How to Make Group Chats on Snapchat: Everything You Need to Know
Snapchat isn't just for one-on-one snaps and stories. Its group chat feature lets you message, send snaps, share media, and even start group calls with multiple friends at once. If you've never set one up before — or you're trying to figure out why your group chat isn't working the way you expect — here's a clear breakdown of how it all works.
What Is a Snapchat Group Chat?
A Snapchat group chat is a shared conversation space where up to 200 people can exchange messages, photos, videos, audio notes, and Snaps. Everyone in the group can see all messages sent to it, and any member can send content at any time.
Unlike a regular Snap (which disappears after being viewed), group chat messages follow Snapchat's standard deletion rules: messages delete by default once everyone has viewed them, unless a member saves them manually by pressing and holding on the message.
Group chats also support:
- Voice and video calls with multiple participants
- Reactions to individual messages
- Shared media including stickers, Bitmoji, and links
- Mentions using the @ symbol to notify a specific member
How to Create a Group Chat on Snapchat
The process is straightforward and works similarly on both iOS and Android.
Step 1: Open the Chat Tab
Open Snapchat and tap the chat bubble icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen to go to your Chat feed.
Step 2: Start a New Chat
Tap the pencil/compose icon in the top-right corner of the Chat screen. This opens your contacts list.
Step 3: Select Multiple Friends
Search for or scroll through your friends list and tap on each person you want to add. You'll see a checkmark appear next to each selected name. You need to select at least two friends to create a group (you plus two others = group chat).
Step 4: Name Your Group (Optional but Recommended)
Once you've selected your members, you'll have the option to name the group chat. This is especially useful when managing multiple groups. You can always rename it later by tapping the group name at the top of the chat window.
Step 5: Tap "Chat" to Create the Group
Hit the Chat button to open the group conversation. The group is now live — everyone you added will receive a notification that they've been added.
How to Add or Remove Members After Creating the Group 👥
You're not locked into the original lineup. Any group member can add new people directly from within the chat.
To add someone:
- Tap the group name or icon at the top of the chat
- Select "Add Members"
- Search for and select the friend you want to add
To remove someone: Tap the group name, find the member you want to remove, press and hold their name, and select "Remove from Group." Only the person who added that member — or the group creator — can remove them in most cases.
Note that when someone is removed or leaves a group, they lose access to all previous chat history in that conversation.
Key Factors That Affect Your Group Chat Experience
Group chats don't behave identically for every user. A few variables shape what you'll actually experience:
| Factor | How It Affects Group Chat |
|---|---|
| App version | Older versions may lack newer features like reactions or updated call interfaces |
| Device OS | Some UI differences exist between iOS and Android versions of Snapchat |
| Internet connection | Snaps and video calls require a stable connection; slow connections cause delays or failures |
| Notification settings | Each member controls their own — some may never see your message promptly |
| Friend status | You can only add people who are already on your Snapchat friends list |
| Group size | As groups grow toward 200 members, chat activity and notification volume increase significantly |
Message Deletion: How It Works in Group Chats
This is one of the most misunderstood parts of Snapchat group chats. Messages don't disappear the moment one person reads them — they stay visible until every member of the group has viewed them. Once everyone has seen a message, it clears automatically.
Anyone can save a message by pressing and holding it — this pins it so it won't auto-delete. All members can see when something has been saved.
You can also change the deletion timer by tapping the timer icon in the chat bar. Options typically include:
- 24 hours after viewing
- After viewing (default)
- Never (messages persist unless manually deleted)
This setting applies to everyone in the group, and changing it is visible to all members.
Group Calls: Voice and Video 🎙️
Inside any group chat, you can start a group voice or video call by tapping the phone or video camera icon at the top of the chat. Snapchat supports multi-person video calls, and participants can join or leave while the call is active.
Call quality and stability depend heavily on each participant's device capability and network connection — this varies widely across a group, especially in larger ones.
When Group Chats Behave Differently
Not all Snapchat group experiences are the same, and a few situations create noticeably different outcomes:
- Large groups (50+ people) can become difficult to follow, with messages moving quickly and notifications becoming overwhelming for members who haven't muted the chat
- Mixed device groups (some on older phones, some on newer) may see inconsistent Bitmoji reactions or feature availability
- Members with low storage or older app versions might not receive media reliably
- Notification preferences vary by user — some members may have Snapchat notifications disabled entirely, meaning group activity doesn't reach them the way you'd expect
Whether a group chat works smoothly as a planning tool, a casual hangout space, or a coordination channel for a large event depends on the specific combination of people in it, how they use Snapchat, and what they each have enabled on their end.