Tired of the Dings? How to Leave a Group Chat on iPhone

Oren Todoros
By Oren Todoros, Updated on September 19, 2023, 9 min read
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How to leave or mute a group chat on iPhone

Sometimes your iPhone group chats are going crazy, and you end up in a situation where you want to leave a group. If you’re wondering how to leave a group chat on iPhone, keep reading as we will walk through all the steps.

 

Group chats on iPhones are very convenient: they allow you to have multiple conversations with several people simultaneously and make it easier to continue a discussion as new participants join. But at times, you may find yourself wanting to leave a group chat that won’t let you do so—for whatever reason.

 

If you’re struggling with how to leave a group chat on iPhone, we’ve got all the information.

 

 

How to Leave a Group Chat on iPhone

Apple’s Messages app has two kinds of group chats: an iMessage group and an SMS/MMS one. The former includes only Apple users who rely on the company’s proprietary instant messaging service to exchange texts, while the latter consists of a combination of Apple and non-Apple people exchanging texts and media over cellular networks via the SMS protocol.

 

If all the people in the group are Apple users, your group will be filled with blue iMessage speech bubbles. If even one member of the group chat uses an Android phone, however, speech bubbles will be green.

 

And there’s more: SMS/MMS groups don’t give you an option to leave because they aren’t actually instant messaging. These messages go through your carrier over a custom protocol.

 

It’s possible to leave a group chat, but only if everyone else in that group is also using Apple devices.  So, if you can’t leave, it’s likely that one or more users aren’t using Apple devices and don’t have iMessage enabled.

 

How to leave group chat on iPhone

If everyone is using iMessage, here's how to leave a group chat:

  1. In Messages, open the group chat.

  2. Tap the group icon or name at the top of your thread to access it.

  3. Then tap Leave this Conversation to exit from a particular chat room entirely and confirm that you would like everyone else in that conversation to be notified about leaving them (as well as who did).

 

Discover More:

 

Mute a Group Chat Without Leaving on iPhone

 

Muting group chat on iPhone

 

If you’re in a noisy group chat that you want to silence for a period, but you’re not ready to leave it, you do have the option to mute it.

Here's how:

  1. Open the group chat in the Messages app.

  2. Tap the group icon or the group name at the top of the group chat.

  3. Scroll down and toggle the switch on to Hide Alerts.

Muting a thread won’t prevent a badge from appearing on your home screen, though. You can also swipe left over the group message text thread and tap on the Alerts button (the bell icon in purple). This will add a crescent moon icon next to your chat’s name to indicate it’s muted. When you’re ready to unmute the group, swipe left on the thread and hit the Alerts button again.

 

 

How to Mute SMS Group Chats on iPhone

As we mentioned in the beginning, it’s impossible to actually leave a group SMS chat. However, you can choose to mute it. To do this, open the conversation and tap on group chat icon to visit the chat page. Next, toggle Mute. You’ll see a crescent moon icon next to your chat’s name, indicating it’s muted. It would be great if Apple would work with the carriers to implement a way to leave an SMS group chat, but would likely need to implement RCS in order to do this. If you’ve recently updated to iOS 16, Apple does have a host of new iMessage features. Unfortunately, Apple has yet to release iMessage on Android.

 

 

A Better way to Group Chat on iPhone: Spike

iMessage for PC

 

If you’ve struggled with wanting to use iMessage on PC or iMessage on Windows 11, Spike might be your best option. Spike is an email client that looks and feels like iMessage. It allows you to send and receive messages from your iPhone to a Windows user or iPhone to Android. You can also use Spike to send messages from Android to someone using macOS. Spike supports group chats, emojis, and GIFs.

 

Start using the iMessage solution for your group chat
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Spike also lets you send files, collaborate on documents, and send photos and videos using cloud storage. If you’re looking for an alternative for iMessage for PC (Windows 10 and 11) or Android, then Spike is the absolute best option available.

FAQs

A group chat is a chat where multiple people can communicate with each other in the same conversation. Group chats can be found on messaging apps, social media platforms, and other communication tools.

The method for creating a group chat may vary depending on the app or tool you are using. Generally, you can start a group chat by selecting the “create group” or “new group” option within the messaging or chat interface, and then adding contacts or members to the group.

The number of people that can be in a group chat can vary depending on the app or tool you are using. Some group chats may allow a maximum of 10-20 members, while others may allow hundreds or even thousands of members.

Some group chats may allow you to customize the chat name, profile picture, and other settings. These options can usually be found within the chat settings or by tapping on the group name.

Some group chats may show read receipts or indicate when a message has been read by other members of the chat. This feature may depend on the app or tool you are using, and can usually be found in the chat settings or by tapping on individual messages.

Group chat benefits a variety of people and groups, including friends and family, coworkers and teams, students and classmates, interest groups and communities, and event organizers and participants. It provides a convenient and efficient way for people to communicate and collaborate with each other, regardless of location or time constraints. Whether for personal or professional reasons, group chat can be a helpful tool for anyone who needs to stay connected and informed with others.

The ideal platform will depend on the specific needs and preferences of the group. Some popular options include Spike, WhatsApp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and Discord, among others. Each platform offers different features, such as file sharing, video conferencing, and integrations with other apps, so it is important to consider which features are most important for your group. Ultimately, the best group chat app or tool is one that is user-friendly, reliable, and meets the communication needs of the group.

To find a team chat group, there are several methods you can try. First, if you are already part of a team or organization, check with your team leader or supervisor to see if they have already created a team chat group. If not, you can search for relevant groups on social media platforms, online forums, or specialized team chat apps. You can also ask colleagues or peers in your industry if they know of any relevant team chat groups. Finally, if you are interested in starting your own team chat group, you can create one yourself using a chat app or tool and invite others to join.

Oren Todoros
Oren Todoros Oren is a strategic thinker with over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry and is the current Head of Content Strategy at Spike. He's also the proud father of 3 beautiful daughters and a dog named Milo.

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