How do I mention a member of a group?

A group chat feature is available. Group chats are managed on each individual device. The Threema servers have no knowledge about group compositions. Groups can contain up to 256 members.

New groups can be created using the “New group” item in the main menu on Android and using the “Compose message” button on iOS.

Android

As creator, you can delete a group at once, without having to remove all members manually. Please note: after you have deleted a group, other group members can’t use it anymore.

To delete a group, open it, tap on the group’s name in the title bar, open the menu, and select “Delete group.”

As a regular group member, you cannot delete a group, but you can leave it. Please note: when leaving a group, the group messages will not be deleted. To leave a group, open it, tap on the group’s name in the title bar, open the menu, and select “Leave group.”

To remove the chat from your chat list and delete the chat history, tap and hold the chat, then tap “Empty chat.”

iOS

Groups created by an iOS user are deleted as soon as the last member has left the group.

To leave a group on iOS, swipe left on the group (in the chat list or in the group list), and tap “Delete.”

Only the creator of a group can add new and remove existing group members.

Open the group details by tapping the group’s profile picture to learn who is the group’s creator. If you are the creator, you can edit the members as follows:

Android

To add members, open the group details and tap “+.”

To remove a member, tap on their name in the group details and then on “Kick [user] from group.”

iOS

To edit the group members, open the group details and tap on “Manage members.” There, you can add and remove members.

Like single chats, group chats are end-to-end encrypted in Threema. For privacy reasons, groups are not managed on our servers but directly on users’ devices. Since there is no information concerning group compositions stored on the server, groups can become asynchronous, e.g., if a user restores a data backup or is absent for an extended period of time.

If a group is asynchronous, we recommend resynchronizing it first. Only the creator can initiate a synchronization (in the group’s detail view). Should the problem persist, please remove the group member due to which the group became asynchronous (see above), and add them again.

You can access a group’s detail view by tapping on the title bar in the group chat.

If some members cannot see messages in a group chat, it is usually because they have activated the “Block Unknown” option. Disable the “Block Unknown” option in “Threema > Settings > Privacy” to receive all group-chat messages.

For privacy reasons, groups are not managed on our servers but directly on users’ devices. An ID export only contains the Threema ID and will therefore not suffice to restore groups. A Threema Safe backup, on the other hand, also contains your group memberships (besides other data) and is platform-independent.

Like single chats, group chats are end-to-end encrypted in Threema. For privacy reasons, groups are managed in a decentralized manner on users’ devices, not on a server. Neither is it possible to transfer creator privileges, nor can creator privileges be granted to multiple users.

Cloning Groups

If a group’s creator leaves the group, a new group must be created. However, groups can be cloned. If a group member clones a group, they become creator of a new group consisting of the same members as the original group. The chat history is not transferred to the new group.

• Android: Tap the title bar in the group chat, then tap the three vertical dots, and select “Clone group.”
  
• iOS: In the group chat, tap the title bar, scroll to the bottom of the group details, and then tap “Clone Group.”
  

Default Notification Settings for Group Chats

The default notification settings apply to all group chats for which no individual notification settings are defined.

• Android: In Threema, navigate to “Settings > Notifications” to adjust the default notification settings for group chats.
  
• iOS: In Threema, navigate to “Settings > Sound & Notifications” to adjust the default notification settings for group chats.
  

Individual Notification Settings for Group Chats

Individual notification settings override the default notification settings and can be adjusted for each group chat separately.

• Android: Open the desired group chat, tap “⋮” in the top right corner, and select “Notification settings.” Set an individual notification sound for the group chat or mute the group chat (permanently or for a specified duration). If you set “Do not disturb” to “On, unless I was mentioned,” you will only be notified of messages in which you are mentioned. Learn how to customize notification sounds.
• iOS: Please refer to the FAQ article on individual notification settings in iOS.