How to Group Text on the iPhone

A group text is the easiest way to chat with all your friends with a single group text message conversation. All the conversation happens in one place, everyone sees, it and there's no need for phone tag. Here's how to use group texts to text multiple people using the iPhone Messages app.

How to Group Text People on the iPhone

To send a group text using the iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Tap Messages to open it.

2. Tap the new message icon (looks like a pencil and paper).

3. If the people you want to text are in your address book, go to the To field, type a recipient's name or phone number, and select a name from the autocomplete list. Or, tap the + icon, then tap the name of the person you want to add to the group message.

   If the people you want to text aren't in your address book, tap the To field and enter their phone number or their Apple ID.

4. After you add the first recipient, repeat these steps until everyone you want to text is listed in the To field.

5. Write the message you want to send to the group text.

6. Tap Send (the up arrow next to the message field) to deliver the text message to everyone listed in to To field.

iPhone Group Text Details

A few things to keep in mind about sending group texts on the iPhone:

• When texting with a group of people, every response to your original text is sent to everyone on the original message (unless someone starts a separate conversation, that is).
• If everyone in the conversation is an iPhone user, the text message appears with a blue bubble, to indicate that the text was sent using Apple's iMessage. The message is encrypted, and it doesn't count against any monthly texting limits.
• If one person in the group isn't an iPhone user, your messages are sent as standard text messages (i.e., not sent through iMessage and not encrypted). In that case, the text message is a green bubble.
• Anything that can be sent to a single person can also be sent in group chats, including photos, videos, and emoji.
• Not everything that works on iPhone works on another phone. Your messages will always work, but some add-ons won't. For example, Animoji don't work on Android phones or iPhones with iOS 10 or earlier. Some animations won't work for Android users either.

How to Name Group Text Conversations on iPhone

By default, group texts are named using the names of the people in the chat. If everyone in the chat is using an iOS device, you can name the chat.

1. Open Messages and open the chat you want to name.

2. Go to the top of the screen, tap the icons of the people in the chat, then tap the i info icon.

3. Tap Enter a Group Name.

4. Enter a name, then tap Done.

How to Mute Alerts From an iPhone Text Message Group

Depending on your notification settings, you may get a notification every time you receive a text. If there's a busy group conversation, you may want to mute those alerts. Here's how:

1. Open Messages and open the group chat you want to mute.

2. At the top of the screen, tap the pictures of the people in the chat or the name of the chat to reveal a group of icons.

3. Tap the i icon.

4. Turn on the Hide Alerts toggle switch.

5. A moon icon appears next to this conversation in the Messages list so you know it's muted.

   You can also do this from the main Messages screen that lists all of your conversations. From that screen, swipe right to left on a group conversation and tap Hide Alerts.

How to Add or Remove People From an iPhone Group Chat

If you start a group text and after a few messages realize you need someone else in it, add that person to the group. Here's how:

1. Open Messages and open the chat you want to add people to.

2. At the top of the screen, tap the pictures of the people in the chat or the name of the chat.

3. Tap the i icon under the pictures.

4. Tap Add Contact.

5. In the Add field, start typing and either select autocomplete suggestions or enter a full phone number or Apple ID.

6. Tap Done.

7. You can also use this process to remove someone from the group text. In that case, instead of tapping Add Contact, swipe left on the person's name and tap Remove.

   There must be at least three people in the group to remove a contact.

How to Leave an iPhone Group Text Conversation

If you want to leave a group conversation, there must be at least three other people in the group and everyone in the group has to be using an Apple device. Here's what to do:

1. Open Messages and open the chat you want to leave.

2. Tap the i icon.

3. Tap Leave this Conversation.