What a group text actually is
A group text is a single conversation that includes three or more people at once. When you send a message, everyone in that group sees it — and when anyone replies, the whole group sees that reply too. It works on the same app you use for regular texts: Messages on iPhone, or Messages on Android.
The key difference from a regular text is that you are not sending the same message to five people separately. You are creating one thread where all five people can see each other's words in order. If someone asks a question, everyone sees the answer. If someone makes a joke, everyone laughs at the same moment.
Group texts live on your phone the same way regular texts do. They do not require a special app, a password, or anyone to create an account. They work over the same cellular network or WiFi that your regular texts use.
Key Takeaways
- Start a group text by opening Messages, tapping the compose button, and adding three or more phone numbers or contact names to the recipient field.
- On iPhone, you can name the group so everyone sees the group name at the top of the conversation; on Android, the group name appears only if everyone in the group uses Android.
- Everyone in the group can see all previous messages, so new people added later will not see what was said before they joined.
- Group texts use your regular text message plan, so they count toward your monthly message limit if you have one.
- If the group is very large or you want to send the same message without group conversation, use a broadcast list instead, which sends individual texts that look like they came from you alone.
How to start a group text on iPhone
Open the Messages app and tap the pencil-and-paper icon in the top right corner (or swipe left and tap "New Message"). This opens a blank message window.
In the "To:" field at the top, type or paste the phone numbers or contact names of the people you want to include. Separate each one with a comma or just tap each name as it appears in your contacts. You need at least three people for it to be a group text — if you add only two, it will send as a regular one-on-one text to each person.
Once you have added everyone, type your message and tap Send. The conversation will now appear as a group thread in your Messages list. If you want to name the group, open the conversation, tap the group name or "Details" at the top, and select "Edit Name." Type a name like "Book Club" or "Weekend Plans" and tap Done. Everyone in the group will see that name at the top of the conversation.
How to start a group text on Android
Open the Messages app (usually called Messages, Google Messages, or Samsung Messages depending on your phone). Tap the pencil icon or the plus sign to start a new conversation.
Tap "New Group" or "Create Group" — the exact wording depends on which Messages app you have. Select the contacts you want to add by tapping their names. You need at least three people. Once you have selected everyone, tap Next or Continue.
Type a group name if you want one — this is optional. The group name will appear at the top of the conversation, but only if everyone in the group is using Android. If someone in the group has an iPhone, they may not see the group name. Type your first message and tap Send.
What happens when you add someone new to an existing group
When you add a new person to a group text that already has messages in it, that person can see all future messages but not the old ones. They will not be able to scroll back and read what was said before they joined. This is different from group chats in apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, where new members can usually see the full history.
If you want new people to know what they missed, you can copy and paste important parts of the conversation or give them a quick summary before adding them. Let them know they are joining mid-conversation so they do not feel lost.
Group texts versus broadcast lists
A broadcast list (also called a broadcast message or distribution list) looks like a group text to you, but each person receives an individual text from you — they do not see the other recipients or each other's replies. Broadcast lists are useful when you want to send the same message to many people without creating a group conversation.
On iPhone, open Messages, tap the pencil icon, and look for "Create List" or "New Group" — if you create a group with the group name feature turned off, it functions like a broadcast list. On Android, some versions of Messages have a "Broadcast List" option in the menu; others do not. If yours does not, you can create a regular group and straightforward not use it for back-and-forth conversation.
Use a broadcast list when you are sending an announcement to many people (like a work schedule or a party invitation) and you do not want replies to clutter a group conversation. Use a regular group text when you want everyone to be able to talk to each other.
Text message limits and costs
Group texts count toward your monthly text message limit the same way regular texts do. If your plan includes unlimited texts, group texts are unlimited too. If you have a limit — for example, 500 texts per month — each message you send to a group counts as one message toward that limit, not one per person.
Group texts use cellular data or WiFi the same way regular texts do. They do not require a data plan beyond what you already have. If you are traveling internationally or on a limited plan, group texts may incur the same per-message charges as regular texts, depending on your carrier.
Common things that go wrong with group texts
If someone in the group has an older phone or uses a different messaging app, they may not receive group texts at all, or the conversation may break into individual texts. This happens most often when mixing very old Android phones with newer iPhones. If this happens, ask that person to check their Messages app settings or consider using a different platform like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger for that group.
If you remove someone from a group, they will not receive future messages, but they can still see the conversation history on their phone. They cannot be prevented from seeing what was said while they were in the group. If you need to remove sensitive information, you will have to delete the entire conversation and start fresh.
Group texts can sometimes fail to send if the group is very large (more than 20 or 30 people) or if one person's phone number is invalid. If a message does not go through, try removing the person with the problem number or breaking the group into smaller groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone to a group text after it has already started?
Yes. Open the group conversation, tap the group name or Details at the top, and select "Add Contact" or the plus icon. Choose the person you want to add. They will see all future messages but not the conversation history from before they joined.
What is the difference between a group text and a group chat?
A group text uses your regular text message plan and works through your phone's built-in Messages app. A group chat usually refers to conversations in apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or iMessage (which is Apple's chat service). Group chats often have more features like read receipts, typing indicators, and the ability for new members to see old messages.
Do I need WiFi for group texts to work?
No. Group texts work over cellular networks the same way regular texts do. They will also work over WiFi if your phone is connected, but WiFi is not required. If you have no cell signal and no WiFi, the message will not send until you have one or the other.
Can I remove someone from a group text?
Yes, but only on iPhone. Open the group, tap Details, tap the person's name, and select "Remove from Group." On Android, this feature is not available in most versions of Messages. If you need to remove someone, you may have to create a new group without them.
What happens if someone leaves a group text?
If someone removes themselves from the group (on iPhone), they will stop receiving messages. On Android, most people cannot remove themselves — they would have to delete the conversation, which removes it from their phone but does not notify the group. The group continues without them.