How To Create A New Group In Skype For Business

You can start a group chat in Skype with up to 600 participants at once.
To create a group chat in Skype, tap the "New Chat" icon and choose "New Group Chat."
Once you've created a group chat, it'll stay active for as long as it has members.
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Skype allows you to hold group chats with as many as 600 participants at once, and you can set one up in just a few steps on your mobile device or computer.

The process behind creating a Skype group chat is similar regardless of what device you're using.

How to start a group chat on the Skype mobile app

1. Tap the "New Chat" icon. It's in the upper-right on iPhone and lower-right on Android.

The "New Chat" icon will be in a different spot depending on what phone you have.

2. On the New Chat page, tap "New Group Chat."

Choose "New Group Chat" from the list of options.

3. On newer versions of Android (Android 6.0+) and on any iPhone, you now need to enter a name for your group and then tap the arrow to continue.

5. If you want to give the chat a custom picture, tap the picture icon at the top of the page and add an image. You can also pick a color for your group chat by tapping "Edit."

In addition to naming your group, you can also give your chat a custom image.

6. Tap the right arrow to add participants to your chat. You can use the search box at the top of the page or browse and select contacts from the list.

7. When you've selected all the participants, tap "Done."

Select the chat participants and then tap "Done."

The chat group is now completed – just start chatting. If you've added fewer than 600 participants, you can also use the "Invite More People" button to add more people at any time.

Once you close Skype, the group chat will stay active. Select it from Skype's Chats screen at any time to reopen it.

How to start a group chat on the Skype desktop app

1. Open the Skype app on your computer.

2. Click the "New Chat" button, on the left side of the window.

3. In the dropdown, select "New Group Chat."

4. Create a name for your group, which is required. You can also choose to upload or take a photo for your group, if you wish.

Type a name for your group and upload a photo.

5. Tap the right arrow to add participants to your chat. You can use the search box at the top of the page or browse and select contacts from the list.

6. Select "Done" to begin chatting.

Just like the mobile app, you can close Skype and then later reopen the chat just by selecting it from the "Recent Chats" screen.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

How to set up two-factor authentication on Skype, and increase the security of all your Microsoft accounts
How to send photos or other files on Skype using a computer or mobile device
How to use private conversations on Skype to send encrypted calls and messages
How to use Skype's Meet Now feature to start or join video calls from a computer or mobile device
How to search a conversation on Skype and find specific text in old chat threads

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.