The basic way to remove a contact from a group text
On most phones, you can remove someone from a group text by opening the conversation, tapping the group name or info button at the top, finding the list of members, and selecting the person's name to delete them. The exact steps depend on whether you use iMessage, Android Messages, WhatsApp, or another app — and whether you started the group or just joined it.
One important limit: you can only remove people from groups you created or that you have permission to manage. If someone else started the group, you may not see a delete option next to their name. In that case, your only option is to leave the group yourself.
The person you remove will see that they have been removed — most apps notify them or straightforward show them as no longer in the conversation. They will not receive future messages sent to that group.
Key Takeaways
- On iMessage, tap the group name at the top of the thread, scroll to find the person's name, and swipe left to remove them.
- On Android Messages and most other apps, tap the group info icon, find the members list, and tap the X or delete button next to the person's name.
- You can only remove people from groups you created; if someone else started the group, you cannot remove members unless the app gives you admin rights.
- The removed person will be notified they have been removed and will stop receiving messages sent to that group.
- If you want to remove someone without notifying the whole group, create a new group without them instead of removing them from the existing one.
How to remove someone on iMessage
Open the group conversation and tap the group name or the circle of profile pictures at the very top of the screen. This opens the group details panel on the right side of your phone.
Scroll down to see all members of the group. Find the person you want to remove, then swipe left across their name. A red delete button will appear. Tap it to remove them from the group.
If you do not see a delete button when you swipe, you do not have permission to remove members from this group — someone else created it and did not give you admin rights. In that case, your only option is to leave the group yourself by scrolling to the bottom and tapping "Leave This Conversation."
How to remove someone on Android Messages and Google Messages
Open the group conversation and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner, then select "Group details" or "Group info." You will see a list of all members in the conversation.
Find the person you want to remove and tap their name or the X icon next to it. A confirmation prompt will ask if you want to remove them. Tap yes or confirm.
If you created the group, you will have the option to remove anyone. If someone else created it, you may only see a "Leave group" option instead. Some groups are set up so that only the creator can remove members.
How to remove someone on WhatsApp
Open the group chat and tap the group name at the top to open group info. Scroll down to see the list of members.
Long-press (hold your finger on) the name of the person you want to remove. A menu will appear with options including "Remove." Tap it to remove them from the group.
On WhatsApp, only group admins can remove members. If you are not an admin, you will not see the remove option. You can ask an admin to remove the person, or you can leave the group and create a new one without them.
How to remove someone on Facebook Messenger
Open the group conversation and tap the group name at the top. Scroll down to the members section and find the person you want to remove.
Tap the X or minus icon next to their name. Facebook will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, they are removed from the group and will no longer see messages posted there.
If you did not create the group, you may not have permission to remove members. Check whether you have admin rights by looking at the group info — if you do not see remove options next to members' names, you are not an admin.
What happens when you remove someone
The removed person will see a notification that they have been removed from the group, or the group will straightforward disappear from their message list. They will not receive any future messages sent to that group. Depending on the app, they may still be able to see the conversation history from before they were removed.
If the person you removed was important to the conversation, other members may ask why they are gone. There is no way to remove someone silently — the action is visible to everyone in the group, though the notification may be subtle depending on the app.
If you want to remove someone without drawing attention or notifying the group, the cleaner option is to create a new group with the people you want to include and let the old group fade away naturally.
When you cannot remove someone
If you did not create the group, most messaging apps will not let you remove members. You will only see a "Leave group" button. This is a safety feature — it prevents anyone from kicking out members without permission.
If you need someone removed from a group you did not create, ask one of the group admins or the person who started it. They can remove the member on your behalf.
If the group is on a platform like Slack or Microsoft Teams (used more often for work), removal permissions depend on your role in the workspace. A regular member usually cannot remove anyone, but a channel owner or workspace admin can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I removed see old messages in the group?
It depends on the app. On iMessage and most Android apps, removed members can still see the full conversation history from before they were removed. On WhatsApp, they can see the history but the group disappears from their chat list. On Facebook Messenger, they lose access to the group entirely. Check your app's settings if you want to know the exact behavior.
Will they get a notification that I removed them?
Yes, most apps send a notification or show a system message in the group saying that the person was removed. The notification is usually brief — something like "[Name] was removed from the group" — but it is visible to everyone in the conversation, not just the removed person.
Can I remove someone and then add them back later?
Yes. You can remove someone and add them back at any time, as long as you have permission to manage the group. They will rejoin the conversation and see all messages sent after they were added back, but they will not see messages from the time they were removed.
What if I want to remove someone but keep it private?
There is no truly private way to remove someone from an existing group — the action shows up in the group. Your best option is to create a new group with the people you want to include and stop using the old one. You can leave the old group or let it become inactive.
Can I remove someone from a group text on an iPhone if they use Android?
If the group is an iMessage group (all iPhone users), you can remove anyone. If the group is a standard SMS or MMS text (mixed iPhone and Android users), you cannot remove individual people — you can only leave the group yourself. This is a limitation of how standard text messaging works across different phone types.