, not likes. A post at your Instagram photo peak can land flat if nobody is free to talk back.
- For You plus Following. Threads has a ranked For You feed and a Following feed. Meta introduced both in its Threads launch post and publishes a Threads feed ranking explainer.
- Same people, different moments. Your Threads audience overlaps Instagram. They browse photos in short gaps; they reply when they have a few minutes. Expect your best Threads hours near, not on, your Instagram peak.
How to find your best time on Threads
- Start from Instagram. Pull your top active hours from Instagram Insights. That's your candidate window.
- Test conversation hours. For two weeks, post the same kind of opinion or question at two times: your Instagram peak, and 1–2 hours later. See A/B testing posting times.
- Score on replies in the first hour. Not likes. Replies and reposts are what Threads rewards. Keep the hour that wins.
- Reply back fast. Stay on for 20 minutes after posting. Your own replies keep the conversation, and the post, alive.
Timezones
Schedule in your audience's main timezone. If followers are split across regions, use the timezone posting planner to find the overlap.
Schedule Threads posts in that window
TimeToPost schedules Threads posts from your own account and publishes them at the hour you pick. How it works: how to schedule Threads posts. Build a weekly plan with the best time to post calculator.
FAQ
Should I post to Threads at the same time as Instagram?
Start there, then test 1–2 hours later. Threads rewards replies, which come when people have time to talk.
What should I measure in the first hour?
Replies and reposts. That's the test score for this guide.
Does the Following feed change timing?
Yes. Following-feed readers see your post near when you publish, so posting when they're online matters more.
How often should I post on Threads?
Daily is fine. Keep each post a real conversation starter.