What a group is and why you'd make one

A group on iPhone is a collection of contacts you bundle together so you can send a message or email to all of them at once. Instead of typing the same text to five people individually, you create a group called "Book Club" or "Work Team", add those five contacts to it, and send one message that reaches everyone. The group lives in your Contacts app and in your Messages app, depending on which one you use to create it.

Groups are useful when you regularly message the same set of people — a sports team, a family branch, a project team at work, or friends planning something together. You do not have to recreate the list each time.

Key Takeaways

  • You can create a group in the Contacts app by opening the Groups tab, tapping the plus sign, naming the group, and adding contacts one by one.
  • You can also create a group in the Messages app by starting a new message, adding multiple recipients, and saving the conversation as a group.
  • A group created in Contacts appears in both Contacts and Messages; a group created in Messages exists only there.
  • You can add or remove people from a group at any time by editing the group in Contacts.
  • Sending a message to a group sends it to each person individually — they do not see each other's replies unless you use a group thread.

Creating a group in the Contacts app

Open the Contacts app on your iPhone. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Groups tab (it looks like two overlapping circles). In the upper left corner, tap Edit. Then tap the plus sign in the upper right corner to create a new group.

Type a name for the group — "Soccer Team", "Mom's Side", "Project X" — and tap Save. The group now exists but is empty. To add people, tap the plus sign next to "add contact", then search for and select each person you want to include. Tap Save when you are done.

Once the group is created, you can send a message or email to it from the Contacts app by tapping the group name, then tapping the message or email icon. You can also find the group in your Messages app and start a conversation there.

Creating a group in the Messages app

Open Messages and tap the pencil icon in the upper left to start a new message. Type or search for the first contact you want to add, then tap their name. Keep adding contacts one by one until everyone is in the field at the top.

Type your message and send it. The conversation thread will now include all those people. If you want to save this group for future use, tap the group name at the top of the thread, then tap Info. Scroll down and toggle on "Hide Alerts" or just leave the thread open — it will stay in your Messages list as a group conversation.

Note: A group created this way exists only in Messages. If you want the group to appear in Contacts as well, create it in the Contacts app instead.

Adding or removing people from a group

To change who is in a group, open Contacts, tap Groups, and select the group you want to edit. Tap Edit in the upper right. To add someone, tap the plus sign and search for their name. To remove someone, swipe left on their name and tap Delete.

If you created the group in Messages instead, open the conversation, tap the group name at the top, then tap Info. Tap "Edit Group Name and Photo" to add or remove people there. Changes you make in Messages do not affect the group in Contacts, and vice versa — they are separate lists.

What happens when you send a message to a group

When you send a message to a group in iPhone, each person receives it as an individual message from you, not as a group text. This means they see your message in their regular message thread with you, not in a separate group conversation. Their replies come back to you individually.

If you want everyone to see each other's replies in one thread, use iMessage group chat instead. Start a new message in Messages, add multiple contacts, and send — iMessage will automatically create a group thread where everyone can see all replies. This only works if all recipients use iMessage (Apple devices); if anyone uses regular SMS, the group will not function the same way.

Editing the group name and photo

In Contacts, open the group, tap Edit, then tap the group name at the top to change it. You can also add a photo to represent the group — tap the empty circle at the top and choose a photo from your library or take a new one.

In Messages, open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, then tap "Edit Group Name and Photo". The same options appear. Any changes you make in Messages only affect that conversation; the group in Contacts stays the same unless you edit it there separately.

Deleting a group

To delete a group in Contacts, open the Groups tab, tap Edit, then swipe left on the group name and tap Delete. This removes the group from Contacts but does not delete the individual contacts themselves.

To delete a group conversation in Messages, swipe left on the conversation and tap Delete. This removes the thread from your Messages list but does not affect the group in Contacts if you created it there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send a message to a group and have everyone see each other's replies?

Yes, but only if you use iMessage and everyone in the group has an Apple device. Start a new message in Messages, add multiple contacts, and send — iMessage creates a group thread where all replies are visible to everyone. If anyone uses Android or regular SMS, the group will not work this way.

What is the difference between a group in Contacts and a group in Messages?

A group in Contacts is a permanent list that appears in both apps. A group in Messages is a conversation thread that exists only in Messages. If you want the same group available in both places, create it in Contacts.

Can I add someone to a group after I create it?

Yes. Open the group in Contacts or Messages, tap Edit, then tap the plus sign to add a new contact. You can remove people the same way by swiping left on their name and tapping Delete.

Do people in my group know they are in a group?

Not unless you tell them. If you send a message to a group in Contacts, each person receives it as an individual message from you. If you use an iMessage group thread in Messages, everyone sees the group and each other's names.

Can I create a group with people who are not in my Contacts?

In Contacts, you can only add people already saved there. In Messages, you can start a group conversation with anyone by typing their phone number or email address, even if they are not a saved contact.