July 2025 Social Media Platform Updates
Thursday 7th August 2025
by Beth Perrin
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Plenty of new features and updates were released by all of our favourite social media platforms throughout July, which will not only make it easier for casual users to connect with their friends and family members, but will also help brands improve their marketing strategies. Let’s take a look at a selection of them below so you can decide which ones will be beneficial to you or your business over the coming weeks.
Threads DMs for All Users
In last month’s platform updates blog post, we spoke about Threads testing a new DM feature within the app - and at the start of July, this tool was officially rolled out to all users, meaning everyone can now send and receive messages from their followers (although they’re only available on mobile currently). DMs will also include:
• Message controls
These will allow you to decide who can send you messages, including people who don’t follow you on Threads or Instagram, and set up a dedicated message requests folder.
• Group messaging
This tool will enable users to connect with multiple people in a single conversation.
• Inbox filters
These will allow you to quickly find and respond to the messages that matter to you.
View on Threads
Threads Highlighter
Threads also introduced a new highlighter feature which aims to “elevate and emphasise unique perspectives that lead to thoughtful conversations” in the app. Important pieces of text on the platform (such as trending topics) will now be highlighted in yellow to help users identify and discover key content, and more placements will be coming soon.
Copyright Checker for Facebook Reels
Meta has expanded its copyright checking tool to the Reels composer on Facebook, as a way to help creators avoid potential restrictions on their content before publishing. The tool is optional, but if you switch it on, your Reels will be scanned for any copyrighted content, such as music, video clips and images.
If anything is detected, your Reel will be temporarily held for one hour to allow you to correct any issues before it’s shown to others. If you choose to not turn the checker on, your Reel will still be copyright checked after publication, and you may be subject to rights holders’ actions if a match is found.
View on Threads
New Notification Controls on Bluesky
Bluesky users now have more control over the notifications they receive, allowing them to further manage and personalise their experience on the platform.
• Activity notifications
These allow you to receive push notifications and in-app notifications whenever a specific account shares a new post, or replies to a post.
• Enhanced settings
You can now choose whether you want to receive notifications from everyone, just people you follow, or no one at all.
• Repost notifications
You can now receive notifications whenever someone likes or reposts a piece of content you’ve reposted.
📢 1.104 is rolling out with new ways to personalize your notifications! • Activity Notifications: Get push alerts from your favorite accounts • Repost Notifications: See when someone likes or reposts something you’ve reposted • New Notification Settings: Fine-tune which notifications you receive
— Bluesky (@bsky.app) July 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Add Music to Facebook Text Posts
Facebook has introduced a new audio sharing feature, with users now able to add music to their text posts. If you choose to add a song, your friends can then listen to it in the feed - and for some artists, you’ll have the option to include a special themed background on your post.
Share Images via DMs on Threads
Halfway through the month, Threads added the ability to send photos via DMs, providing another way for users to connect with their friends and followers in the app. To send an image, open your DMs, then choose an existing conversation or start a new one. Tap the plus icon at the bottom left, then either attach an image from your camera roll or take a new photo by tapping on the camera option.
View on Threads
Emoji Restrictions in X Ads
If you’re running any ads or promoted posts on X, you’ll need to be aware of a recent update that limits emoji usage in ad copy. According to the platform: “Ads with more than one emoji in the ad copy or creative will [now] have a lower quality score and may experience higher pricing”, so going forward, it will be best to only include one in your paid posts. (And don’t forget - hashtags in ads were banned by Elon Musk last month too!)
Threads API Expansion
The Threads API, which was first launched by Meta last summer, has now been expanded to allow social media managers to do even more on Threads via their preferred third-party programs. Initially, the API only allowed post scheduling, but now users can carry out a wider range of actions, including:
• Adding a location to your posts when publishing
• Adding polls when scheduling a post, and retrieving the results
• Deleting posts
• Restricting posts to only allow replies from followers
• Finding out how many times links in your posts have been clicked on
More Creative Options in Instagram’s Edits App
Instagram rolled out some more updates for its separate video creation app Edits that will give users more ways to express their ideas and make engaging content.
• 150 new fonts
Choose from plenty of new fonts to add your unique personality and style to the text elements of your videos.
• Save drafts on Instagram
Save your Edits videos as drafts on Instagram, meaning you can pick up where you left off later.
• Extend audio duration
Extend songs and voiceovers beyond your main video clip.
• Cut silences
Automatically remove unwanted silence from your audio.
• Import audio files
Upload your own sounds from your phone’s file library.
• Clip preview
Preview clips while you’re recording from the camera.
View this post on Instagram
Instagram Live Stream 1,000 Follower Restriction
Instagram has changed its follower requirements for live streaming, meaning that users who haven’t grown their account to at least 1,000 followers will no longer be able to start a live video in the app. Andrew Hutchinson, Content and Social Media Manager at Social Media Today, was unable to get an explanation from Meta regarding this update, but speculated that it could be either:
• To save costs
Live streaming is expensive to support, so it’s possible that Meta decided it’s no longer worth paying to fund live-streams with only a small number of viewers.
• To prevent inappropriate content from being streamed
Previously, any user could simply create a new account, refer people to it, then broadcast inappropriate material.
• To increase the quality of live-streams
Live videos are more likely to be high in quality if they’re only accessible to users with higher follower counts and therefore more credibility.
TikTok Pro Launches in Europe
TikTok ended the month by launching a new, separate app called TikTok Pro in Germany, Portugal and Spain. The app focuses on positive, educational videos, and “allows people to experience and engage with joyful and entertaining content”. It has no live-streams, no shopping and no ads, but has TikTok’s ‘Sunshine Programme’ built in.
The Sunshine Programme offers a unique way for charities to engage with new audiences, and allows the TikTok Pro community to support them. Users can accumulate ‘Virtual Sunshine’ by referring others to join and by interacting with content from charities, such as liking or reposting charity videos, following charity-related accounts, and performing charity-related searches. People can then use their Virtual Sunshine on a charity that’s in the programme, and TikTok will make a donation to that charity.
Summary
Have you tried any of these updates yet? Which ones have been beneficial for you or your brand? Whether you’re a casual user, a content creator or a social media marketer, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the latest online tools. Find us on X @3sixfivepro to share which new features you’re looking forward to using, and let us know how you think they’ll aid your content, advertising or customer service strategy.
