> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xpressbot.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Threads Automations

> Start an automation when someone replies to your Threads post or mentions your profile, and answer with a public reply.

## What is this?

A **Threads automation** is a normal automation that runs on the **Threads** channel. It starts when someone **replies to one of your posts** or **mentions your profile**, and can answer with a public reply, hide the reply, label the contact, call an API, or hand over to an AI agent.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Threads has no direct messages, so there are no message, question or button steps here. Everything you send is a **public reply** of up to 500 characters.

## What can I do here?

* Reply publicly to anyone who replies to your posts, or only to a specific post
* Reply to anyone who mentions your profile
* Match only replies that contain (or exactly match) certain keywords
* Hide a reply automatically
* Use the usual logic steps — conditions, wait, labels, custom fields, notes, assignment, HTTP API, AI reply

## How to use it

**1. Create the automation**

In [Automations](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/automation/overview.md), click **New** and choose the **Threads** channel. Connect a Threads profile first — see [Threads](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/threads/overview.md).

**2. Choose the trigger**

| Trigger | Starts when |
| - | - |
| **User replies to your Threads post** | Someone replies to one of your posts. Choose **Any post** or **A specific post**, and turn on **Also run for replies to replies** if you want nested replies to count |
| **User mentions you on Threads** | Someone mentions your profile in a post or reply |

Under **Match the text** choose **Any reply** / **Any mention**, **Contains a keyword**, or **Exact match**. For keyword matching, add at least one keyword — otherwise the automation never runs.

**3. Add steps**

From the **Threads** group in the palette:

* **Threads Reply** — posts a public reply to the reply or mention that started the flow. Add several variants and one is picked at random, so you don't post the same sentence every time. Variables like the person's name work.
* **Threads Hide Reply** — hides (or unhides) the reply that started the flow. Only replies on **your own posts** can be hidden, so use it with the reply trigger. Hiding a reply also hides the replies under it.

Conditions, waits, labels, fields, notes, assignment, HTTP API and AI reply steps also work.

**4. Turn it on**

Save and activate the automation.

## Things to know

* **Only one thing answers.** If a Threads automation runs for a reply, an AI agent doesn't also answer that reply. When no automation matches, an [AI agent](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/ai-agents/overview.md) set up for Threads can answer instead.
* **AI replies are public.** An AI agent or **AI reply** step answers as a public text reply.
* **Build it from a description.** The [AI Assistant](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/ai-assistant.md) and [MCP](https://docs.xpressbot.org/api-reference/mcp/overview.md) can create Threads automations too.

## Troubleshooting / Technical Notes

* **The automation never runs.** Check it's active, the Threads profile shows **Connected**, and — for keyword matching — that you added a keyword. Replies from your own profile are ignored.
* **I can't add a message or button step.** Threads has no direct messages; use **Threads Reply** instead.
* **Threads Hide Reply is unavailable.** It only works with the reply trigger, not the mention trigger.
* **A reply was posted twice.** That shouldn't happen; if you see it, check you haven't two active automations matching the same reply.

## Related docs

* [Threads](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/threads/overview.md)
* [Automation Overview](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/automation/overview.md)
* [AI Agents](https://docs.xpressbot.org/workspace/ai-agents/overview.md)


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