How to leave a group text depends on your phone and the app
The steps to leave a group text are different on iPhone Messages than on Android, and different again on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Telegram. On iPhone, you swipe left on the conversation and tap "Leave this Conversation." On Android with Google Messages, you long-press the group chat, tap the three dots, and select "Delete chat." On WhatsApp, you open the group, tap the group name at the top, scroll down, and tap "Exit group." The exact location of the button changes by platform, but the principle is the same: find the group settings, then look for an option to remove yourself.
Before you leave, understand what happens next. On most platforms, other members will see a notification that you left. On some apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, you can still read the group's message history after you leave, but you won't receive new messages. On iPhone Messages, leaving a group chat removes it from your inbox entirely. If you rejoin later, you'll only see messages sent after you came back.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone Messages requires you to swipe left on the group chat and tap "Leave this Conversation" — there is no way to mute it permanently without leaving.
- Android users with Google Messages long-press the group chat, tap the menu, and select "Delete chat" to remove it from their inbox.
- WhatsApp and Telegram let you exit a group from the group info screen, and you can still read past messages but won't receive new ones.
- Other group members will be notified when you leave on most platforms, so they will know you are no longer in the conversation.
- If you want to stay informed without constant notifications, muting the group (rather than leaving) is available on most apps and keeps you in the chat.
Leaving a group text on iPhone Messages
Open the Messages app and find the group conversation you want to leave. Swipe your finger from right to left across the group chat name in your conversation list. A red "Delete" button will appear on the right side, but do not tap it yet — that only deletes the conversation from your phone, not the group itself.
Instead, tap the three dots or "More" button that appears when you swipe. This opens a menu with additional options. Look for "Leave this Conversation" and tap it. A confirmation message will appear asking if you are sure. Tap "Leave" to confirm. The group chat will disappear from your inbox, and all other members will see a notification in the group that you have left.
If you do not see a "Leave this Conversation" option, the group may have only two people in it (a regular text thread rather than a true group). In that case, you can only delete the conversation from your inbox by swiping and tapping "Delete" — the other person will not be notified.
Leaving a group text on Android with Google Messages
Open Google Messages and find the group chat. Press and hold your finger on the group conversation name until it is highlighted in blue. A menu will appear at the top of the screen with several icons. Tap the three vertical dots (the menu icon) on the right side of that menu bar.
A dropdown menu will appear with options including "Delete chat." Tap "Delete chat" to remove the group from your inbox. You will see a confirmation asking if you want to delete the conversation. Tap "Delete" to confirm. The group will be removed from your inbox, and other members will be notified that you have left the group.
If you use a different Android messaging app (Samsung Messages, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger), the steps will differ — see the sections below for those apps.
Leaving a group on WhatsApp
Open WhatsApp and find the group chat in your conversation list. Tap the group name to open it. At the top of the screen, you will see the group name and a small arrow or info icon next to it. Tap that icon to open the group information screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the group info screen. You will see a red option that says "Exit group" or "Leave group." Tap it. A confirmation message will appear warning that you will no longer receive messages from this group. Tap "Exit" or "Leave" to confirm. All group members will see a system message saying you have left, and you will no longer receive any messages sent to that group.
After you leave, you can still scroll back through the group's message history in your chat list, but you will not see any new messages. If you want to rejoin later, another member will need to add you back to the group.
Leaving a group on Telegram
Open Telegram and find the group chat. Tap the group name at the top of the screen to open the group information panel. On the right side of the screen (or at the top on some phones), you will see the group name and details.
Scroll down in the group info panel until you see "Leave Group" at the bottom. Tap it. A confirmation message will appear. Tap "Leave Group" again to confirm. The group will be removed from your chat list, and other members will see a notification that you have left.
Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram does not let you view the group's message history after you leave. The group will disappear from your inbox entirely, though you can still search for it in your archived chats if you saved messages from it.
Leaving a group on Facebook Messenger
Open Facebook Messenger and find the group chat. Tap and hold the group conversation name until a menu appears. On some phones, you may need to swipe left on the group name first, then tap the menu icon that appears.
Look for an option that says "Leave chat," "Remove from chat," or "Exit group." Tap it. A confirmation will appear asking if you are sure. Tap "Leave" or "Remove" to confirm. The group will be removed from your inbox, and other members will be notified that you have left.
If you want to rejoin the group later, another member can add you back, or you can search for the group in your archived chats and request to rejoin.
Muting a group instead of leaving it
If you want to stop seeing notifications from a group but do not want to actually leave it, most apps offer a mute option. This keeps you in the group and lets you read messages when you choose, but stops the constant alerts.
On iPhone Messages, swipe left on the group and tap "Mute" instead of "Leave." On Android Google Messages, long-press the group and tap the bell icon to mute notifications. On WhatsApp, open the group, tap the group name, and look for "Mute notifications" — you can choose to mute for 8 hours, 1 week, or always. On Telegram, swipe left on the group (or long-press it) and tap the bell icon to mute. On Facebook Messenger, tap and hold the group and select "Mute chat."
Muting is useful when you are in a group with people you care about but the conversation is too active. You stay in the group so people can still reach you, but you won't be interrupted by every new message.
What happens after you leave a group
Once you leave, you will no longer receive any new messages sent to that group. On most platforms, other members will see a system message saying you have left — something like "Marcus left the group." This is automatic and cannot be hidden.
If the group is a work chat or a formal group, leaving may signal to others that you are no longer interested or involved. If you are leaving because the group is too noisy or you are not interested in the topic, consider muting it first to see if that solves the problem. You can always leave later if muting is not enough.
If you rejoin the group later (either by asking someone to add you back or by searching for it), you will only see messages sent after you rejoined. The messages from before you left will not reappear, except on WhatsApp where you can still scroll back through the full history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will people know I left the group?
Yes. On all major platforms, other group members will see a notification that you have left. The message usually says something like "Marcus left the group" and appears in the chat history for everyone to see. There is no way to leave silently.
Can I leave a group without notifying anyone?
No. Every messaging platform notifies the group when you leave. If you want to stay in the group but stop receiving notifications, mute it instead of leaving. That way, people can still reach you if they need to, but you won't be interrupted.
What if I change my mind and want to rejoin?
Ask another group member to add you back. On WhatsApp and Telegram, any member can add you. On Facebook Messenger and iPhone Messages, it depends on the group's settings — some allow anyone to add people, others require an admin. You will only see messages sent after you rejoin, not the ones from before.
Does leaving a group delete the conversation from my phone?
Yes on most platforms. On iPhone, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger, leaving removes the group from your inbox. On Android Google Messages, you have to manually delete it afterward. If you want to keep the conversation for reference, take a screenshot or save important messages before you leave.
Can I leave a group without deleting the messages?
On WhatsApp, yes — you can leave the group and still scroll back through the message history in your chat list. On other platforms, leaving usually removes the conversation from your inbox. If you want to keep the messages, screenshot them or export the chat before you leave.