What a group text is and how to make one
A group text (or group message) is a single conversation that includes three or more people. When you send a message to a group text, everyone in that conversation sees it at once. On iPhone, you create one by opening the Messages app, starting a new message, and adding multiple phone numbers or contact names before you type anything.
The simplest way: tap the pencil-and-paper icon in the top-left corner of Messages, then tap the plus sign next to "To:" and add each person's name or number. Once you have added at least two other people (three total including you), you can type your message and send it to all of them at once.
Group texts work over regular text messaging (SMS) or iMessage, depending on what your phone plan includes and whether the other people have iPhones. The experience is slightly different between the two, which matters if you want to use features like reactions or read receipts.
Key Takeaways
- Open Messages, tap the compose button (pencil icon), and add at least two other people by tapping the plus sign next to "To:" to create a group text.
- Group texts over iMessage (iPhone to iPhone) show read receipts and let you react to messages with emojis; SMS group texts do not have these features.
- You can name a group text by opening the conversation, tapping the group name at the top, and entering a custom name that everyone will see.
- Leaving a group text removes you from the conversation, and you will not see new messages unless someone adds you back in.
The difference between iMessage and SMS group texts
If everyone in the group has an iPhone and iMessage is turned on, your group text will send over iMessage. You will see a blue message bubble, and features like read receipts (small text showing who has read your message) and emoji reactions will work. If even one person in the group has an Android phone or does not have iMessage turned on, the entire conversation switches to SMS, and you will see green message bubbles instead.
SMS group texts are older technology and do not support read receipts or reactions. Some phones also have trouble displaying SMS group texts properly — messages may arrive out of order or show up as individual texts instead of one conversation. If you need everyone to see reactions or know when messages have been read, make sure everyone in the group has an iPhone with iMessage on.
How to name your group text
Open the group text conversation, then tap the names or phone numbers at the very top of the screen. A menu will appear with options to add or remove people and to name the group. Tap "Enter a Group Name" and type whatever you want — this name will show up for everyone in the conversation, not just you.
If the group is using SMS (green bubbles), naming does not work the same way. Some Android phones will not display the group name, so the other people may just see a list of phone numbers instead. Naming works reliably only in iMessage groups (blue bubbles).
Adding and removing people from an existing group
To add someone to a group text you are already in, open the conversation, tap the names at the top, and tap "Add Contact." Find the person you want to add and tap their name. They will see a notification that they have been added to the group, and they will be able to see all future messages.
To remove someone, tap the names at the top, find the person you want to remove, and swipe left on their name. A red "Remove" button will appear. Tap it, and that person will no longer receive messages from the group. They will not be notified that they were removed, but they will notice they are no longer in the conversation.
If you remove yourself from a group text, you will stop receiving messages from that conversation. To rejoin, someone else in the group has to add you back in — you cannot rejoin on your own.
Why some group texts show up as individual messages
If your group text appears as separate one-on-one conversations instead of one group conversation, it is almost always because the group is using SMS and your phone is not set up to group SMS messages together. Go to Settings, tap Messages, and turn on "Group Messaging." This tells your iPhone to treat all messages from the same group as one conversation instead of showing them separately.
If Group Messaging is already on and you still see individual messages, one person in the group may have an older phone or a carrier that does not support grouped SMS. In that case, the only reliable fix is to switch to iMessage by making sure everyone has an iPhone with iMessage turned on.
Muting notifications from a group text
If a group text is sending too many notifications, you can mute it without leaving the conversation. Swipe left on the group text in your Messages list, tap the three dots, and select "Mute." You can choose to mute for one hour, one day, or one week. After that time, notifications will turn back on automatically.
Muting only stops notifications on your phone — you will still receive messages, and other people will not know you muted the conversation. You can unmute at any time by swiping left again and tapping "Unmute."
What happens when you use iMessage reactions in a group
In an iMessage group (blue bubbles), you can react to a specific message with an emoji by pressing and holding on it. Options like a heart, thumbs up, laughing face, or exclamation mark will appear. When you tap one, that reaction shows up next to the message for everyone in the group, and they get a notification that you reacted.
Reactions are useful for quick feedback without sending a whole new message. However, they only work in iMessage groups. If the group switches to SMS (because someone without an iPhone joins), reactions will not work, and you will have to type out your response instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a group text with people who have Android phones?
Yes, but the experience will be different. The group will use SMS instead of iMessage, so you will see green bubbles instead of blue, and features like read receipts and reactions will not work. Some Android users may also see the conversation as individual messages instead of one group thread, depending on their phone.
What is the maximum number of people I can add to a group text?
iPhone does not have a hard limit on group text size, but very large groups (50+ people) can become slow or unreliable, especially over SMS. iMessage groups tend to handle larger numbers better than SMS groups.
If I leave a group text, can I see the old messages?
Yes. Your old messages stay in the conversation thread even after you leave. You will not see new messages sent after you leave unless someone adds you back in, but you can scroll up and read everything that was sent before you left.
Why do some people in my group text not see my messages?
If someone has an older phone, a carrier issue, or iMessage turned off, they may miss messages or receive them late. Ask them to check that iMessage is on in their Settings, or switch to a different messaging app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger where everyone can see messages reliably.
Can I send a group text to people without saving their contact information?
Yes. When you create a new message and tap the plus sign next to "To:", you can type a phone number directly instead of selecting from your contacts. Add as many numbers as you need, then type your message and send.