Senior woman texting on smartphone on park bench
You can start a group chat on iPhone just like you'd start a regular text.
Alistair Berg/Getty Images
  • To make a group chat on iPhone, add multiple recipients to the address line of a new message.
  • Once a group chat is created, you can add members or edit the name.
  • There's three types of group messages: group iMessage, group MMS, and group SMS.
  • Visit Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

Group chats can be a useful tool in both your professional and personal life. Whether you're planning a happy hour or a surprise baby shower, or you want to text hilarious memes to your besties, a group chat is a great way to relay information to multiple people at once.

Depending on the settings and types of phones people have, group chats will look different and have different capabilities. And if a group chat is getting to be too much, you can silence notifications or leave a group chat entirely. Here's how to do it all on an iPhone.

Table of Contents: Masthead Sticky

How to make a group chat on iPhone

Make sure you have both iMessage and MMS turned on in Settings > Messages.

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone. It looks like a white chat bubble inside a green box.

2. Tap the Compose button in the top-right corner of the screen.

3. Begin entering the names of the people you want to include in the group chat in the To: section. You can also tap the plus + button to select people from your contacts.

Phone screenshot of a new Message
Start a group chat by entering two or more names into the address bar.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

4. Type out your message, then tap the Send icon. It looks like an arrow pointing up.

iPhone screenshot of a new group iMessage
When you're ready to send your message, tap the blue arrow.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

How to add members to a group chat

New roommate? Coworker? Add them to your group chat with just a few steps. However, this only works on iMessage group chats, if everyone in the group has an iPhone.

1. Open the Messages app and navigate to the group chat you want to add someone to.

2. Tap the names at the top of the group chat, then tap info in the drop-down menu.

iPhone screenshot of an iMessage group with the info button highlighted
You can add a new member to an iMessage group chat at any time.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

3. Underneath the names of the people already in the group, tap Add Contact.

iPhone screenshot of an iMessage group menu with the Add Contact button highlighted
Tap the + button to add a contact to an iMessage group chat.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

4. Type in the name of the person you want to add, then tap Done.

iPhone screenshot of an address bar to add members to a group chat
Type in the name(s) of the people you want to add, or select them from your contacts list using the + button.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

How to silence notifications from a group chat

1. Open the Messages app and navigate to the group chat you want to silence notifications for.

2. Tap the names at the top of the group chat, then tap info in the drop-down menu.

3. Scroll down to Hide Alerts, then tap the toggle on the right to silence notifications. It will turn green when on.

iPhone screenshot of an iMessage group menu with the Hide Alerts button highlighted
The toggle will turn green when notifications are silenced.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

How to leave a group chat

1. Open the Messages app and navigate to the group chat you want to leave.

2. Tap the names at the top of the group chat, then tap info in the drop-down menu.

3. Tap Leave this Conversation. Then, tap Leave this Conversation again in the pop-up to confirm your decision.

iPhone screenshot of an iMessage group menu with the Leave this Conversation button highlighted
If you accidentally tap "Leave this Conversation," tap "Cancel" to remain in the group chat.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest

iOS 14 lets you direct mention someone in an iPhone Messages group chat - here's how to do itiOS 14 allows you to set a photo, emoji, or text as the icon for a group chat in your iPhone Messages app - here's how to do itHow to do a group FaceTime video or voice call on an iPhone, iPad, or MacA guide to the words and phrases that cause special texting effects on your iPhone

Read the original article on Business Insider