Creating a contact group takes three steps: open Contacts, tap Groups, and add people to a new list
Contact groups on iPhone let you send a message or email to multiple people at once without typing each name. You create a group by opening the Contacts app, tapping the Groups button at the top left, creating a new group, and then adding contacts to it. Once the group exists, you can text or email everyone in it as a single action.
The process works the same way whether you use iCloud to sync your contacts or keep them only on your phone. Groups you create on iPhone also appear on your Mac and iPad if you use the same Apple ID, so you only have to set them up once.
Key Takeaways
- Open Contacts, tap Groups at the top left, then tap the plus sign to create a new group and name it.
- After you create the group, tap Edit, select contacts one at a time, and tap Add to add them to the group.
- You can send a text or email to an entire group by selecting the group name in the compose window, just as you would a single contact.
- Groups sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac if you use iCloud, so changes on one device appear on all of them.
- You can delete a group at any time without deleting the individual contacts inside it.
How to create a new group in Contacts
Open the Contacts app on your iPhone. At the top left of the screen, you will see a button labeled Groups. Tap it. A list of any existing groups appears, along with a plus sign in the upper right corner. Tap the plus sign.
A text field appears asking you to name the group. Type a name — for example, "Work Team" or "Book Club" — and tap Save. The group now exists but is empty. You will see it listed under Groups the next time you open that view.
Adding contacts to a group
After you create the group, you need to add people to it. Open Contacts again and tap Groups at the top left. Find your new group in the list and tap it. The group opens, and you will see an Edit button in the upper right. Tap Edit.
A plus sign appears in the upper right corner. Tap it. Your full contact list appears. Scroll through and tap each person you want to add. A checkmark appears next to their name when they are selected. You can add as many contacts as you want. When you are done, tap Done in the upper right, then tap Done again to save the group.
If you want to remove someone from the group later, open the group, tap Edit, tap the minus sign next to their name, and tap Remove. This removes them from the group only — it does not delete them from your Contacts.
Sending messages and emails to a group
Once your group is set up, you can send a text message or email to everyone in it at once. Open Messages or Mail and tap the compose button. In the To field, start typing the name of your group. The group name appears as an option. Tap it to add the entire group to the message.
When you send a message to a group through Messages, each person receives it individually — they do not see the other recipients. If you send an email to a group, all recipients appear in the To field unless you use the Bcc field instead, which hides their addresses from each other.
Managing groups across devices
If you use iCloud to sync your contacts, any group you create on your iPhone automatically appears on your iPad and Mac. Changes you make on one device — adding a contact, removing someone, or renaming the group — show up on all your devices within a few minutes.
To check whether your contacts are syncing through iCloud, open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, tap iCloud, and look for Contacts. If the toggle is on, your groups sync automatically. If it is off, groups exist only on that iPhone and do not appear elsewhere.
Editing and deleting groups
To rename a group, open Contacts, tap Groups, find the group, and swipe left on its name. A red Delete button appears, but above it you will see an Edit option. Tap Edit, change the name, and tap Done.
To delete a group entirely, swipe left on its name in the Groups list and tap Delete. The group disappears, but all the contacts inside it remain in your Contacts app. Deleting a group does not remove any people from your phone.
Why groups matter for your contacts
Contact groups save time when you regularly message the same set of people — a team at work, a family branch, or a hobby group. They also reduce the chance of forgetting someone when you need to reach a whole group quickly.
Groups do not affect your phone's security or privacy. The contacts in a group are the same contacts stored in your phone; a group is straightforward a label that lets you address them together. If you delete a group, the people in it are not affected in any way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a group in Messages instead of Contacts?
No. Groups must be created in the Contacts app. However, once you create a group in Contacts, you can use it in Messages, Mail, and other apps that send to contacts. Some messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram have their own group features separate from your phone's contact groups.
What happens if I delete someone from my Contacts — are they removed from groups too?
Yes. If you delete a contact from your phone entirely, they are automatically removed from any groups they belonged to. The group itself remains, but that person no longer appears in it.
Can I send a text to a group and have everyone see each other's replies?
Not through the standard Messages app. Text messages sent to a group go to each person individually. If you want a group chat where everyone sees all replies, you need to create a group conversation in Messages by tapping the compose button, adding multiple people, and starting a new conversation with them.
Do contact groups work on older iPhones?
Contact groups work on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later. If you have an older iPhone, you can still create groups through iCloud.com on a computer, and they will sync to your phone if iCloud Contacts is turned on.