Create a group text by adding multiple contacts at once

Open the Messages app and tap the pencil icon in the top left corner to start a new message. Tap the plus sign next to "To:" and select each person you want to add — you can search by name or scroll through your contacts. Once you've selected everyone, tap "Done" and type your message. When you send it, iPhone automatically creates a group conversation that all recipients can see and reply to.

The group text works the same way as a regular message thread. Everyone in the group sees all replies, and new messages appear in order. If you add someone who doesn't have iMessage (Apple's messaging service), the group will send as regular SMS text messages instead, which means some features won't work — but the basic back-and-forth still functions normally.

Key Takeaways

  • Start a group text by opening Messages, tapping the pencil icon, and selecting multiple contacts before typing your message.
  • You can name your group text by opening the conversation, tapping the group name at the top, and entering a custom name.
  • Add or remove people from an existing group by tapping the group name, then tapping "Edit" and selecting or deselecting contacts.
  • Mute notifications for a group text without leaving it by swiping left on the conversation and tapping the speaker icon.
  • If the group includes anyone without iMessage, all messages send as SMS and some iPhone features like reactions and Tapback won't work.

Name your group text so everyone knows what it's about

Open the group conversation and tap the group name at the very top of the screen. Tap "Edit Group Name" and type a name — something like "Weekend Plans" or "Book Club" helps everyone remember what the group is for. Tap "Done" to save it. The name appears at the top of the conversation for everyone in the group.

If you don't name the group, iPhone displays the names of the first few people in the conversation instead, which gets confusing fast if you're in multiple groups. A clear name takes two seconds and makes the thread much easier to find later.

Add or remove people from an existing group conversation

Open the group text and tap the group name at the top. Tap "Edit" in the top right corner. To add someone, tap the plus sign and select new contacts. To remove someone, tap the red minus sign next to their name. Tap "Done" when you're finished. Everyone in the group will see a notification that someone was added or removed.

You can only add or remove people if you started the group or if it's an iMessage group (not an SMS group). If the group includes someone without iMessage, you won't be able to edit it — you'd need to start a new group instead. This is a limitation of how SMS groups work across different phone types.

Turn off notifications for a group without leaving it

If a group text is too noisy but you still want to stay in it, you can mute notifications. Swipe left on the group conversation in your Messages list. Tap the speaker icon with a line through it. The conversation will stay in your inbox, but you won't get alerts when new messages arrive — you'll only see them when you open Messages yourself.

To unmute it later, swipe left again and tap the speaker icon without the line. You can also customize notifications further by opening the group, tapping the group name, and selecting "Hide Alerts" to silence it completely, or "Notify Me" to turn alerts back on.

Use reactions and effects in group texts (iMessage only)

If everyone in your group has iMessage, you can react to individual messages with emojis or send full-screen effects. Tap and hold any message to see reaction options like a thumbs up, heart, or laugh. Tap the one you want and it appears under that message for everyone to see. To send an effect like confetti or balloons, tap and hold the send button before you send your message, then choose an effect.

These features only work in iMessage groups. If even one person in the group uses Android or an older phone without iMessage, reactions and effects won't show up — those people will just see text descriptions like "Marcus loved this message" instead of the actual emoji or animation. This is why checking that everyone has iMessage matters if you want the full experience.

Leave a group text or start fresh if you need to

Open the group conversation and tap the group name at the top. Scroll down and tap "Leave This Conversation." You'll be removed from the group and won't see new messages. Everyone else will get a notification that you left. If you change your mind, you can't rejoin — someone would need to add you back.

If a group is too chaotic or you want a fresh start with the same people, leaving and asking someone to create a new group is sometimes easier than trying to manage an old one. Just let people know you're leaving so they don't think you're ignoring them.

Troubleshoot common group text problems

If messages aren't sending in a group, check that everyone has a working phone number or iMessage address. Open the group, tap the group name, and look at the contact list — if someone's name appears in red or has an error symbol, that's likely the problem. You may need to remove them and add them again, or ask them to check their settings.

If you can't edit a group, it's probably an SMS group (not iMessage). SMS groups have limited features and can't be edited once created. The only fix is to start a new iMessage group with the same people. If you're seeing old messages disappear or the group acting strangely, try closing Messages completely and reopening it — sometimes the app just needs a refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see who read my message in a group text?

Yes, but only in iMessage groups. Open the group, tap the group name at the top, and look for "Read Receipts" — if it's on, you'll see "Delivered" and "Read" status under each message. If the group includes SMS contacts, read receipts won't work for those people. You can turn read receipts on or off in Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts.

What happens if I add someone to a group after messages have already been sent?

The new person joins the conversation going forward and can see all future messages, but they won't see the old messages that were sent before they were added. They'll only see what's typed after they join. If you want them to catch up, you'd need to copy and paste or screenshot earlier messages.

Why does my group text sometimes send as SMS instead of iMessage?

This happens when at least one person in the group doesn't have iMessage or their iMessage isn't working. iPhone automatically switches the whole group to SMS to make sure everyone gets the message. You can check who has iMessage by opening the group, tapping the group name, and looking at the contact list — iMessage contacts show a small blue dot.

Can I pin a group text to the top of my Messages list?

Yes. Press and hold the group conversation in your Messages list and tap "Pin." It will stay at the top of your conversations so you can find it quickly. You can pin up to nine conversations. To unpin, press and hold again and tap "Unpin."

Is there a limit to how many people I can add to a group text?

iPhone doesn't enforce a hard limit, but group texts with more than 20 or 30 people can become slow or unreliable, especially if they're SMS groups. iMessage groups handle larger numbers better, but very large groups may still have occasional delivery delays. For big groups, consider using a different app like WhatsApp or Slack instead.