WhatsApp groups are a great way to stay connected with friends, family, colleagues, and others. However, over time you may find yourself in groups that you no longer wish to be a part of. Removing yourself from a WhatsApp group is easy to do directly within the app with just a few taps.
Why Leave a WhatsApp Group?
There are a few common reasons you may want to remove yourself from a WhatsApp group:
- The group is no longer active or relevant to you
- You are receiving too many notifications from the group
- You no longer wish to associate with the members of the group
- You were added to the group without your permission
- The group has changed focus from its original purpose
- You need to take a break from the group temporarily or permanently
Leaving a group you are no longer interested in can help reduce distractions and allow you to focus on more meaningful groups and conversations. It also helps ensure you don’t miss important messages from groups you really care about.
Step 1: Open the WhatsApp Group
The first step is simple – open the WhatsApp group you want to leave. To do this:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone
- Tap on the ‘Chats’ tab at the bottom of the screen
- Scroll through your list of chats and tap on the group you want to leave
- This will open the group so you can then leave it
Step 2: Tap Group Info
Once you’ve entered the group chat window, the next step is to access the group info screen:
- Tap on the group name at the top of the screen to open the group info page
- Alternatively, tap on the group photo next to the group name
Step 3: Scroll Down and Tap Exit Group
Now that you’re in the group info screen, its time to leave the group:
- Scroll down through the group info screen
- Tap on ‘Exit group’ option near the bottom
- This will open a confirmation pop-up to make sure you want to leave
Step 4: Confirm You Want to Leave
Leaving the group is now just one tap away:
- The pop-up will ask ‘Exit this group?’ – tap Exit to confirm
- That’s it! You’ll immediately be removed from the group
Once you tap to confirm, you’ll be instantly removed from the group’s members and will no longer receive any messages from that group.
What Happens When You Leave a Group
Here’s a quick overview of what happens when you decide to leave a WhatsApp group:
- You are immediately removed as a member of the group
- You will no longer receive any messages from the group
- Your name is removed from the group participants list
- You can no longer send messages to the group
- The group is deleted from your main chats list
- Your phone no longer stores the group’s chat history
- You can rejoin via invite link unless the admin has banned you
Can You Rejoin a Group After Leaving?
In most cases, yes – you can rejoin a WhatsApp group if you have the invite link. Here’s what you need to know about rejoining groups:
- You’ll need a new invitation link to rejoin the group
- If you left voluntarily, the group admin can share a new link with you
- For groups you were removed from, you’ll need to ask the admin for a fresh invite
- If banned by admin, you cannot rejoin unless ban is removed
- Your chat history will return if you rejoin within 30 days of leaving
- After 30 days, your past messages will no longer be visible
Leaving Groups You Were Added to by Mistake
Sometimes you may be added to a WhatsApp group without your permission. If this happens, you can simply leave the group:
- Open the group and tap the group info
- Scroll down and tap Exit Group
- You’ll immediately be removed from the group
However, since you were added without your consent, someone else could add you again. To prevent this, consider the following options:
- Politely ask the admin not to add you again
- Block the person who added you if they keep re-adding you
- Change your WhatsApp privacy settings to control who can add you
Turning Off Notifications for Specific Groups
If you want to mute a group’s notifications instead of leaving entirely, that’s easy to do as well:
- Open the group and tap the group name / photo
- Tap Mute notifications and confirm when prompted
- You can mute for 8 hours, 1 week, or always mute
- The group will no longer send you any notifications
This way you remain a member and can check messages manually, but aren’t bothered by constant notifications.
Leaving Group Chats on iPhone vs Android
The process to leave a WhatsApp group is the same whether you use iPhone or Android:
| Platform | Steps to Leave a Group |
|---|---|
| iPhone |
|
| Android |
|
As you can see, the process is identical. The WhatsApp user interface is the same across platforms, so you can easily leave groups on both Android smartphones and iPhones.
Troubleshooting Issues When Leaving Groups
In most cases, leaving a WhatsApp group is straightforward. But here are some troubleshooting tips if you run into any issues:
Can’t find Exit Group option
Make sure you’ve tapped the group name / photo and are in the Group Info screen. Exit Group may be far down the page so scroll down fully.
Exit button is disabled / greyed out
Only group admins can remove other participants. Ask the admin to remove you from the group.
Left group but still get notifications
Force close and reopen WhatsApp to refresh. Check your phone’s app settings to disable notifications. Or the group may have been recreated – ask admin not to re-add you.
Accidentally left important group
Contact the group admin right away and ask them to re-invite you. Your chat history will still be available if you rejoin within 30 days.
Not sure who admin is to rejoin
If you don’t know who the admin is, try messaging other members you know and ask them to share the invite link with you.
Banned from rejoining group
If banned, the admin is the only one who can lift your ban. You’ll need to contact them outside of the group and request access again.
Leaving WhatsApp Groups on Desktop
WhatsApp Desktop is the desktop browser version that mirrors chats and groups from your phone. If you use WhatsApp Desktop, here is how to leave groups:
- Open WhatsApp on your computer browser
- Click on the group chat to open the window
- Click on the group name at the top to open info
- Scroll down to the bottom and click Exit Group
The process works the same way as on mobile. Leaving the group on desktop will also remove you from that group on your phone and tablet.
Managing Multiple WhatsApp Accounts
If you use multiple WhatsApp accounts on the same device, here are some tips for managing groups on different accounts:
- Open each account and leave any groups you’re no longer interested in
- Make sure each account is leaving the right group it was added to
- Mute or turn off notifications from groups you don’t need alerts from
- Use separate ringtones for each account to identify incoming notifications
- Add account names in your contacts to remember which account they belong to
It can take extra effort to manage groups across multiple accounts, but being proactive about leaving unnecessary groups makes it much easier.
Leaving WhatsApp Groups Without Offending People
When exiting a group, especially one with people you know, you may want to avoid offending anyone by suddenly leaving without notice. Here are some tips for politely exiting a WhatsApp group:
- Give advance notice to the admin and group that you need to leave
- Provide a reason like not having time to participate anymore
- Suggest removing yourself if the group has become inactive
- Offer to reconnect later if it’s a temporary break
- Unfollow or mute if you want less notifications vs leaving
- Apologize and let the group know you mean no offense
Being upfront about leaving and providing a courteous explanation can prevent hurt feelings or misunderstandings.
Conclusion
Removing yourself from a WhatsApp group only takes a few taps, but is an important way to manage your inbox and notifications. Now that you know the steps to exit a group from your chats list, you can easily leave groups that are inactive, irrelevant or no longer useful.
While leaving a group is straightforward on both iPhones and Android devices, be mindful of rejoining options and muting as alternatives. With WhatsApp group chats being so popular, it’s important to keep only the ones that really matter.