staff@slashgear.com (Jam Kotenko)
2024-04-26 12:15:56
www.slashgear.com
According to Apple, to be able to leave a group chat on Messages, every single person included in the thread has to be an Apple device user — an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac — texting messages using iMessage. iMessage messages cover texts, photos, or videos sent to recipients via Wi-Fi connectivity or mobile data. You’ll know when a message was sent via iMessage when it appears in a blue chat bubble in the Messages app.
To check if you can exit a group chat on Messages, provided that you have the latest version of iOS, do the following:
- Open the Messages app and tap the group chat you want to leave.
- Tap the group icons at the top of the thread page.
- Scroll down and tap Leave this Conversation.
If this option is unavailable — or if any messages come through in a green text bubble instead of blue — that means at least one person in the group chat uses a non-Apple device to participate in the conversation, eliminating your ability to leave the group text message outright. This is because by communicating with someone outside of the Apple ecosystem, you’re no longer sending messages in the Messages app via an internet connection, which is how iMessage messages are delivered. Instead, everyone in the group chat (including Apple users) sends messages via SMS or MMS through their respective mobile service providers. Messages delivered this way will count against the sender’s phone plan coverage.
In addition, a Messages group chat requires at least three other people on the thread. If you have fewer participants than that, even if everyone included is an Apple user, you may not see the option to remove yourself from the discussion.