Creating a group chat takes three taps

Open Snapchat and tap the chat icon at the bottom left. Tap the compose button (the pencil and paper icon) in the top right corner. Select the friends you want to add — you can pick as many as you want — then tap "Create" at the bottom. That group chat now appears in your chat list and stays there until you delete the conversation.

The group gets a default name based on your friends' names, like "You, Sarah, Marcus". You can rename it by tapping the group name at the top of the chat, then tapping "Edit Group" and changing the name to whatever you prefer. Only you see this name change on your device — other members see their own version of the group name unless they also rename it.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the compose button in the chat tab, select multiple friends, and tap Create to start a group chat.
  • You can rename the group by tapping the group name, then Edit Group, and typing a new name.
  • Group chats work the same as one-on-one chats — you can send messages, photos, videos, and voice notes to everyone at once.
  • Any member can add or remove people from the group, and everyone sees when someone joins or leaves.
  • Snapchat does not store group chat messages after you leave the conversation, so old messages disappear when you exit.

Adding and removing people from an existing group

Open the group chat and tap the group name at the top. Tap "Add Friends" to bring in new members, or tap the X next to someone's name to remove them. When you add someone, they see a notification that they have been added and can see the chat history from that point forward. When you remove someone, they lose access to the group immediately.

Any member of the group can add or remove people — you do not need to be the person who started the chat. This means someone else can add you to a group you did not create, and you can remove yourself by tapping the group name and selecting "Leave Group".

What happens to messages in a group chat

Messages in Snapchat group chats disappear after you view them, just like one-on-one messages. If you send a photo or video, the recipient sees it once and it vanishes. Text messages stay visible in the chat until you swipe left on them to delete them yourself, or until you leave the group entirely.

When you leave a group chat, you lose access to all previous messages in that conversation. If you rejoin the group later, you only see messages sent after you came back. This is different from other messaging apps where leaving and rejoining lets you see the full history — Snapchat does not work that way.

Sending different types of messages in a group

You can send text, photos, videos, voice notes, and stickers to a group the same way you send them to one person. Tap the text box and type, or hold the camera button to record a video. Tap the microphone icon to send a voice note. All members see what you send at the same time.

If you send a photo or video to the group, each person can view it once before it disappears from their screen. They cannot screenshot it without you getting a notification that they took a screenshot. This applies to group chats just as it does to direct messages.

Muting notifications from a group chat

If a group chat is too active and you want to stop getting notifications, tap the group name at the top and toggle "Mute" on. You will no longer see notifications when new messages arrive, but the chat still appears in your chat list and you can read it whenever you open the app. You can turn muting off the same way.

Muting only affects your notifications — other members do not know you have muted the group, and messages still come through normally. You just will not hear a sound or see a badge telling you there is a new message.

Troubleshooting common group chat problems

If someone you added does not see the group chat appear, ask them to restart Snapchat or check their chat list — sometimes new groups take a moment to show up. If messages are not sending, make sure you have an internet connection and that the person you are trying to message is actually your friend on Snapchat. You cannot send messages to people who have not added you back.

If you accidentally left a group and want back in, ask someone in the group to add you again. There is no way to rejoin on your own. If the group chat is not showing up in your chat list at all, scroll down in the chat tab — older or inactive groups sometimes move below the fold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see who read my message in a group chat?

Snapchat does not show read receipts in group chats the way some other apps do. You cannot tell if one person read your message and another did not. You only know the message was delivered to the group.

What happens if I delete a group chat?

Deleting the conversation removes it from your chat list, but the group itself still exists for other members. If someone sends a new message to the group, it reappears in your chat list. You can delete it again if you want.

Can I make a group chat with just two people?

Snapchat treats two-person chats as direct messages, not groups. You can still message multiple people at once by creating a group with three or more members. There is no separate "group" option for pairs.

Do group members see my full name or just my username?

They see your Snapchat username, which is what appears next to your messages. They do not see your real name unless you have added it to your profile and they have looked at your profile page.

Can I set a group chat to disappear after a certain time?

No. All Snapchat messages disappear after you view them or after you leave the group, but you cannot set a custom timer. The disappearing behavior is automatic and applies to all chats.