We have all been there at some point in time over the years of using iOS. Your friends want to create a new group iMessage chat, and it ends up obnoxious, or it’s just time to leave.
You may think that there is no end in sight and that you can’t leave the conversation. Luckily, that is not the case, at least for the most part.
Contents
Quick Tips 
- Open the Messages app and tap into the group message
- For iOS 12+, tap the profile icons at the top and then choose info
- In iOS 11 or earlier, tap the “i” icon
- Tap Leave this Conversation and confirm
Recommended Reading
- Use iMessage on your Windows PC
- How to fix Messages and iMessage problems in iOS 11
- Send and receive iMessages in Airplane Mode
- How to Send Photos in iMessage when using iOS 12
There is another option for you to consider, before simply leaving the group message altogether. This process involves muting the conversation, which is a rather convenient, yet hidden, feature.
What is a Group iMessage According to Apple?
It’s confusing for sure!
Apple considers there to be three types of group messages
- Group iMessage–all participant messages are sent from Apple devices using an Apple ID with iMessage turned on. You see all responses
- Group MMS–group participants send messages from Apple devices and non-Apple devices. Group MMS supports photos and videos as well as texts. You see all replies
- Group SMS–group participants send messages from all types of devices without any multimedia support. Messages are sent as individual texts and people fo not see the responses from the group as a whole
Apple only fully supports one of those groups: Group iMessage
Yup, your device only truly supports iMessage only group messages, where all participants use Apple devices and the messages are in blue bubbles!
Only iMessage group messages allow you to name a group, add or remove people from the group, or leave the group.
You can mute both iMessage groups and MMS groups.
Mute the Group
Instead of just leaving the group conversation, you may just want to mute it for the time being. Apple has included the ability to mute specific conversations, so your notifications stop blowing up.
Only if all of the users in a group are on Apple devices can leave a group.
If anyone in the group is not on an Apple device, you cannot leave the group.
Instead, choose to Mute that group. You can mute both iMessage Groups and MMS Groups–but not SMS Groups.
How To Mute a Message Conversation on iPhone or iPad
- Open the Messages app
- Select the group message chat you want to leave
- In iOS 12 or later, tap the profile icons at the top of the message and then tap info
- For older iOS, tap on the “i” or Details in the top right-hand corner
- Toggle on Hide Alerts
This method is convenient for those group messages that include non-iOS users.
When Hide Alerts is on, you see a crescent moon next to the conversation. This button stops notifications only for that message conversation.
Want to Leave a Group with Android Friends or Family Participants?
For some reason, Apple has yet to make it possible for you to leave group messages with non-iOS users entirely. Part of this has to do with the fact that non-iMessage chats are sent via SMS and using your carrier.
Android devices are not yet capable of taking advantage of iOS and aren’t given the same features when using SMS. In this case, you will be left to contact the creator of the group to remove you from the chat.
If that doesn’t work, you will then need to ask either the creator of the group or someone else to create a new group chat without your number included.
This is somewhat frustrating as it may feel like you don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but it will be better in the end.
Leave Group iMessage
So you’re a part of a group iMessage, and the notifications won’t stop.
Maybe the group is talking about things that do not pertain to you, leaving the message feeling like spam.
Sure, you could mute the notifications for that group chat, but what if you want to remove yourself altogether?
Rules for Leave This Conversation
First off, remember that you won’t see the option to Leave This Conversation from group MMS messages or group SMS messages.
AND the option to Leave This Conversation from a group iMessage is only available when that conversation has at least three other people (so four total including yourself.)
When you have less than four people, Leave This Conversation is greyed out.
Here are the steps to leave a group iMessage Conversation
- Open the Messages app
- Select the group message chat you want to leave
- In iOS 12 or later, tap the profile icons at the top of the message and then tap info
- For older iOS, tap on Details in the top right-hand corner
- Scroll all the way down and select Leave This Conversation
- You can only leave a group message if there are at least 4 participants in the group, including yourself
From there, your device asks you to confirm that you want to leave the chat.
