- How to create a group chat on Messenger: the short version
- How to create a group chat on Messenger on a phone
- How to create a group chat on Messenger on a computer
- Naming a Messenger group chat and adding people later
- Group chat or community on Messenger: which do you want?
- If you can't create a group chat on Messenger
- Using a Messenger group chat for a small business
- Keeping a Messenger group chat useful
- Frequently asked questions
To create a group chat on Messenger, open your chats list, tap or click the compose icon, choose the people you want, write your first message and send it. The group begins when you send. On a computer, click the compose icon next to Chats and type each person's name.
Group chats are the quickest way to get several people talking in one place: a team planning a launch, family sorting out a weekend, a committee agreeing a date. Messenger makes it a short job, but the button you need isn't labelled the same way on every device, and there's a separate feature called a community that people often mix up with it. Here's what Messenger's help centre says, in plain steps.
How to create a group chat on Messenger: the short version
Messenger's help article on starting a group chat describes the same idea on every device. You open the compose option from your chats list, choose the people you want, write your first message and send it. Because the group begins with that first message, there's no separate Create button to hunt for on most versions. Menus vary by app version, so the icon may look slightly different from the one I describe.
How to create a group chat on Messenger on a phone
- Open the Messenger app and stay on your list of chats.
- Tap the compose icon (the pencil or new message icon, usually at the top of the screen).
- Choose the people you want in the group. You need to pick more than one person for it to be a group rather than a one-to-one chat.
- Write your first message.
- Tap send. The group chat now exists and everyone you picked can see it.
Messenger's help centre keeps separate pages for iPhone and Android, and the wording differs a little between them. If your screen looks different, look for the compose icon on the chats list and follow the prompts to choose people.
How to create a group chat on Messenger on a computer
The help centre says that on a computer you click the compose icon next to Chats, type the name of each person you want to include, then type your message and send it. You can do this from the Messenger website in a browser. The steps are the same idea as on a phone, only with a mouse.
- Open Messenger in your browser and sign in.
- Next to Chats, click the compose icon.
- Type the name of each person and select them.
- Type your message and send it.
Naming a Messenger group chat and adding people later
Messenger's help centre has separate articles for adding someone to an existing group chat and for changing group chat settings, and I'd rather point you to them than guess at button names that vary by app version. Look inside the group's details screen, usually opened by tapping the group name at the top of the chat. That's where the people, the name and the settings tend to live.
A clear group name saves confusion. Something like the project, the event or the team beats a list of first names, especially if you're in a lot of chats.
Group chat or community on Messenger: which do you want?
The help centre treats these as two different things. A group chat is a conversation among the people you pick. A Messenger community is described as a chat-based space for up to 5,000 members to plan events, find support and share information in one place. The help also says creating a new community isn't available to everyone or on every platform. If you only need a handful of people, you want a group chat.
| Feature | Best suited to | What Messenger's help says |
|---|---|---|
| Group chat | A small set of people you choose | Start it from the compose icon on your chats list, pick people and send a message |
| Community | A bigger space for events, support and sharing | Chat-based, up to 5,000 members, and not available to everyone |
| Facebook group | A wider Facebook space with posts | A separate Facebook feature, with its own Messenger help article on creating one |
If you can't create a group chat on Messenger
If the compose option doesn't let you add more than one person, or the group won't send, try these in order:
- Update the app. Out-of-date versions are a common cause of missing options, and my guide to updating Messenger on iPhone, Android and computer has the routes.
- Check you can message each person on their own. If someone has restricted who can contact them, they may not be addable.
- Check your connection and try again.
- Sign out and back in, or restart the app.
- Try Messenger in a browser on a computer.
Those are general fixes rather than steps quoted from the help centre. If a message won't go, my guide to why Messenger says unable to send covers the usual causes. And if you're new to the app itself, my plain-English explainer on the Messenger app is a good starting point.
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Using a Messenger group chat for a small business
Group chats are handy for a small team, but keep them tidy. Name the group clearly, say what it's for in the first message and don't add customers to a team chat. If a client needs to talk to several of you, a separate group with a clear purpose works better than a long-running thread. Remember that everyone in the group can see everything that's said, so don't share anything sensitive.
Once a group's busy, you'll probably want to calm it down. My guide to muting people and chats on Messenger explains how to quieten notifications without leaving.
Keeping a Messenger group chat useful
- Give it a purpose and say it in the first message.
- Keep the group small enough that everyone can contribute.
- Pin or repeat key details, such as the date and place, rather than leaving them buried.
- Leave or mute groups you no longer need.
A group chat that has a clear job tends to stay lively. One without a job tends to go quiet. If yours has finished its work, leave it and start fresh next time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a group chat on Messenger?
Open your chats list, tap or click the compose icon, choose the people you want, write a message and send it. The group begins with that first message.
How many people can be in a Messenger group chat?
Messenger's help pages I read don't give a limit for ordinary group chats. They say a Messenger community can have up to 5,000 members.
Can I create a group chat on Messenger from a computer?
Yes. Click the compose icon next to Chats, type each person's name, then type your message and send it.
What's the difference between a group chat and a community on Messenger?
A group chat is a conversation among people you choose. A community is a bigger chat-based space for events, support and sharing, and it isn't available to everyone.
Can I add someone to a Messenger group chat later?
Messenger's help centre has a separate article on adding someone to an existing group chat. Open the group's details by tapping its name at the top of the chat and look for the option to add people.
