Send a group text message on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Stay connected to the conversations that matter the most to you. Find out how to start a group text message with your friends, family and colleagues.

  • Make sure that your device has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
  • If you're using an Apple device that's not an iPhone, make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with your Apple ID.

Types of group text message

There are three types of group message that you may see: group iMessage, group MMS and group SMS. The Messages app automatically chooses the type of group message to send based on settings, network connection and service provider plan. For example:

  • If you and your recipients are using Apple devices and iMessage is turned on, then the group message is sent as an iMessage.
  • If you send a group message to people who aren't using iMessage, then the message is sent as an MMS or SMS message.

iPhone showing a group text iMessage with five people.

Group iMessage

These messages appear in blue text bubbles. They go through Apple instead of your service provider and are protected by end-to-end encryption. In a group iMessage, everyone can:

  • Send and receive photos, videos and audio messages
  • See all responses from the group
  • Send and receive message effects, such as sketches, animations, bubble effects and more
  • Share their location with the group
  • Give the group a name, add or remove people from the group, mute notifications or leave the group

iPhone showing a group text MMS message with six people.

Group MMS

These messages appear in green text bubbles and go through your carrier instead of Apple. In a group MMS, everyone can:

  • Send and receive photos and videos
  • See all responses from the group
  • Mute notifications

Group SMS

These messages also appear in green text bubbles and go through your carrier. Group SMS messages don't support multimedia attachments, like photos or videos. All responses in a group SMS are sent as individual text messages and the recipients can't see the other responses from the group.

iPhone showing how to send a group text message. Message is being entered but hasn't been sent yet.

Send a group text message

  1. Open Messages and tap the Compose button.
  2. Enter the names or tap the Add buttonadd contact to add people from your contacts.
  3. Type your message, then tap the Send buttonsend icon.

To send a group MMS message on an iPhone, make sure MMS Messaging is turned on. Go to Settings > Messages and turn on MMS Messaging. If you don't see an option to turn on MMS Messaging or Group Messaging, contact your carrier to see if your plan supports Group MMS Messaging.

With iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, photos, links and other content that are sent within the group message will appear in the Shared with You section of the corresponding content apps. If you don't want to see the photos and other content in Shared with You, go to the group message, tap the top of the thread, then turn off Show in Shared with You.

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