You can leave a Messenger group at any time, and the group continues without you
To leave a group on Messenger, open the group conversation, tap or click the group name at the top, scroll down to find your name in the members list, and select "Leave Group". The group stays active for everyone else — your departure does not delete the conversation or affect other members. You will stop receiving messages from that group, and your name will no longer appear in the member list.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a phone or computer, but the result is the same. Once you leave, you cannot see new messages, and the group cannot see that you have read their messages. If you change your mind later, someone in the group can add you back, or you can ask to rejoin.
Key Takeaways
- Leaving a group removes you from the conversation permanently until someone adds you back — the group does not disappear for other members.
- On mobile, open the group, tap the group name, find your name in the members list, and tap "Leave Group".
- On a computer, right-click the group name in your chat list and select "Leave Group" from the menu.
- Other members will see that you have left, but your old messages in the group remain visible to them.
- You can rejoin only if someone in the group adds you back or if you ask them to do so.
How to leave on your phone (iOS or Android)
Open Messenger and find the group conversation you want to leave. Tap the group name or image at the very top of the chat window — this opens the group details panel. Scroll down through the members list until you see your own name.
Tap your name, and a small menu will appear with the option "Leave Group". Tap it. Messenger will ask you to confirm — tap "Leave" again. You are now removed from the group, and the conversation will disappear from your main chat list. If the group later sends a message and someone adds you back, it will reappear.
How to leave on a computer (Facebook.com or Messenger.com)
In your chat list on the left side, find the group conversation. Right-click directly on the group name — do not click into the conversation first. A small menu will pop up with several options, including "Leave Group". Click it.
Messenger will ask you to confirm your choice. Click "Leave" to finish. The group will disappear from your chat list, and you will no longer receive notifications about messages in that group. Your messages that were already sent remain visible to other members.
What happens to your messages after you leave
All the messages you sent to the group before you left stay in the group's conversation history. Other members can still see them, quote them, or react to them. Leaving does not delete your past messages or change anything about the group's record.
Once you leave, you cannot see new messages sent after your departure. If someone mentions you by name in a message after you have left, you will not be notified. You will only know about it if someone tells you or if you rejoin and scroll back through the history.
How to rejoin a group you left
You cannot rejoin on your own. Someone who is still in the group must add you back. They can do this by opening the group details, tapping or clicking the "Add Members" button, and selecting your name from their contacts.
Alternatively, you can ask someone in the group to add you back. When they do, you will see all the messages that were sent while you were gone, and the group will reappear in your chat list. There is no limit to how many times you can leave and rejoin.
The difference between leaving and muting a group
Leaving a group is permanent until someone adds you back. Muting a group is temporary and keeps you in the conversation. When you mute a group, you stay a member and can still see messages, but you stop receiving notifications. You can unmute at any time.
If a group is too noisy but you want to stay connected, muting is the better choice. To mute on mobile, tap the group name, scroll down, and toggle "Mute Notifications" on. On a computer, right-click the group and select "Mute". You will still appear in the members list and can read messages whenever you open the group.
What group admins see when you leave
If the group has an admin (the person who created it), they will see a notification that you have left. The notification usually appears as a small system message in the group chat saying "[Your Name] left the group". Other regular members will also see this message.
The admin cannot prevent you from leaving, and there is no way to leave silently. However, they can add you back at any time without asking your permission first. If you do not want to be added back to a group, you will need to leave again or ask the admin to respect your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I leave a group, can I see the messages that were sent after I left?
No. Once you leave, you cannot see any new messages. If you rejoin later, you will see the full history including messages sent while you were gone. But if you stay out of the group, those messages remain hidden from you.
Will people know I left the group?
Yes. A system message appears in the group saying you have left. Everyone in the group, including the admin, will see it. There is no way to leave without notifying the group.
Can I delete a group instead of just leaving it?
No. Only the person who created the group can delete it, and even then, it only deletes from their own chat list — the group remains for everyone else. If you created the group and want it gone for all members, you would need to remove everyone individually, but the group itself cannot be fully deleted.
What if someone keeps adding me back to a group I do not want to be in?
You can block the person adding you or block the entire group. On mobile, tap the group name, scroll down, and select "Block Group". On a computer, right-click the group and choose "Block Group". Once blocked, no one in that group can message you or add you back.
Does leaving a group affect my friendship with the people in it?
No. Leaving a group does not unfriend anyone or change your relationship with them. You can still message them individually, and they can still message you. Leaving only removes you from that specific conversation.