How to Start a Group Text on iPhone

A group text lets you send the same message to two or more people at the same time, and everyone in the group can reply so the whole conversation stays in one place. This is a wonderful way to keep family in the loop about a doctor visit, plan a get-together with friends, or share a photo of the grandchildren without having to send the same thing over and over. On iPhone, group texts live inside the Messages app, the same green or blue app you already use for one-on-one texting. If everyone in the group has an iPhone, the messages will appear in blue bubbles and use iMessage, which sends through the internet and supports nice features like reactions and read receipts. If anyone in the group has an Android phone, the messages will appear in green bubbles as a regular text message, which still works fine but may not show typing dots or reactions in the same way. Either way, the steps to start the group are the same. Before you begin, make sure the people you want to add are saved as contacts on your phone, since this makes picking them much faster and avoids typing wrong numbers. You will also want a steady cell signal or Wi-Fi connection so the message goes through right away. Once you have started a group, you can give it a name like "Sunday Dinner" or "Book Club" so you can find it later. You can also add or remove people from the group at any time, though removing someone only works if everyone in the group is using iMessage. Take your time with the steps below, and remember that nothing sends until you tap the blue arrow.