How to Make a Group Chat in Messages on Your iPhone

You can create a group chat on your iPhone as a convenient way to stay in contact with multiple people simultaneously, even if there's a mixture of Android and iPhone users. Below, we'll cover how to make a group chat on an iPhone, add and remove people, and leave group chats that you no longer need to be a part of.

How to Enable Group Messaging

Before you create group messages, you have to enable group messaging on your iPhone. Here's how to enable these settings:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Group Messaging is automatically turned on from iOS 17 on, so make sure Send as SMS and MMS Messaging are toggled on so that group messages will work for Android and iPhone.

Now that you've enabled group messaging, let's move on to how to create a group text on an iPhone or iPad.

How to Create a Group Text on iPhone

With your Settings in order, you are ready to learn how to create a group text on an iPhone. This step also covers how to make a group chat on iPhone with Android users, since you have to add them in when you make the group, and can't add them after.

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Tap the compose icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Enter the names of the contacts you want to add to the group chat, or you can tap the Add icon to look for them in your Contacts list.
4. Type your group text message and tap the Send icon.

You've learned how to make a group chat in the Messages app, and you are ready to chat!

How to Add People to a Group Text

Once you learn how to make a group chat, you need to know how to add someone to a group text on iPhone. This is only possible if everyone in the group is an iPhone user. You can't add a person to a group text with Android users. You can also only add someone to a group text if there are three or more people in the group.

1. Open the group message chat and tap the group info at the top.
2. Tap the number of people to view and add contacts.
3. Select Add Contact.
4. Type the person's name or tap the plus icon and select from your Contacts list.
5. Tap Done.

Now you know how to make a group chat on Messages, and how to add someone to a group text.

How to Remove Someone from a Group Chat

It is only possible to remove someone from a group text if there are at least three other people in the group text besides yourself. If everyone in the group text is an iPhone user, anyone in the group can add or remove contacts. You can't remove someone from a group chat if Android users are part of the group. Here's how to remove people from a group chat after your first message has been sent:

1. Open the group message chat and tap the group info at the top.
2. Tap the number of people to view group members.
3. Swipe left on the person's name.
4. Tap Remove.
5. Then, tap Remove again to confirm.

Now you know how to remove people from an iMessage group chat! Knowing how to remove someone from a group text is helpful when learning how to make a group text on the iPhone and managing it.

How to Leave a Group Chat on an iPhone

It is only possible to leave a group text if there are at least three other people in the group text besides yourself. Here's how to leave a group message on your iPhone:

1. Open the iMessage group chat and tap the group info at the top.
2. Tap Leave this Conversation.
3. Tap Leave this Conversation again to confirm.

Once you leave a group chat, you cannot re-add yourself, but another member can add you again. If you are only chatting with two other people, no one can leave the conversation. If you delete the conversation, the other members can still message, and you will still receive the notifications. If you don't want to leave the iMessage group chat, learn how to mute a group text to stop receiving notifications. In extreme circumstances, you can also block the other members. However, they will not be able to contact you via individual message or call if you do so.

How to Add Android to iMessage Group Chat

Once a group chat with Android and iPhone users is created, it is impossible to add or remove members or leave the conversation as long as an Android user is part of the group. If someone is missing from your chat, you will have to create a new SMS/MMS thread and invite all participants simultaneously.

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Tap the compose icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Enter the names of the contacts you want to add, including the Android users, or you can tap the + icon to look for them in your Contacts list. You will notice the Group will change from "New iMessage" to "New Group MMS," and the numbers or contacts will be green instead of blue.
4. Type your message and tap the Send icon.

Now you know how to create a group text on iPhone, even an iPhone group chat with Android, how to add a person to a group text, how to remove people from a group chat, and how to leave a group chat on iPhone. To learn more about using the Messages app on the iPhone and iPad, sign up for our free Tip of the Day.