Group chats can be very useful. They allow you to communicate with multiple people at once and let you keep the conversation going. You may want to leave a group chat but are unable to.
Here are some reasons you won’t be able to leave group chats from your iPhone.
Why can’t I leave a group chat in Apple Messages
Apple Messages offers two types of group chats: one is an iMessage group where everyone in the group has an Apple device; and another is an SMS/MMS group which can have a mix of Apple and non-Apple users.
An iMessage group uses blue speech bubbles, while a SMS/MMS group uses green. This helps to distinguish the two. You’ll be part of an SMS/MMS group as long as at least one member is not an Apple user.
The kicker is that SMS/MMS groups do not offer an option to leave.
Group chats can only be left in an iMessage group if everyone is an Apple user. You can’t leave SMS/MMS group chats if there aren’t at least three members and they all have an Apple device. It’s possible that you cannot leave because one or more of the group members isn’t using an Apple phone with iMessage enabled.
How to leave a group chat on your iPhone
You can’t leave a group chat unless everyone uses an Apple device. Also, at least three people must remain on the thread. To exit:
- Chat with the group.
- Tap the group icon at the top of your thread or the group name.
- Tap the Info button.
- Scroll down to tap Leave This Conversation.
What to do if you can’t leave a group chat
You cannot leave an SMS/MMS group if you are a member. You can however, muffle the group to get rid of all the noise. This is how to do it:
- Chat with the group.
- Tap the group icon at the top of your thread or the group name.
- Tap the Info button.
- Scroll down to toggle the switch for Hide Alarms.
Alternatively, swipe left on the group message and tap the Alerts buttons or the purple bell icon. To indicate that the group chat is muted, a crescent icon appears next to it. You can undo this by swiping again and tapping the Alerts button.
Avoid Notification Burnout
Humans need to stay connected. It can be irritating to go back and forth about topics or nonsense that you don’t really care about. You may need to be alone and free from noise and distractions for a while. You may find that you just need to silence the group chat or leave them alone for some much-needed peace and quiet.
