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    How to Create and Manage an iMessage Group Chat

    iMessage lets you create group conversations with family and friends. Learn how to start one, name it, add or remove people, and mute notifications.

    4 min read 5 stepsApril 19, 2026Verified April 2026
    1

    Start a new group message

    ~30s
    Open the Messages app and tap the compose icon (pencil and paper) in the top right corner. In the "To:" field, type the name or phone number of the first person, then tap the plus (+) icon or a space and add the next person. You can add up to 30 people. Once you've added everyone, type your first message and tap Send.

    Quick Tip

    Everyone in the group will see each other's phone numbers or names when the group is created. There's no way to hide who's in the group from other members.

    2

    Name the group chat

    ~16s
    Open the group conversation. Tap the names or icons at the top of the screen. Tap "Change Name and Photo." Type a group name and optionally choose an emoji or photo as the group's icon. Tap "Done" to save. Everyone in the group will see the new name.
    3

    Add or remove people

    ~25s
    Tap the names at the top of the conversation, then tap the "Add Member" option to include someone new. To remove someone, tap their name in the group list and choose "Remove from Conversation." Note: removing someone is only possible in all-iMessage (blue bubble) groups with 3 or more people remaining.

    Warning

    Once someone is removed from a group chat, they won't see new messages, but they can still see everything that was sent while they were in the group.

    4

    Mute notifications for a busy group

    ~19s
    If the group is very active and the notifications are too much, swipe left on the conversation in your message list and tap the bell icon to "Hide Alerts." You'll still receive the messages — they just won't buzz or ring your phone for that specific conversation. Tap the bell again to turn notifications back on.
    5

    Leave a group chat

    ~25s
    Tap the names at the top of the conversation, then scroll down and tap "Leave this Conversation." Once you leave, you won't receive any new messages from that group. You can only leave all-iMessage groups with 3 or more people remaining.

    Quick Tip

    If the "Leave this Conversation" option is grayed out, it means the group includes Android users (green bubbles) or there are only 2 people left. You can't leave those groups, but you can mute them.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: How to Create and Manage an iMessage Group Chat

    Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

    iMessage group chats let you send a message to multiple people at once — all in one shared conversation where everyone can see and reply to each other. This is perfect for coordinating with family, keeping up with a circle of friends, or organizing a get-together without sending the same text to each person separately.

    iMessage group chats work between people who all have iPhones (and have iMessage enabled). If someone in the group has an Android phone, the chat switches to MMS (a standard group text), which shows up in a green bubble instead of blue and has some limitations.

    Once a group chat is created, anyone in it can send a message and everyone else will see it. You can give the group a name so it shows up clearly in your message list — something like "Family Chat" or "Book Club."

    Managing a group chat is worth knowing: you can silence notifications for a busy group without leaving it (using the Hide Alerts option), you can remove yourself from a group when you no longer need to be part of it, and on newer iPhones you can even see a screen showing everyone in the group and their recent replies.

    Group chats are saved in the Messages app just like individual conversations. The thread grows over time and you can scroll back to see older messages, photos, and links that were shared.

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    How to Create and Manage an iMessage Group Chat — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure