You can remove someone from a group message on most phones, but the method depends on whether you're using iMessage, Android Messages, or a third-party app
Removing a person from a group text works differently on iPhone and Android, and the option may not exist at all if the group was started before certain updates. On iMessage (iPhone to iPhone), you can remove someone directly from an active conversation. On Android, the ability to remove people depends on your messaging app and whether the group was created as an MMS message or through a service like Google Messages. Some older group texts don't support removal at all — in those cases, you'll need to start a new group without that person.
The steps below cover the most common scenarios. If you don't see a remove option after following these steps, it usually means your phone's messaging app doesn't support that feature for this particular group.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users can remove someone from an iMessage group by opening the conversation, tapping the group name at the top, and selecting the person's name followed by "Remove from Group."
- Android users with Google Messages can remove people by opening the group, tapping the group name, and selecting the person to remove, though this only works if the group was created as an MMS message.
- If the remove option doesn't appear, the group may have been created before your phone's messaging app added this feature, and you'll need to create a new group instead.
- Removing someone sends a notification to the group that the person has been removed, so everyone in the conversation will see it happen.
Removing someone from an iMessage group on iPhone
Open the Messages app and find the group conversation. Tap the group name or the profile pictures at the very top of the screen — this opens the group details panel on the right side of your screen.
Scroll down until you see the list of people in the group. Tap the person you want to remove. A menu will appear with options including "Remove from Group" — tap that option. The person is immediately removed, and everyone in the group receives a message saying "[Your Name] removed [Person's Name] from the group."
If you don't see a "Remove from Group" option, the conversation may be too old or may not be a true iMessage group. Try creating a new group conversation without that person instead.
Removing someone from a group text on Android
The steps vary depending on which messaging app you use. If you're using Google Messages (the default on most newer Android phones), open the app and find the group conversation. Tap the group name at the top of the screen to open group details.
Look for the list of members and tap the person you want to remove. You should see a "Remove from group" option — tap it. The person is removed, and the group receives a notification that they've been removed.
If you're using Samsung Messages, WhatsApp, or another third-party app, the process is similar but the exact location of the remove option varies. In Samsung Messages, open the group, tap the three dots at the top right, select "Group settings," and then tap the person's name to remove them. In WhatsApp, open the group, tap the group name at the top, scroll to the member list, tap the person, and select "Remove from Group."
What happens when you remove someone
When you remove a person from a group message, they stop receiving new messages sent to that conversation. They can still see all the messages that were sent before the removal, but they won't see anything sent after. The group receives a system message stating that the person has been removed — this appears as a gray notification in the conversation thread.
The removed person does not receive a separate notification telling them they've been removed. They'll only know if they try to send a message to the group and get an error, or if they notice the gray system message the next time they open the conversation.
When the remove option doesn't appear
If you follow the steps above and don't see a "Remove from Group" option, it usually means one of two things: the group was created before your phone's messaging app added the removal feature, or the conversation is not set up as a group message in the way your app requires.
The easiest solution is to create a new group conversation with everyone except the person you want to remove. Start a new message, add the people you want to include, and let them know you're moving the conversation to a new group. You can then mute or delete the old group conversation.
If you need to keep the old conversation for reference, you can leave it as is — just don't add the unwanted person back to it.
Removing yourself from a group message
If you want to leave a group message instead of removing someone else, the process is similar. On iPhone, open the group details (tap the group name at the top), scroll down, and tap "Leave this Conversation." On Android with Google Messages, open the group details and tap "Leave group." On other Android apps, look for a "Leave group" or "Exit group" option in the group settings.
When you leave a group, you stop receiving messages from that conversation. You can still see the old messages, but you won't be notified of new ones. The group receives a notification that you've left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove someone from a group text if I didn't create the group?
Yes, any member of an iMessage group can remove anyone else. On Android, it depends on the app — Google Messages allows any member to remove others, but some third-party apps restrict removal to the group creator. Check your app's group settings to see who has permission.
Will the removed person know they've been removed?
They won't get a notification, but they'll see a gray system message in the conversation saying they were removed. They'll only notice if they open the group chat and look at the message history.
Can I add someone back after removing them?
Yes. On iPhone, open the group details, tap the plus sign, and select the person's contact. On Android, the process varies by app — in Google Messages, tap the plus sign in the group details to add someone back.
What if I remove someone by accident?
Add them back using the same steps you'd use to add anyone to the group. There's no undo button, but re-adding them is quick and they'll receive all new messages going forward.
Does removing someone from a group message delete our conversation history?
No. The removed person can still see all messages sent before the removal. Removing them only stops them from receiving new messages in that group going forward.