To name a group text on iPhone, open the group conversation in Messages, tap the group icons at the top of the screen, and tap Change Name and Photo. Type the new name, then tap Done. Everyone in the group sees the new name, and the chat shows a note that you named the conversation.
The catch: Apple lists naming as a group iMessage feature, so it works when everyone in the group uses iMessage (blue bubbles). If the chat has green bubbles because someone uses Android or has iMessage off, you usually won’t see the option.
How to name a group chat in Messages
These steps apply to current versions of iOS, including iOS 26 and iOS 27.
- Open Messages and tap the group conversation.
- Tap the group icons or the number of people (for example, 3 People) at the top of the chat.
- Tap Change Name and Photo.
- Tap the name field and type a group name, such as “Weekend Hike.”
- Tap Done.
The name replaces the list of participants at the top of the chat and in your Messages list, which makes the group easier to find with search. If you’re starting a brand-new chat, our guide to creating a group text on iPhone covers the setup, and you can name it right after the first message goes out.
How to add or change the group photo
The group photo is set on the same screen as the name.
- Tap the group icons at the top of the chat, then tap Change Name and Photo.
- Tap Camera to take a new picture or Photos to choose one, or tap an emoji, Memoji or letter style from the options shown.
- Move and scale the photo if asked, then tap Choose.
- Tap Done.
Like the name, the photo is shared with everyone in the group. It’s separate from each person’s own contact photo; to change how one person appears to you, edit their contact photo instead.
How to rename or remove a group name
Any member of a group iMessage can change the name, not just the person who created the chat. To rename, repeat the steps above and type over the old name. To remove the name, delete all the text in the name field and tap Done; the chat goes back to showing everyone’s names.
Each change posts a small note in the conversation, so the group sees who renamed it.
Why can’t I name my group text?
If Change Name and Photo is missing, the chat almost always isn’t a group iMessage. Check the color of the bubbles you’ve sent:
| Bubble color | Group type | Can you name it? |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | Group iMessage (Apple devices only) | Yes |
| Green | Group RCS (iOS 18 and later) | Varies; not listed by Apple as a naming feature |
| Green | Group MMS or SMS | No |
Apple’s group messaging guide lists naming, adding or removing people, and leaving the group as iMessage-only features. Some sources report that RCS groups can be named too, but that depends on carrier support, so don’t count on it.
Try these fixes:
- Make sure iMessage is on: go to Settings > Apps > Messages and turn on iMessage. On iOS 17 and earlier, it’s Settings > Messages.
- Ask everyone in the group to check that iMessage is on for their iPhone, too. One person with iMessage off turns the whole group green.
- If someone in the group uses an Android phone, the group can’t be an iMessage group, and you can’t give it a name. You can still pin it so it’s easy to find.
Pinning works in any chat, including green-bubble groups: here’s how to pin a conversation in Messages.
Common questions
Do other people get notified when I name the group?
A line appears in the conversation saying you named it, and the new name shows at the top of the chat for everyone in the group, on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Can I name a one-on-one conversation?
No. Naming is only for groups. A one-on-one chat always shows the contact’s name as it’s saved in your Contacts app.
Does naming the group change anything else?
No. Members, notifications and message history stay the same. To stop alerts from a busy group, tap the group icons and turn on Hide Alerts; our guide to silencing text notifications covers more options.
Matthew Roberts is the founder and editor of ARS Digitech. He started the site to answer the iPhone questions his friends and family kept asking him, and it has grown into a library of iPhone and iOS how-to guides. Matthew writes and maintains every tutorial on the site, checking steps and menu names against Apple’s official support documentation and updating guides when an iOS release moves a setting.