How to remove someone from a group text depends on your phone and messaging app
On iPhone, you can remove someone from a group iMessage by opening the conversation, tapping the group name at the top, selecting "Info," and then swiping left on the person's name and tapping "Remove." On Android, the process varies by app — in Google Messages, tap the group name, then the three dots, select "Group details," and tap the X next to the person you want to remove. Other Android apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger have their own removal buttons in group settings.
The key limitation: you can only remove people from groups you created or in which you have admin permissions. If someone else started the group, you may not have the ability to remove members, and you'll need to ask the group creator or an admin to do it instead. Some apps don't allow removal at all — regular SMS group texts on older phones, for example, have no removal feature.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone iMessage groups let you remove members by tapping the group name, selecting "Info," and swiping left on the person's name.
- Android removal steps differ by app — Google Messages, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger each have different menu locations for removing members.
- You can only remove someone if you created the group or have admin status; the group creator can remove anyone at any time.
- Standard SMS group texts on many phones don't support removal — you would need to create a new group without that person instead.
Removing someone from an iPhone iMessage group
Open the group conversation in Messages. Tap the group name or profile picture at the very top of the screen — this opens the group details panel on the right side.
Tap "Info" to see the full list of members. Find the person you want to remove, swipe left on their name, and a red "Remove" button appears. Tap it. The person is removed immediately, and the remaining members see a notification that they've been removed.
If you don't see a "Remove" option, you likely don't have admin permissions for this group. Only the person who created the group can remove members, though in some cases Apple allows any member to leave on their own.
Removing someone from an Android group text
The steps depend on which messaging app you use. In Google Messages (the default on most Android phones), open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, then tap the three-dot menu icon. Select "Group details," find the person's name, and tap the X next to it.
In WhatsApp, open the group, tap the group name at the top, scroll down to see all members, long-press the person's name, and select "Remove from group." In Facebook Messenger, open the group, tap the group name, scroll to members, tap the person's profile, and select "Remove from chat."
If you're using a different app, look for a group settings or group info option — most apps put the removal feature in the same place where you'd see the member list. If no removal option appears, you may not have admin permissions, or the app may not support removal.
What happens when you remove someone
The removed person stops receiving messages sent to the group after the moment of removal. They can see all messages sent before they were removed, but they cannot see new ones or send messages to the group. On their phone, the group conversation usually remains in their message list, but it becomes inactive.
All other members of the group receive a notification that the person has been removed — the message appears in the chat as a system notification like "You removed John" or "John was removed from the group." The removed person also sees a notification on their end saying they've been removed.
When you can't remove someone
If you didn't create the group, you may not have permission to remove members. Only admins or the group creator can remove people in most apps. If you need someone removed but don't have permission, contact the person who created the group and ask them to do it.
Standard SMS group texts (regular text messages, not iMessage or app-based messaging) don't have a removal feature on most phones. If you need to exclude someone from a group conversation, your only option is to create a new group without them and stop including them in the old one.
Removing yourself from a group instead
If you want to leave a group rather than remove someone else, the process is simpler. On iPhone, open the group, tap the group name, tap "Info," scroll down, and tap "Leave this Conversation." On Android in Google Messages, tap the group name, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Delete chat" or "Leave group" (the exact wording varies by version).
When you leave a group, you stop receiving messages and can no longer send to it. Other members see a notification that you've left. Unlike removal, you can usually rejoin a group later if someone adds you back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I removed add themselves back to the group?
No. Once removed, they cannot rejoin unless someone with admin permissions adds them back. They cannot see the group or its messages anymore, and they have no way to request to rejoin on their own.
Will the removed person know why they were removed?
They'll see a notification that they were removed and by whom, but the notification won't include a reason. If you want them to know why, you'll need to tell them separately through a direct message or call.
Can I remove someone from a group text if I'm not the creator?
Only if the group creator gave you admin permissions. In most apps, you can check your status by opening the group details — if you see a "Remove" option next to members' names, you have permission. If not, ask the creator to remove them for you.
What if someone keeps adding the removed person back?
If the group creator or another admin keeps re-adding someone you removed, you don't have the authority to prevent it. Your options are to ask them to stop, leave the group yourself, or create a separate group without that person.
Does removing someone delete their old messages from the group?
No. All messages the person sent before removal stay visible to everyone else in the group. Removal only stops them from seeing new messages and sending future ones.