Can't Leave a Group Chat on Your iPhone? Here's What You Can Do Instead

Group chats are very convenient: they allow you to have multiple conversations with several people simultaneously and allow you to seamlessly keep the exchanges going. However, you may find yourself wanting to leave a group chat in Messages but unable to do so.

Group chats are very convenient: they allow you to have multiple conversations with several people simultaneously and allow you to seamlessly keep the exchanges going. However, you may find yourself wanting to leave a group chat in Messages but unable to do so.

Below are some reasons why you can't leave group chats on your iPhone—and what you can do instead.

Why Can't I Leave a Group Chat in Apple Messages?

There are two kinds of group chats in Apple Messages: an iMessage group, where everybody in the group is an Apple user; and an SMS/MMS group, which can include a combination of Apple and non-Apple users.

To differentiate the two, an iMessage group has blue speech bubbles while an SMS/MMS group has green ones. As long as at least one person in the group is a non-Apple user, you'll be in an SMS/MMS group, even if the rest are Apple users.

Here's the kicker: SMS/MMS groups don't give you an option to leave.

You can only leave group chats in an iMessage group, when everyone is an Apple user. However, with SMS/MMS groups you can only leave if there are at least three people left in the group, and all of them are using an Apple device. If you can't leave, it's likely that one or more users isn't using an Apple device with a iMessage enabled.

How to Leave a Group Chat on Your iPhone

As mentioned, you can only leave a group chat if everyone is using an Apple device and if at least three people will be left on the thread. To leave:

  • Open the group chat.
  • Tap the group icon or the group name at the top of the thread.
  • Tap the Info (i) button.
  • Scroll down and tap Leave this Conversation.
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    What to Do If You Can't Leave a Group Chat

    If you are part of an SMS/MMS group, leaving is not possible. However, you can still get rid of the noise by simply muting the group. To do this:

  • Open the group chat.
  • Tap the group icon or the group name at the top of the thread.
  • Tap the Info (i) button.
  • Scroll down and toggle the switch on for Hide Alerts.

    • Alternatively, swipe left over the group message, tap the Alerts button, or the bell icon in purple. A crescent icon will appear next to the group chat to indicate that it's muted. To undo this, swipe again and tap the Alerts button again.

    Prevent Notification Burnout

    Keeping connected is a human need. However, back-and-forth talking about nonsense or topics you're not really interested in can be annoying. It may be that you need some solitude and a few hours free from distractions and noise. Muting group conversation, or leaving them altogether for some much-needed quiet, may just be what you need.

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