How to Create a Microsoft Teams Group Chat

To create a Microsoft Teams group chat, select New message, add at least two other people, and send your first message. You can also name the conversation before sending. You do not need to create a team or channel.

The desktop instructions below focus on work or school accounts. Personal accounts have a slightly different mobile flow, covered below. Button placement can vary with your Teams layout.

Create a group chat on desktop or the web

1. Open a new conversation. In Teams, go to Chat and select the pencil-shaped New message button at the top of your chats and channels list.

   

2. Add the group name and recipients. Select the down arrow at the far right of To to reveal Group name. Enter a name, then select each person you want in the To field.

   

3. Send the first message. Type in the compose box and select Send. Check the recipients before sending anything sensitive.

These steps follow Microsoft’s chat instructions. For a useful opening message, state the purpose and next action: “Let’s use this chat for launch questions. Please share your checklist updates here.” A specific name such as “Launch planning” is easier to recognize than a long list of participants.

Change the group chat name

You can rename an existing conversation from the Teams mobile app. Open the chat and tap its name or participant names at the top to open the mobile chat dashboard. Tap the Edit pencil beside the group name, enter the replacement, and select Save.

Use a recognizable project or topic name. Avoid putting confidential client details in the title.

Add people and choose their chat history

1. Open the participant controls. In an existing desktop group chat, select View and add participants near the top, then Add people.

   

2. Select the person and history to share. Enter the person’s name, review the available chat-history choices, and select Add. Share only the earlier messages the person needs.

   

Microsoft’s group chat guidance explains that history sharing is available when adding someone to an existing group chat. Adding a third person to a one-on-one chat creates a new group conversation; the original private conversation’s history does not move into it.

Create a group chat with a personal account on mobile

In Teams for personal use, tap New chat. Search for the people by name, phone number, or email, select your recipients, and tap Next. Type and send a message to finish creating the group. New contacts may need to accept an invitation before participating. See the Teams for personal use instructions for account-specific details.

Leave a Microsoft Teams group chat

On desktop, find the group in your chat list and select More options (…) > Leave. On mobile, open the chat’s details and choose Leave chat; confirm if prompted.

After leaving a group chat, you stop receiving new messages and need another participant to invite you back. Your earlier messages remain in the group. If notifications are the problem, muting the conversation lets you stay involved.

Why can’t I add someone or start a call?

• They are outside your team: Sharing membership in the same team is not required. External participants can also join supported group chats when organizational policies allow it.
• An external participant cannot be added: Verify their email address and ask IT about external-access or compliance restrictions. Adding an external person to an internal-only group creates a new chat. External-access participants also cannot share or attach files, so do not assume every group supports the same collaboration options. See Microsoft’s external chat guidance.
• The group is too large: Work or school group chats support up to 250 people, with no more than 200 added at once. Audio and video calls from chat support up to 20. Above 20 chat participants, calling and some other features are disabled, according to Teams limits and specifications.