Threads Poll Maximum Choices and Duration Settings: Reference

Threads polls let you ask your followers a question with multiple answer options. But the feature has hard limits. You cannot add more than four choices to a single poll. You also cannot set a poll to run longer than seven days. This article lists every limit and option for Threads polls. It also explains how to set up a poll and what happens when a poll ends.

Threads Poll Specifications and Limits

Threads polls are a lightweight engagement tool. They do not support advanced features like ranked choice voting or multiple correct answers. Every poll has the same structure. You provide a question and up to four answer options. Followers see the poll in their feed and tap one option to vote. Results update in real time. After the poll ends, results become visible to everyone who can see the post.

Maximum Number of Choices

You can add between two and four choices to a Threads poll. Two is the minimum. Four is the absolute maximum. If you try to add a fifth option, the Threads composer blocks it. The add option button becomes grayed out. This limit is the same on the mobile app and the web version. There is no workaround to increase the limit.

Duration Settings

When you create a poll, you choose how long it runs. The minimum duration is one hour. The maximum duration is seven days. You can select any duration in one-hour increments. For example, you can set a poll to run for 2 hours, 12 hours, 3 days, or 6 days. After the poll ends, voting closes automatically. You cannot extend a running poll. You cannot reopen a closed poll.

Voting Rules

Each Threads account can vote only once per poll. You cannot change your vote after you tap an option. The poll creator sees live vote counts but cannot see who voted for which option. After the poll ends, the final tally appears on the post. The winning choice is highlighted. If there is a tie, all tied options are shown as winners.

How to Create a Poll in Threads

The poll feature is built into the Threads composer. You can create a poll from both the mobile app and the web version. The steps are identical on both platforms.

1. Open the Threads composer
   Tap the plus icon on the mobile app or click the compose field on the web version. A new post window opens.
2. Tap the poll icon
   Look for the bar chart icon in the attachment tray. On mobile, it appears below the text field. On web, it appears at the bottom of the compose panel. Tap or click it.
3. Write your poll question
   Type your question in the text field. The question is the main content of the post. You can also add additional text above the poll.
4. Add answer choices
   Tap the first choice field and type an option. Repeat for the second choice. To add a third or fourth choice, tap the Add Option button.
5. Set the poll duration
   Tap the duration picker. It shows a list of preset durations: 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days. You can also tap Custom to enter a specific number of hours.
6. Post the poll
   Tap the Post button. The poll appears in your feed and on your profile. Your followers can see and vote on it.

Common Issues and Limitations

Poll Choices Are Not Editable After Posting

Once you post a poll, you cannot edit the question or the answer choices. You also cannot change the duration. To fix a mistake, you must delete the poll post and create a new one. This is a deliberate design choice to prevent vote manipulation after results start coming in.

Poll Results Are Hidden Until the Poll Ends

While the poll is running, voters see only the live vote count. They do not see which option is winning. The poll creator sees the same view. After the poll ends, the results are displayed to everyone. This prevents voters from being influenced by the current leader.

Polls Cannot Be Used in Replies or Quote Posts

You can only add a poll to a new top-level post. You cannot add a poll to a reply or a quote post. If you try to reply to another post and open the poll icon, it will not appear. The poll icon is only available in the main composer.

Polls Are Not Supported on Threads for Business Accounts

Business or creator accounts on Instagram that are linked to Threads may not see the poll icon. This is a known limitation. If your Threads account is tied to an Instagram business profile, you might not be able to create polls. Switching to a personal Instagram account may restore the feature.

Threads Polls vs Instagram Story Polls

Item	Threads Poll	Instagram Story Poll
Max choices	4	4
Max duration	7 days	24 hours
Min duration	1 hour	24 hours (fixed)
Vote visibility	Hidden until poll ends	Visible in real time to creator
Voter identity	Anonymous to creator	Visible to creator
Post type	Feed post	Story

Threads polls are designed for longer engagement. They stay in the feed for up to a week. Instagram Story polls disappear after 24 hours. Threads polls also keep voter identities hidden from the creator. Instagram Story polls show the creator exactly who voted for which option. These differences make Threads polls better for public, time-sensitive questions where anonymity matters.

Conclusion

You now know the exact limits for Threads polls. You can add up to four choices and set a duration between one hour and seven days. Use the poll icon in the composer to create a new poll. Remember that you cannot edit a poll after posting. If you need a longer voting period or more options, consider using an external polling tool and linking to it in a regular post. For most quick feedback needs, the built-in Threads poll is sufficient and easy to use.