# Chatting with a group
<a name="group-chat"></a>

You can start a group chat with up to 50 users in Amazon Chime. While you're in a group chat, you can do the following: 
+ Start an instant meeting with some or all of the contacts in the group.
+ Create additional group chats with only the contacts that you select.

The following sections explain how to start and use group chats. The steps apply to the desktop client and web app.

**Topics**
+ [

## Starting a group chat
](#start-group-chat)
+ [

## Calling everyone in a chat room
](#call-group-chat)
+ [

## Adding and removing group members
](#add-remove-members)
+ [

## Leaving a group chat
](#leave-group-chat)

## Starting a group chat
<a name="start-group-chat"></a>

When you start a group chat, the people you invite can decline the invitation. A list of the people who join the chat appears at the top of the chat window. A set of controls, including a search box, appears to the right of list. 

**To start a group chat**

1. In the sidebar, next to **Recent Messages**, choose the **Message a contact** icon (![\[Line drawing of a pen.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-message-contact.png)).

1. In the **To** field, add up to 50 users. The first two names that you enter appear in the sidebar, along with this icon: ![\[A line drawing of two people.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-group-chat.png)

1. Enter your message.

1. (Optional) Choose **Attach a file** (![\[A line drawing of a paperclip.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-attach-file.png)) to attach a file to the message. You can attach files of up to 50 MB.

1. (Optional) Choose **Pick an emoji** (![\[A line drawing of a smiley face.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-add-emoji.png)) to add an emoji.
**Note**  
You can also enter emoji codes to a message, such as `:-)` or `:(`. The emojis appear after you send the message.

1. Choose send (![\[An arrow pointed to the right.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-send-msg.png)) or press **Enter**.

Group chats appear in the sidebars of the desktop client and web app. If you use the Amazon Chime mobile app, group chat messages appear as push notifications if you enable that service. For more information about push notifications in the mobile app, see [Additional Amazon Chime settings](app-options.md#mobile-chime-settings).

## Calling everyone in a chat room
<a name="call-group-chat"></a>

The following steps apply to the desktop client and web app.

**To start an instant meeting**
+ In the sidebar, open the ellipsis menu (**...**) next to the group chat.

  —OR—

  Choose the phone icon in the upper-right corner of the chat window (![\[Line drawing of a phone receiver.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/icon-chat-call.png)).

## Adding and removing group members
<a name="add-remove-members"></a>

Once you create a group chat, you can add or remove users. When you do, Amazon Chime creates a new group chat that includes just the new users.

**To edit group chat users**

1. In the side bar of either client, choose the group chat that you want to edit.

   The names of everyone in the chat appear at the top of the chat window.

1. Choose **Chat settings** (**...**) , to the right of the list of names, then choose **Edit members**.

1. In the **To** field, enter any new names. To remove names, just choose them.

As you add or remove members, Amazon Chime loads any previous conversations with the group of users that you select. If you had no previous conversations with the group, Amazon Chime creates a new, blank group chat.

## Leaving a group chat
<a name="leave-group-chat"></a>

To leave a group chat, contact the person who created the chat and ask to be removed from the conversation.