Delete a group chat by opening it, tapping the group name, and selecting "Leave Group"
In Facebook Messenger, deleting a group chat works differently than deleting a one-on-one conversation. When you leave a group, the chat disappears from your inbox, but the group itself continues for other members. If you are the group creator and want to remove it entirely, you need to delete the group before leaving — otherwise the group stays active even after you go.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Messenger on your phone or computer, but the core action is the same: open the group, access its settings, and choose to leave. Other members will see a notification that you have left.
Key Takeaways
- Leaving a group chat removes it from your inbox but does not delete it for other members — the group continues without you.
- If you created the group and want to delete it entirely, you must delete the group first, then leave it.
- On mobile, tap the group name at the top of the chat, scroll down, and select "Leave Group."
- On desktop, right-click the group name in your chat list and choose "Leave Group" from the menu.
- Once you leave, you will not receive messages from that group, but you can rejoin if another member adds you back.
How to leave a group chat on your phone
Open Messenger and find the group chat you want to leave. Tap the group name at the very top of the conversation — this opens the group info panel on the right side of your screen.
Scroll down in this panel until you see the "Leave Group" button. Tap it. Messenger will ask you to confirm — tap "Leave" again. The group chat will when ready disappear from your inbox, and all members will see a system message saying you have left.
If you created the group and want to delete it entirely rather than just leave it, scroll further down in the group info panel and look for "Delete Group" or "Delete Chat." This option only appears if you are the group creator. Tap it, confirm the deletion, and the group will be removed for everyone.
How to leave a group chat on desktop
In Messenger on your computer, locate the group chat in your chat list on the left side. Right-click directly on the group name — a small menu will appear with several options.
Select "Leave Group" from this menu. Messenger will ask you to confirm the action. Click "Leave" to finish. The group will vanish from your chat list, and other members will be notified of your departure.
If you are the group creator and want to delete the group entirely, right-click the group name again and look for "Delete Chat." This removes the group for all members. Note that you cannot delete a group you did not create — only the creator has this power.
What happens when you leave a group chat
When you leave a group, you stop receiving messages from that conversation. The group continues to exist for other members, and they can still message in it. Your name will appear in the group's member list with a note that you have left, or your name may disappear entirely depending on the group settings.
If another member adds you back to the group later, you will rejoin and see only new messages from that point forward — you will not see the history of messages sent while you were gone. This is different from muting a group, which keeps you in the chat but silences notifications.
The difference between leaving and muting a group
Leaving a group removes you from it entirely and stops all notifications. Muting a group keeps you as a member but silences notifications so you do not see alerts for new messages. Muting is useful if you want to stay in a group but do not want constant pings.
To mute a group instead of leaving it, open the group, tap or right-click the group name, and select "Mute Notifications" or "Mute Chat." You can choose how long to mute it — 15 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or until you turn notifications back on. You will still be a member and can read messages whenever you open the chat, but you will not receive alerts.
Deleting a group you created
If you created the group and want to remove it completely, you must delete it before leaving. On your phone, open the group, tap the group name, scroll down, and select "Delete Group." On desktop, right-click the group name and select "Delete Chat." Confirm the deletion.
Once you delete a group, it disappears for all members when ready. They will no longer see it in their chat list, and no one can send messages to it. If you delete a group by mistake, you cannot undo the action — you would need to create a new group and re-add members.
If you are not the creator, you cannot delete the group. You can only leave it. If you want the group deleted and you are not the creator, you would need to ask the creator to delete it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a group chat I did not create?
No. Only the person who created the group can delete it. If you are not the creator, you can only leave the group. Once you leave, it will no longer appear in your inbox, but it will continue for other members.
Will people know I left the group?
Yes. When you leave a group, all members receive a notification that says you have left. Your name will either disappear from the member list or show as "left the group," depending on Messenger's settings.
Can I rejoin a group after I leave?
Yes, if another member adds you back. Once you rejoin, you will see only new messages from that point forward. You will not see messages that were sent while you were away from the group.
What is the difference between leaving and deleting a group?
Leaving removes you from the group but leaves it active for others. Deleting removes the group entirely for everyone. Only the group creator can delete a group. If you are not the creator, leaving is your only option.
If I mute a group instead of leaving, will I still get messages?
Yes. Muting silences notifications but keeps you in the group. You will still receive messages and can read them whenever you open the chat — you just will not get alerts when new messages arrive.