The basic steps for creating a group chat
On iPhone, open the Messages app and tap the pencil-and-paper icon in the top left corner, then tap "New Message". Type or search for the first contact you want to add, tap their name, then tap the plus sign to add more people. Once you have everyone you want, type your message and send — the chat automatically becomes a group.
On Android with Google Messages, open the app and tap the plus sign at the bottom. Select "New conversation", then tap the person icon at the top to add multiple contacts. Search for and tap each person's name to add them. Once everyone is added, type your first message and send.
If you are using a different Android messaging app like Samsung Messages, the process is similar: look for a "new message" or plus button, select multiple contacts instead of one, and send your first message. The exact button locations vary slightly between apps, but the principle is the same.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone Messages, tap the compose button, add multiple contacts by searching and tapping the plus sign, then send your first message.
- On Android with Google Messages, tap the plus sign, select "New conversation", tap the person icon, and add each contact by name.
- Group chats are created automatically when you send a message to more than one person — you do not need to name the group or configure settings first.
- You can add a group name and photo after the chat is created by opening the group details, which makes the conversation easier to identify later.
Adding a name and photo to your group chat
On iPhone, open the group chat, tap the group members' icons at the top, then tap "Edit Name and Photo". Type a name for the group and tap the camera icon to add a photo if you want. Tap "Save" when you are done.
On Android with Google Messages, open the group chat, tap the three dots at the top right, and select "Group details". Tap the pencil icon next to the group name to edit it. You can also add a group photo by tapping the camera icon next to the group name.
Naming your group is optional, but it helps everyone know what the chat is for — for example, "Book Club" or "Weekend Plans" instead of a list of names. A photo or emoji makes the group easier to spot in your message list.
How many people can be in a group chat
iPhone Messages and Google Messages do not have a hard limit on group size, but very large groups (over 100 people) may slow down message delivery slightly. Most people find groups of 10 to 20 work smoothly without problems.
If you are creating a group for a large event or organization, consider whether a group chat is the right tool. Group chats work best for ongoing conversations between people who know each other. For one-way announcements to many people, email or a dedicated app may work better.
Removing people from a group chat
On iPhone, open the group chat, tap the group members' icons at the top, then swipe left on the person you want to remove and tap "Remove". On Android with Google Messages, open the group chat, tap the three dots, select "Group details", and tap the X next to the person's name.
When you remove someone, they will no longer see new messages in the chat, but the conversation history remains on their phone. They will also see a notification that they were removed from the group.
What happens if someone leaves a group chat
If a member leaves the group on their own, they stop receiving messages and cannot send new ones. The other members will see a notification that the person left. The person who left can still see the old messages on their phone, but they are no longer part of the active conversation.
On iPhone, leaving a group is done by opening the chat, tapping the group icons at the top, scrolling down, and tapping "Leave this Conversation". On Android, tap the three dots, select "Group details", scroll down, and tap "Leave group".
Troubleshooting group chat problems
If a group chat is not working, first check that everyone's phone number or contact information is correct. Typos in a contact name or number will cause messages to fail to deliver. If one person is not receiving messages, ask them to check their message settings — some phones have filters that can block group messages by mistake.
If you created a group but it is not showing up as a group (for example, it looks like a one-on-one chat), try adding a third person or sending another message. Sometimes the chat needs a moment to register as a group, especially if you added people very quickly.
If messages are taking a long time to send or deliver, check your internet connection. Group messages sometimes take longer than one-on-one messages, especially if the group is large or if someone has a slow connection. Restarting the Messages app usually fixes temporary delivery delays.
Group chat features you can use
Most messaging apps let you mute notifications from a group chat so you do not get a sound for every message. On iPhone, swipe left on the group in your message list and tap the speaker icon. On Android, tap and hold the group, then tap the bell icon to mute it.
You can also pin important group chats to the top of your message list so they are easy to find. On iPhone, swipe left on the group and tap "Pin". On Android, tap and hold the group and tap the pin icon. Some apps also let you react to messages with emoji or search for old messages within the group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a group chat with just two people?
Technically yes, but most messaging apps treat a two-person chat as a one-on-one conversation. If you want group features like a shared name and photo, add a third person. If you only need to chat with one other person, a regular one-on-one chat works fine.
What if someone does not have the same messaging app as me?
If you are using iPhone Messages and someone has Android, the group chat will fall back to SMS or MMS (text message), which works on any phone. The chat will still function, but you will lose some features like read receipts or typing indicators. Make sure everyone has a working phone number in the group.
Can I add someone to a group chat after it is already created?
Yes. On iPhone, tap the group icons at the top and tap "Add Contact". On Android, tap the three dots, select "Group details", and tap the plus sign to add a new member. The new person will see the chat in their message list but will only see messages sent after they were added.
Is there a way to see who read my message in a group chat?
On iPhone with iMessage, you can see read receipts if everyone in the group has read receipts turned on. Tap and hold a message to see who has read it. On Android with Google Messages, read receipts are not available in group chats, though you can see when a message was delivered.
Can I delete a group chat without removing everyone?
Yes. Deleting the chat from your phone only removes it from your message list — it does not affect the other members. They will still see the group and can continue chatting. If you want to permanently end the group, you would need to remove all members one by one.