Creating a group chat in Teams takes two minutes and works the same way whether you're on desktop, web, or mobile

Open Microsoft Teams and look for the Compose button — it's a pencil-and-paper icon near the top left of the window. Click it, then select New chat. Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to add, separated by semicolons if you're adding more than one. Teams will show you matching names as you type. Once you've selected everyone, click Create and your group chat opens immediately.

The chat exists as soon as you create it, even if you haven't sent a message yet. Everyone you added gets a notification that they're in a new group chat with you. Unlike channels, which live inside a team and are visible to everyone in that team, group chats are private conversations between only the people you invited.

Key Takeaways

  • Use the Compose button (pencil icon) and select New chat to start a group conversation with up to 300 people.
  • Type names or email addresses separated by semicolons, and Teams will suggest matches as you type.
  • Group chats are private and only visible to the people you add — they don't appear in any team's channel list.
  • You can add or remove people from a group chat after you create it by clicking the group name at the top and selecting Members.
  • Group chats stay in your chat list until you hide or mute them, even if no one has sent a message in weeks.

Adding people to a group chat after creation

You don't have to decide on the final list of people before you hit Create. Click the group chat name at the very top of the conversation window. A panel opens on the right side showing everyone currently in the chat. Look for the Add members button (usually a plus sign or "Add" text) and click it. Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to add, the same way you did when creating the chat.

Removing someone works the same way. Open the members panel, find the person you want to remove, and click the three dots or X next to their name. Select Remove. That person will no longer see the chat in their chat list, and they won't receive any future messages in that conversation. Messages they already saw remain visible to them if they scroll back through their history, but they can't send new ones.

The difference between group chats and channels

A group chat is a private conversation between specific people. A channel is a space inside a team where everyone in that team can see all the messages. If you're working with people from different teams or departments, or if you want a conversation that stays separate from your main team workspace, use a group chat. If you're organizing work within a single team and want everyone on that team to see the discussion, use a channel.

Group chats also don't have pinned messages, tabs, or file organization the way channels do. They're simpler — just a list of messages and files shared in order. If you find yourself needing those features, it might be time to move the conversation into a channel instead.

Naming a group chat so people know what it's for

When you first create a group chat, Teams gives it a default name based on the people in it — usually something like "You, Sarah, and Marcus". This works fine for small groups, but once you have five or more people, the name becomes hard to read. Click the group chat name at the top and select Edit group chat name. Type a new name that describes what the chat is for — "Q4 Budget Review", "Website Redesign Team", or "Friday Lunch Planning".

Changing the name doesn't affect who's in the chat or what messages are there. Everyone in the group will see the new name immediately. If you change your mind later, you can edit it again the same way.

Muting notifications and hiding chats you don't need right now

If a group chat is active but you don't need to see every message, right-click the chat name in your chat list and select Mute. You'll still be in the chat and can read messages whenever you want, but you won't get notifications when someone sends something. The chat stays in your list with a muted icon next to it.

If you want to remove a chat from your list entirely without leaving it, right-click and select Hide. The chat disappears from your view, but you're still a member. If someone sends a message or mentions you, the chat will reappear in your list. You can also unhide it manually by going to your chat settings and finding the hidden chats section.

Sharing files and using reactions in group chats

Attach a file to a message by clicking the paperclip icon at the bottom of the chat window. You can upload files from your computer, share files from OneDrive or SharePoint, or even record a quick video or audio message. Everyone in the chat can see and download the file. Files shared in a group chat stay there permanently — if someone leaves the chat later, they can still access files they saw before they left.

React to messages by hovering over a message and clicking the smiley face icon. Teams shows you emoji options like thumbs up, heart, or laugh. Multiple people can react to the same message, and you can see who reacted and with what. This is useful for quick acknowledgments without cluttering the chat with "Got it" or "Thanks" messages.

What happens when someone leaves a group chat

If you remove someone from a group chat, they lose access to future messages but can still see everything they saw before. If someone removes themselves by leaving the chat, the same thing happens — their access to new messages stops, but their history remains. You can add them back later, and they'll see the chat history from before they left, plus all new messages from after they rejoin.

If you're the person who created the chat, you don't have any special powers to delete it or prevent others from leaving. Anyone can leave a group chat at any time by right-clicking it and selecting Leave. The chat continues for everyone else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a group chat with someone outside my organization?

It depends on your organization's settings. If your company allows external access and the person has a Microsoft account or Teams account, you can add them. If external access is blocked, you won't see them in the name suggestions when you type. Contact your IT department to find out what's allowed.

What's the maximum number of people in a group chat?

Teams allows up to 300 people in a single group chat. If you need to communicate with more than that, or if the group is permanent and ongoing, a team with channels is usually a better choice.

Can I search for old messages in a group chat?

Yes. Use the search box at the top of Teams and type keywords. You can filter results to show only messages from a specific chat. Search looks through message text and file names, but not the content inside files.

How do I know if someone has read my message in a group chat?

Teams shows read receipts only in one-on-one chats, not in group chats. In a group chat, you can see reactions and replies, but not whether someone has opened and read your message.

Can I pin important messages in a group chat?

No, pinning is only available in channels. In a group chat, you can react to important messages or reply to them to keep them visible in the conversation thread, but there's no pin feature.