What a group text is and how to start one
A group text on iPhone is a single conversation thread where you send one message to multiple people at once, and everyone in the group can see and reply to each other's messages. When you send a message to a group, it goes to all members at the same time instead of you sending separate individual texts.
You start a group text by opening the Messages app, tapping the pencil icon to create a new message, then typing or selecting the names of the people you want to include. Once you add at least two other people (three total including yourself), you have a group text. You can name the group, add or remove people later, and customize how notifications work for that conversation.
Group texts work over regular text messaging (SMS) or iMessage, depending on who is in the group and what devices they use. If everyone has an iPhone and iMessage is turned on, the group uses iMessage and you can see when people are typing and when they have read your message. If even one person has an Android phone or doesn't have iMessage, the group falls back to regular SMS texting.
Key Takeaways
- Start a group text by opening Messages, tapping the compose button, and adding at least two other people to one conversation thread.
- You can name your group text and change the name later by opening the group conversation and tapping the group name at the top.
- Group texts using iMessage (all iPhones) show read receipts and typing indicators, but SMS group texts (with Android users) do not.
- You can add or remove people from an existing group text by opening the conversation, tapping the group name, and selecting edit.
- Muting notifications for a group text lets you stay in the conversation without your phone buzzing constantly.
The step-by-step process to create a group text
Open the Messages app on your iPhone. Tap the pencil-and-paper icon in the upper right corner to start a new message. This opens a blank message screen with a field that says "To:".
Type the first person's name or phone number in the "To:" field. As you type, your contacts appear below — tap the person you want to add. Repeat this for each person you want in the group. You need at least two other people (three total with you) to create a group text.
Once you have added everyone, tap in the message field at the bottom and type your message. Tap the send button (the arrow icon). The message goes to all members at once, and the conversation now appears as a group thread in your Messages list.
How to name your group text
Open the group text conversation. Tap the group name or the circle with initials at the very top of the screen. This opens the group details page.
Tap "Enter a Group Name" (or the existing name if one is already set). Type the name you want — this could be "Book Club," "Work Team," "Roommates," or anything else that helps you remember who is in the group. Tap "Done" when you finish. The name now appears at the top of the conversation for everyone in the group.
If you change your mind later, you can tap the group name again and edit it. Only iMessage groups (all iPhones) support custom names — if your group includes Android users, the name feature may not work or may not show for everyone.
Adding or removing people from an existing group
Open the group text conversation. Tap the group name or initials at the top to open the group details. Tap "Edit" in the upper right corner.
To add someone, tap the plus icon and select a contact or type their phone number. To remove someone, tap the minus icon next to their name and confirm. Tap "Done" when you finish. The group updates when ready, and a message appears in the conversation showing who was added or removed.
Keep in mind that if you remove someone from an iMessage group, they can still see the conversation history up to the point they were removed. They will not see any messages sent after they leave.
The difference between iMessage groups and SMS groups
If everyone in your group has an iPhone and iMessage is turned on, your group uses iMessage. These groups show read receipts (you see when people have read your message), typing indicators (you see the three dots when someone is typing), and support features like custom names and group photos. iMessage groups send over data or WiFi, not through your cell carrier.
If even one person in the group has an Android phone or does not have iMessage enabled, the group falls back to SMS (regular text messaging). SMS groups do not show read receipts or typing indicators, do not support custom group names, and send through your cell carrier. You may also notice that replies in an SMS group sometimes appear as individual texts rather than in one thread, depending on your phone settings.
You cannot convert an SMS group to iMessage or vice versa — the type depends on who is in the group. If you want iMessage features, you would need to remove the Android user and create a separate group with only iPhone users.
Muting notifications so group texts do not interrupt you
Open the group text conversation. Press and hold on the conversation in your Messages list (or swipe left on it), then tap "Mute." You can choose to mute for one hour, eight hours, one day, or indefinitely. The conversation stays in your Messages list, but you will not get notifications when new messages arrive.
Alternatively, open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, scroll down, and toggle off "Notify Me." This mutes the group permanently until you turn notifications back on. You can unmute at any time by repeating the same steps.
Muting is useful for large groups or conversations that get very active. You can still read messages whenever you open the app — you just will not be interrupted by alerts.
What happens when you leave a group text
Open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, scroll down, and tap "Leave This Conversation." You will be removed from the group, and a message appears in the conversation letting everyone know you left. You will no longer receive messages from that group.
If you leave an iMessage group, you can rejoin if someone adds you back. If you leave an SMS group, you may not be able to rejoin — it depends on your carrier and the group settings. You can always ask someone in the group to add you back if you change your mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send a group text to people who do not have iPhones?
Yes. If you add Android users or people without iMessage, the group automatically switches to SMS texting. Everyone can still see and reply to all messages, but you will lose iMessage features like read receipts and typing indicators. The group works the same way — one message goes to everyone at once.
Why do some group texts show as individual messages instead of one thread?
This usually happens with SMS groups that include Android users. Some phones and carriers display group SMS replies as separate threads instead of keeping them in one conversation. You can change this in Settings > Messages > Group Messaging, but the setting depends on your carrier and phone model.
Can I add someone to a group text after I have already started it?
Yes. Open the group conversation, tap the group name at the top, tap "Edit," tap the plus icon, and select the person you want to add. They will see the conversation history from that point forward and can reply to new messages.
What is the maximum number of people I can add to a group text?
There is no hard limit, but very large groups (50+ people) can become slow or cause delivery issues. Most people keep groups to 10 to 20 people for practical reasons — the conversation becomes hard to follow with too many participants.
Do group texts cost extra on my phone plan?
iMessage groups do not cost anything — they use data or WiFi. SMS group texts count as individual messages to each person, so a message to five people uses five of your text messages. If you have unlimited texting, this does not matter. If you have a limited plan, sending to a large SMS group can use up your texts quickly.