The simplest way to leave a group chat
To leave a group chat on iPhone, open the Messages app, find the group conversation, swipe left on it with one finger, and tap the trash icon that appears. The chat disappears from your inbox when ready. You will no longer receive messages from that group, and the other people in the chat will see a notification that you have left.
This works the same way whether the group chat uses iMessage (blue bubbles) or SMS (green bubbles). The person who started the group cannot prevent you from leaving, and you do not need their permission.
If you want to leave without deleting the conversation from your phone — so you can still read old messages but stop receiving new ones — there is a second method that gives you more control over what happens next.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe left on a group chat in Messages and tap the trash icon to leave and delete the conversation at the same time.
- If you want to keep the old messages but stop receiving new ones, open the chat, tap the group name at the top, scroll down, and select "Leave This Conversation."
- When you leave, everyone in the group sees a message saying you have left — you cannot leave silently.
- You can rejoin a group chat later if someone adds you back, and your old messages will still be there.
- Group chats with only two people (one-on-one conversations) cannot be left this way; you can only delete them.
Leaving while keeping your message history
If you want to stop receiving messages from a group but keep the conversation in your Messages app so you can scroll back and read what was said, use the "Leave This Conversation" option instead of deleting.
Open the group chat, then tap the group name or the profile pictures at the very top of the screen. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the menu that appears. You will see a button that says "Leave This Conversation" in red text. Tap it, and confirm when the phone asks if you are sure.
The conversation stays in your Messages list, but it turns gray and stops receiving new messages. You can still read everything that was sent before you left. If someone adds you back to the group later, new messages will start coming through again, and you can read them alongside the old ones.
What happens when you leave a group chat
When you leave, a system message appears in the group chat for everyone else that says your name and "left this conversation." This happens automatically — there is no way to leave without the group knowing. You cannot mute the chat instead and pretend to still be there.
After you leave, you will not see any new messages from that group. If someone mentions you by name or replies to something you said before you left, you will not be notified. The group can continue without you, and they can send as many messages as they want.
If the group chat is an iMessage group (blue bubbles), leaving is permanent until someone adds you back. If it is an SMS group (green bubbles), the behavior depends on your phone and your carrier, but you generally will not receive new messages either way.
Rejoining a group chat after you leave
You cannot rejoin a group chat on your own. Someone who is still in the group has to add you back. When they do, the conversation reappears in your Messages app, and you will start receiving new messages again.
Your old messages from before you left are still there. You can scroll back and read the entire history of the conversation, including everything that was sent while you were gone. The group will see a system message saying you have been added back.
Leaving a group chat versus muting it
Leaving a group chat is different from muting it. When you mute a conversation, you stay in the group and keep receiving messages, but your phone does not alert you with a sound or banner. The chat is still in your inbox, just silent.
To mute instead of leaving, swipe left on the group chat (but do not tap the trash icon), and tap the bell icon with a line through it. You will still see the messages if you open Messages and look, but you will not be interrupted by notifications.
Muting is useful if you want to stay in the group but do not want constant alerts. Leaving is the right choice if you do not want to be part of the conversation at all and do not want to see the messages.
Why you cannot leave a one-on-one chat the same way
If a conversation is between only two people, the "Leave This Conversation" button does not appear. This is because iMessage and SMS do not have a concept of a one-on-one chat that you can leave — you can only delete the conversation from your phone.
If you delete a one-on-one conversation, you will still receive messages from that person if they text you again. The conversation will reappear in your inbox with their new message. You cannot prevent them from contacting you this way unless you block them.
If you want to stop seeing messages from someone but do not want to block them completely, muting is a better option than deleting. Swipe left on their conversation and tap the bell icon to mute it instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a group chat without everyone seeing that I left?
No. When you leave any group chat, a system message automatically appears for everyone saying you have left. There is no silent or hidden way to leave. If you want to stop receiving messages without the group knowing, muting is not the same thing — muting keeps you in the group and still lets you see messages when you open the app.
What happens to messages I sent before I left?
Your messages stay in the group chat. Everyone else can still see what you wrote, and they can reply to it even after you have left. Leaving does not delete your old messages or hide them from the group.
If someone adds me back to a group, will I see the messages I missed?
No. When you rejoin a group, you will only see new messages from that point forward. The messages sent while you were gone are not shown to you, though you can ask someone in the group to copy and paste them if you need to catch up.
Can the group owner stop me from leaving?
No. There is no permission system for leaving group chats on iPhone. Anyone in a group can leave at any time, and the person who created the group cannot prevent it or force someone to stay.
Is there a difference between leaving an iMessage group and an SMS group?
The process is the same on your phone, but the behavior is slightly different. iMessage groups are managed by Apple's servers, so leaving is clean and permanent until someone adds you back. SMS groups depend on your carrier, and the exact behavior can vary, but you will stop receiving messages either way.