Group texting on iPhone works through the Messages app and lets you send one message to multiple people at once
A group text message is a single conversation that includes three or more people. When you send a message to a group, everyone in that conversation sees it and can reply. Everyone's replies appear in the same thread, so the whole group can follow along. On iPhone, you create and manage group texts directly in the Messages app — there's no separate app or service to set up.
Group texts work over regular text messaging (SMS) or iMessage, depending on your phone plan and the recipients' devices. If everyone in the group has an iPhone and iMessage is turned on, the conversation will use iMessage by default, which means you can see when people are typing and when they've read your message. If even one person has an Android phone or doesn't have iMessage, the group will fall back to regular SMS texting.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Messages app, tap the compose button (pencil icon), and type the names or numbers of the people you want to include in the group text.
- You can add or remove people from an existing group text by opening the conversation and tapping the group name at the top of the screen.
- Group texts using iMessage show read receipts and typing indicators, but SMS group texts do not have these features.
- You can mute notifications from a group text without leaving the conversation, which stops alerts but keeps the thread visible in your Messages list.
How to start a new group text on iPhone
Open the Messages app and tap the compose button in the top right corner — it looks like a pencil in a square. A new message window will open with a blank "To:" field at the top. Type the first person's name or phone number. As you type, your contacts will appear below the field. Tap the contact you want to add. Repeat this for each person you want in the group — you need at least three people total for it to be a group text.
Once you've added everyone, tap in the message field at the bottom and type your message. When you hit send, the group text is created. The conversation will appear in your Messages list with all the names or numbers of the people included. If you want to give the group a custom name instead of seeing a list of names, you can do that after the first message is sent — tap the group name at the top of the conversation and select "Edit Name and Photo."
Adding or removing people from an existing group text
Open the group conversation you want to change. Tap the group name or the circle with initials at the very top of the screen. A details panel will slide in from the right side showing everyone in the group. Scroll down and you'll see an "Add Contact" button. Tap it and select the person you want to add. They'll be added to the conversation when ready and will see all future messages, but they won't see the message history from before they joined.
To remove someone, open the group details the same way, find their name in the list, and swipe left on their name. A red "Remove" button will appear — tap it. That person will be removed from the group and won't receive any messages sent after that point. You can only remove people if you started the group text or if the group is using iMessage. If the group is using regular SMS, you may not be able to remove people depending on your carrier.
The difference between iMessage and SMS group texts
If everyone in your group has an iPhone with iMessage turned on, your group text will use iMessage automatically. iMessage group texts show you when someone is typing (three dots appear), when they've read your message (a "Read" timestamp appears below), and you can see the delivery status of each message. These features only work if everyone in the group is using iMessage.
If even one person in the group has an Android phone or doesn't have iMessage enabled, the entire group text switches to SMS (regular text messaging). SMS group texts don't show typing indicators or read receipts — you'll only see whether a message was delivered. The conversation will still work the same way, but you won't have those extra features. You can check which type your group is using by looking at the message bubbles — iMessage bubbles are blue, and SMS bubbles are green.
Muting notifications from a group text
Group texts can send a lot of notifications if people are messaging frequently. You can silence alerts without leaving the conversation. Open the group text, swipe left on it in your Messages list, and tap the speaker icon with a slash through it. This mutes notifications from that group. You'll still see new messages in the conversation when you open Messages, but you won't get alerts on your lock screen or hear notification sounds.
If you want more control, you can also set custom notification settings. Open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, scroll down, and tap "Hide Alerts." This does the same thing as muting. To turn notifications back on, swipe left on the conversation again and tap the speaker icon (without the slash) or go back into the group details and toggle "Hide Alerts" off.
Naming your group text and adding a photo
By default, a group text shows the names of everyone in it, which can get long and messy. You can give it a custom name instead. Open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, and select "Edit Name and Photo." Type a name for the group — something like "Book Club" or "Weekend Plans." You can also tap the circle next to the name field to add a photo or emoji as the group's icon. Tap "Done" when you're finished.
The custom name only appears on your phone. Other people in the group will still see the list of members unless they also give the group a custom name on their own phones. This is useful for keeping track of what a group is for, especially if you're in multiple group texts with overlapping sets of people.
What to do if a group text isn't working
If messages aren't sending or people aren't receiving them, first check that everyone's phone number or contact information is correct. Open the group details and verify each person's entry. If someone's contact is wrong, remove them and add them again with the correct information.
If the group text keeps switching between iMessage and SMS, it usually means one person's iMessage is turned off or their phone doesn't support it. You can check your own iMessage status by going to Settings, tapping Messages, and making sure "iMessage" is toggled on. If the problem persists, try removing and re-adding the person having trouble, or ask them to restart their phone and check their iMessage settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see if someone has read my message in a group text?
Yes, but only if the group is using iMessage and everyone in the group has read receipts turned on. A "Read" timestamp will appear below your message showing when each person read it. If the group is using SMS or someone has read receipts turned off, you won't see this information.
What happens if I leave a group text?
On iPhone, you can remove yourself from a group text by opening the conversation, tapping the group name at the top, and selecting "Leave This Conversation." You'll no longer receive messages from that group, and your name will disappear from the group for everyone else. You can always rejoin later if someone adds you back.
Can I send a group text to people who don't have iPhones?
Yes. The group text will automatically switch to SMS mode if anyone has an Android phone or doesn't have iMessage. Everyone will still receive and see all messages, but you won't have read receipts or typing indicators. The conversation works the same way — it just uses regular text messaging instead of iMessage.
How many people can I add to a group text?
iPhone doesn't have a hard limit on group text size, but very large groups (20+ people) can become slow or unreliable depending on your carrier and network. Most people keep group texts to 10 or fewer people for practical reasons — it's easier to follow the conversation and less likely to have delivery problems.
Can I unsend a message in a group text?
Yes, but only in iMessage groups. Press and hold the message you want to unsend, tap "Undo Send," and it will be removed from everyone's phones within two minutes of sending. In SMS group texts, you cannot unsend messages — you can only delete them from your own phone, which doesn't affect what others see.