# How long does a thread subscription last? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664 "2010-06-10T15:46:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/1 "2010-06-10T15:46:16Z")
I have subscribed to threads by posting in them. How long does a thread have to be idle before the subscription disappears in your user CP? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/2 "2010-06-10T16:12:04Z")
Subscriptions last forever, AFAIK. You can, however, delete old subscriptions by clicking the boxes on the “list subscriptions” page and then choosing “delete” at the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/3 "2010-06-10T18:51:42Z")
But they go away from the user cp after a while. They still show up with the little icon in the list of threads. There doesn’t seem to be a setting in Options, just whether or not you want to be notified by email. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/4 "2010-06-10T19:10:25Z")
Yep, it appears either you’re subscribed or you’re not. So no, they do not expire on their own. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/5 "2010-06-10T19:39:06Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > But they go away from the user cp after a while. They still show up with the little icon in the list of threads. Not sure what you mean. If I go to user CP, then to subscribed threads, it shows me the ones with recent activity; if I click “show all,” all my currently subscribed threads (including one from '02 and one from '04) appear on that list. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/6 "2010-06-10T20:24:56Z")
That’s what i’m asking - how long is “recent activity?” (I didn’t see “show all” - I’ll go look now.) ETA: A-ha! Ok, show all is all I need… (unless you know how long is “recent activity.”) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-a-thread-subscription-last/542664/7 "2010-06-10T20:34:12Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > That’s what i’m asking - how long is “recent activity?” (I didn’t see “show all” - I’ll go look now.) > ETA: A-ha! Ok, show all is all I need… (unless you know how long is “recent activity.”) No, I don’t, sorry – a couple of days or a week or so, maybe? Not very long, anyway.