How to Make a Group Chat with iMessage
By Jessica RegheliniUpdated on June 10, 2018
Want to talk to multiple people at once using iMessage, but not sure how to set up a group coversation? We know that it can be frustrating and time-consuming having to send separate messages to different people, or conveying a message from one person to another. So today, we’ll show you how to make a group chat on your iPhone or iPad using iMessage.
Setting up an iMessage group chat
1. Open iMessage.
Tap the Messages icon to access your messages.
2. Tap the New Conversation icon in the top right corner to begin a new conversation.
In the top-right corner, tap the New Conversation button to open a new chat.
3. Type in the phone numbers, email addresses, or names of the people you want to include in your group.
On the next screen, you’ll see a text box at the top. Here, type in the contact information for each person you want to add to your conversation. If you begin typing in the name of one of your saved contacts, you will see it appear below. Tap the contact’s name to add them to your messaging group.
4. Type your message.
Now, tap the text box lower down on your screen (above your keyboard).
5. Tap the blue arrow button to send your message.
When you’re done typing in your message, tap the blue arrow button to send it off to all of the people you included.
6. Set a name for your group.
Once you’ve started a group chat on iMessage, you can add a customized name for it. This name will be visible to all members of your converastion. To set it, tap the "i" button in the top right corner of your chat window.
Then tap Enter a Group Name, and type in what you’d like it to be. When you’re finished, tap Done.
That’s all you need to do to set up a group chat. There are a few things you should keep in mind when using the multi-person chat feature, so we’re going to cover those now.
Notes about iMessage group chats
1. Remember that all of the members of your group must have an Apple device with iMessage enabled in order for it to work properly.
iMessage comes pre-installed on Apple iOS devices and Mac computers, but is not available for other types of devices. In order for you to be able to include someone in your chat, they have to have an Apple device with iMessage activated. You can learn how to activate it with our tutorial here.
If you go through the process of creating a group message and accidentally include someone who does not have iMessage enabled, your message will be sent to each person individually. Your conversation will not appear as one cohesive chat, and if any of the people included respond to your message, only you will receive their responses – not everyone you tried to include.
2. Keep in mind that whatever you send in a chat will be visible to everyone. Only include people you trust.
Remember that anything you send in your conversation will be visible to all of the members, and once they’ve received it they have the ability to do whatever they like with what you’ve sent. Only engage in group chats with people you know and trust. The other people included in it could potentially screenshot your conversation and share it with others.
3. You can leave a group message at any time.
If you don’t want to be part of a group message anymore, you can leave it if you wish, at any time. Check out this article to learn how to leave one.
That’s everything you need to know about setting up iMessage group chats. There are other helpful tutorials in this course, so check out some others like how to remove yourself from a group message or how to delete messages if you want to learn more. Leave us a comment if you have any questions or suggestions.