Simply tap confirm, and then you won’t have to worry about an obnoxious group conversation.
Remove others from the group
There will very likely be sometimes that you need to remove someone from a group iMessage.
Whether this is someone who you added accidentally or has no bearing, the process is still pretty easy, straightforward, and painless.
Just like Leave this Conversation, you can only remove a person from a group iMessage that has at least three other people–so four total including you!
And you can’t add or remove people from group MMS messages or group SMS messages.
Here are the steps to remove someone from a group iMessage:
- Open the Messages app
- Select the group message chat
- In iOS 12 or later, tap the profile icons at the top of the message and then choose info
- In older iOS, tap Details or the “i” in the top right-hand corner
- Swipe left over the name of the contact you want to remove
- Tap Remove
- If you don’t see Remove as an option, it’s likely there are less than four total people in the conversation, or there is a combination of Apple and non-Apple devices on the message thread
- Tap Done
Once completed, iOS automatically removes that person from the group.
This procedure keeps your group name in-tact, along with any of the history of the chat.
It’s important to remove users if you want to keep the history of the entire conversation.
Conclusion
There is no doubt about the fact that iMessage is the best messaging platform for iOS users. Google continues to struggle in this regard, with some Android users requesting that iMessage be made available on Google’s operating system.
Nonetheless, there are loads of features packed into the Messages app, and these are just a few. If you have any questions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. If there are any tips that you would like to see covered, please don’t hesitate to sound off in the comments.
Reader Tips 
- J Smith suggests for folks wanting out of group text threads that include Android users and others, to block those contacts. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Blocking and Identification > Block Contact. Or, tap the group text message thread you want out of, tap the “i” button. Then, one by one, tap the names or phone numbers on the thread, scroll to the bottom of their Contact Information screen and select Block this Caller
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
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There has to be a way for us iPhone users to Leave a conversation whenever we want.
What does someone using android phone has to do with my iPhone.
This is just another way for iPhone to come up with another number phone and the only upgrade is that you can leave a group chat. How ridiculous!!!
What I need is for Apple to create a way to force users to ask people or contacts if they agree to be included in a group.
Too many people had created groups and included me and I can not leave those groups.
I chose to “leave this conversation”, but still receive all the messages and responses when they start sending and receiving messages in that group.
I no longer see every person in the group because I left it, but everyone keeps me in the group.
I’m not sure if it’s legal that Apple has created that form of group message where thousands of people complain about those annoying messages.
I feel that my privacy is invaded.
We recently got new Verizon phone numbers and are now getting group messages from a group called Free People. Entered the thread asking how to remove our number. Didn’t get an answer. How do I remove the number?
Hi Jean,
You cannot remove their number but you can put a block on that number. In order to do this, you first need to add “Free People” to your contacts with their associated number(s).
Once Free People is in your contacts, open one of the messages from them. Then, tap their name at the top of the message and tap the “i” button.
Tap their name again to open that contact card, then choose Block this Caller from the options.
You can also block a contact using Settings: go to Settings > Messages > Blocked and add that Contact card (for Free People).
While in your Message App settings, we suggest you also filter unknown senders in iMessages: go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders
Hope this helps,
Liz
I’m trying to remove my self from a group text, I did all the instructions above but my phone doesn’t have the “leave this conversation” option. My phone uses the ios12 or later.
Hi Allan,
It could be one of two things:
1) the group text includes folks using SMS (green bubbles)
2) there aren’t enough people in the group message
if someone else set up a three person group could i add a fourth to the group and then leave the conversations?
Hi Shawn,
Yes, you should be able to do this. Anyone in a group iMessage should be able to add or remove someone from that group conversation.
First, open Messages and tap on the group conversation.
At the top, tap the profile icons, then tap the info button “i”
To add someone new, tap the + Add Contact
Once added, tap the red Leave this Conversation and confirm
That should do it! Let us know.
Liz
why is there no option to leave a convo if some people are using Android devices in the group messages?
it’s really frustrating and I can’t block them all because I talk to the majority of the people on a daily basis.
