Quick Tip to make a Group Chat on your iPhone – 2026

You want to create a group chat for work or personal use, but you need the exact steps first. If you have not made one before, it also helps to know the limits and extra features that depend on who is in the chat.

This guide shows how to create group chats on iPhone and covers the extra tips that matter when you chat with multiple people.

Before You Can Create Group Messages

There is something you need to know before you can create group messages. First, make sure group messaging is enabled in Messages settings. Here is how to do that:

Enable the Feature

Group & Mms Messaging On

1. From your iPhone home screen, open Settings.
2. Click on Messages.
3. Turn on group messaging under SMS/MMS.

Learn the Types of Group Chats

There are three main group chat types in Messages. You can join or create each one on your iPhone, and the differences matter because the available features change with the message type.

• Group iMessage:


Group Imessage Interface

These messages are in blue text, which does not go through your carrier. Instead, they go through Apple (everyone uses an Apple device).

Everyone in a group iMessage can share their location with the group, name the group, add or remove members, mute alerts, and send or receive photos, videos, and other attachments.

• Group MMS:


Group Mms Interface

These messages show in green texts, and at least one person in the group does not use iMessage or have an Apple device. In this group chat type, everyone can see all the messages sent to the group, receive and send photos and videos, and mute group notifications.

• Group SMS:


Group Sms Interface

These messages show in green texts, and at least one person has MMS and iMessage turned off. Replies are sent as individual text messages, people cannot see the full conversation, and multimedia attachments are not supported.

Steps to Make a Group Chat on iPhone

New Message Interface

Before making a group chat, turn on MMS and iMessage. You can do this by opening the settings app and going to Messages. Then follow the steps below.

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages. It is an icon with a white chat bubble in a green box.
2. Click on compose at the top right corner of your screen.
3. In the To: section, enter the names of people you want to add to the group chat. You can click the plus + button to choose people from your contacts.
4. Type the message you want to send, then click on the send icon, which looks like an arrow facing upward.

How to Add or Remove Members to a Group Chat

It is easy to add or remove members in the right kind of group chat. You can only do this in a group iMessage, and everyone in the thread must be using an Apple device.

Steps to Add Members to a Group Chat

1. Open messages.
2. Click on the group chat that you want to add a new member.
3. Then click on the names at the top of the chat.
4. Click the arrow next to the person's name. A drop-down menu will then appear.


Add Contact

5. Click on add contact.
6. Type down the name of the person you want to add to the group chat.
7. Click on done.

Steps to Remove Members from a Group Chat

Remove Members

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages.
2. Click on the group chat you want to remove someone from to open the conversation.
3. Click on the info (i) icon.
4. Choose the member you want to remove and swipe left on their name. Keep in mind that the group needs at least three members plus the person you want to remove before this option appears.
5. Click on the red remove button.

How to Change the Name and Photo of the Group Text Message on iPhone

Changing the name and photo of a group chat on your iPhone is straightforward. You can only do this on a group iMessage, which means everyone must use an Apple device. You also cannot name a one-person conversation.

Steps

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages.
2. Open the group chat and click on the icon at the top of the message.


The Name of the Group Text Message

3. Click on the info (i) button.
4. You will see the change photo and name option under the names of people in the group and the group icons in blue text.
5. Enter the name you want for the group.

   Then choose a photo you have for the group picture or take a photo with the camera button. You can also select an emoji for your group picture.

6. Once you are finished, click on done.

How to Mention People in Group Chats

Mention People

Apple added mentions for group chats starting with iOS 14, and the feature still works on current iPhone software. When you mention someone in a group iMessage, your message is easier for that person to notice.

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages.
2. Open the iMessage group chat.
3. Type the @ symbol and the name of the person you want to mention in your message. Their name should turn blue or bold if you do it correctly.
4. If you do not want to use the @ symbol, you can click the name and select the person you want to mention before sending your message.

How to Silence Notifications from a Group Chat

If you are in a group chat where people send too many messages and you do not want constant alerts, you can silence the notifications instead of leaving the conversation.

Steps

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages.
2. Click on the group chat you want silent notifications for.
3. Click the names on top of the group chat.
4. Scroll down till you see hide alerts, then click on the toggle on the right to silence the notification. The toggle will turn green when on.

How to Leave a Group Chat

If you want to leave a group chat for any reason, it takes only a few steps which are explained below.

1. From your iPhone home screen, open messages.
2. Click on the group chat you want to leave and click the names at the top of the chat. This option is available only when everyone uses Apple devices and there are enough other people left in the conversation.
3. Click on leave this conversation and click on it again in the pop-up to confirm.

Leave the Conversation

Bonus Tip: How to Make a Group Chat on iPhone with Android Users

Someone Is Not Registered With Imessage

It is possible to create a group chat with iPhone and Android users, but the group will not have all the features a group iMessage has. On current iPhone software, some mixed groups may also use RCS instead of SMS/MMS if the carrier supports it, but group controls are still more limited than in iMessage.

1. From your iPhone home screen, go to messages.
2. Create an SMS/MMS thread depending on what your contacts and carrier support.
3. Invite all participants you want in the chat simultaneously.

Bonus Tip: How to Forward SMS/MMS Text Messages from your iPhone to Other Devices

You can set up text message forwarding on your iPhone to send the SMS and MMS messages you receive from your device to other Apple devices.

Steps to Set Up Text Message Forwarding

1. Make sure you use the same Apple ID to sign into iMessage on each device.
2. On your iPhone or iPad, go to settings and check the Apple ID shown, go to Messages, send and receive.
3. On Mac, go to messages, choose messages settings, click on iMessage, then check the Apple ID shown.

On your iPhone, go to settings, click on messages, and select text message forwarding. You can choose the devices you want to receive and send text messages from your iPhone.

Forward Older Text Messages

1. Touch and hold the message you want to forward.
2. Click on more.
3. Select any other message you want to forward.
4. Click on forward and enter a recipient.
5. Click on send.