I always could leave messages on my android devices in the past. I now have an iPhone X
This is not true for iOS 12.1.4
There is no longer an option to “Leave the Conversation”…
Hi Jay,
If you don’t see this option to Leave this Conversation or it’s grayed out, then it’s likely that the group includes folks using non-Apple devices, like Android phones.
You also won’t see this option or it shows up grayed out if your group includes 3 people or less.
We confirmed seeing this option on conversations with iMessage users only (Apple devices) using iOS 12.1.4 and 12.2 (beta version) on several of our devices (iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone 7, and iPad Pro.)
Go into CONTACT LIST and individually BLOCK each callers phone # that is on the thread. Chances are if you want out from the thread you don’t want a phone call anytime soon either. You can always reverse it if you wish.
Hi J Smith,
Good idea.
Thanks for sharing!
It is downright ridiculous that in 2019 we still can’t choose to leave whatever group text message we want.
What do we have to do? A petition? Please let us know!
I have tried the suggestions but people don’t listen or care.
It shouldn’t get to the point where I have to completely block contacts but that’s what I will do for now.
Lord Almighty I so agree!! Why must we be tortured by a group chat that you want no part of?! They have GOT to fix this
It’s frustrating that Apple won’t let you get out of group messages that include folks using Android.
I’d say about 99% of my group text messages includes people using Android AND iOS
Why can’t Apple offer us a way to get out of these types of messages–probably the most common kind!
Why can’t you leave a group conversation if the is someone on a non-Apple device in the conversation?
Makes me nuts!!
So I have tried to google and can’t find a good answer for this?
best option it says it to leave a chat someone else put me in is to hide the conversation but I don’t wanna be in the conversation at all anymore and don’t want to be able to read what they’re saying in the conversation either is there really o solution to leave someone’s group chat that adds me?
Hi Robert,
If you don’t see the option to Leave This Conversation when pressing into the details of the group message, then the only option is to toggle on Hide Alerts–this won’t remove you from the group message but it will remove any notifications for this conversation.
Yes, it is a real problem that we cannot willfully leave a group text message conversation that includes folks on iPhones and Android phones (or others.)
Consider leaving your feedback to Apple Developers to ask for this option in upcoming iOS updates.
IPhone 7plus, iOS 12.
Removing party in 3-party chat did not work. I tap, I swipe and it takes me to her My contacts. I’m frustrated! Help please
Hi Nancy,
This is indeed frustrating!
Unfortunately, at this time Apple only allows you to remove a person from a group iMessage when there are least four total people–not three!
Yuck!
So the phone won’t let me delete any people from my group chat at all. Please help, it has 18 people so it should work but it won’t and I’m panicking.
Is there a way to find out who created the group chat you were in?
Hi Jennifer,
The only way we know of is to scroll up to the top of the message thread to locate the initial sender of the group chat.
If folks have other ideas, please share!
Sam
“Leave this conversation” is no longer on the IOS 12…. I used to be able to “Leave this Conversation” before…..
Hi Klynn,
If you don’t see the “Leave this Conversation” option, check if someone in the discussion is not using iMessage or an iPhone. The option is not available on group messages that include any SMS or MMS participants (like folks using Android phones.)
Additionally, you can only leave group iMessages that have at least three other people.
Why can’t I remove ME from a group iMessage.
Hi Harold,
To remove yourself from an iMessage or SMS text group, please do the following:
Select the group message chat you want to leave
Tap on Details in the top right-hand corner
Scroll all the way down and select Leave This Conversation
Then, confirm that you want to leave the chat.
Sam
This does not work for me when trying to remove someone from the group message. Once I clicked on “info” I can only see the person contact .. swipe left does not work.
Not possible on my iPhone 7 (IOS 12.1). There is neither a “Details” link, nor a “Leave This Conversation” option available under the info (i) link. However, for some reason, “Leave This Conversation” is available for my husband – on the same message thread – on an *older iPhone* (6, IOS 11.2.2). I do not understand how this can be possible.