One of the most popular features of the Kik Messenger app is the one that allows its users to chat as part of a group. Although many people prefer to chat on a one to one basis with the friends (or even make new friends by talking to them directly online), others may prefer to chat as part of a group, at least, from time to time. If have never used the group chat feature or are not sure what group chat involves or how it works, you are certainly in the right place.
In this article we will tell you everything you will need to know about group chat on the Kik Messenger app. You may not realize this if you have never used it before (or have only used it very sporadically) but Kik group chat is a lot more than just chatting to a bunch of people at the same time. Of course, essentially group chat is that but it is also so much more!
Not only can you chat by exchanging text messages on the instant messaging app but you can also do anything that you can do on one to one chats, for example, sending pictures, sharing stickers, playing games, adding Kik bots to the conversation, a lots more things!
How Do You Create a Kik Group Chat?
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”- Margaret Mead
Of course, you can either join and existing group chat or be added to it by somebody else. As those two things do not require any action on your part, we will go directly to what you will need to do in order to create your own Kik group chat.
Also for the sake of brevity, we will assume that you have already downloaded the Kik Messenger app and have also registered as a user. Assuming all of that is the case, creating a new group chat on Kik Messenger could not be easier. There are just some simple steps that you will need to follow in order to do this:
- Grab your smart phone or mobile device.
- Head over to the Kik Messenger app and open it.
- You will need to start and individual (i.e., a one to one) chat with one of your friends or select an existing one. This is because the way Kik group chats work; you start by chatting to one person and then add new users one by one until you have completed your group. Of course, you can always add more users later on even after the group chat is in full flow. You will need to consider that individual users may abandon your group chat at any time.
- Once you have either started an individual chat with one of your friends or selected an existing one, you will need to find a group chat icon within the conversation. The icon is located at the top right hand corner of your mobile screen and it features what looks like two people. Once you have found that icon tap on it.
- Once you have tapped on the group chat icon, you will be prompted to add more users to your chat. There will be an “add people” button for you to tap on.
- Then, once you have tapped on “add people” you will be able to select the user names of those of your friends that you would like to add to this group chat. Just for your own security and to avoid you the potential embarrassment of adding the wrong person to your group chat, you will be asked if you are sure by being asked the following question: “Are you sure you want to add [display name] user name to the group chat?” If you are indeed sure, tap on the “yes” option. Otherwise, tap on the “no” option and select the right person you were meaning to add to your chat. You will need to keep repeating this action until you have added everyone you want to.
Remember, however, that there is a limit in the number of Kik users that can be part of a Kik group in any given time. Originally this number was limited to just 10 different users but, luckily this has now been increased up to a more reasonable number of 50 users. This was because there was considerable pressure from Kik Messenger users that consider that number way to low. This is a promising sign because it means that Kik Interactive (the Canadian company behind the Kik Messenger app) are always willing to listen to their costumer and make any necessary improvement based on the feedback the receive from the likes of you. This means that if you have any suggestions for improvements you should always consider sending your feedback to Kik Messenger.
Now you may still find that you are limited to 10 users when you create a group chat on Kik, this will depend entirely on the kind of mobile device you are using and on the version of the Kik Messenger app that you have downloaded and installed.
So, if you have an iOS device (iPod or iPhone) or an Android device, you will be able to add up to 50 people (including yourself) to a Kik group chat as log as you have the latest version of the instant messaging app. If, however, you are using any other mobile device (i.e., one that does not run on iOS or Android) or you are using an older version of the chatting app, you will only be able to add up to 10 people (including yourself) to any group chats you create. However, if you are added to a group by somebody else who has the latest version of the app, you will be able to be added to a group of up to 50 different Kik users.
How Do You Leave A Kik Group Chat?
There can be situations where you are added to a group chat that you would rather not be part of, or perhaps after being part of a group you decide is time for you to leave the group. Whatever the case, leaving a Kik group chat could not be easier.
The process of leaving a group chat although simple, it is a bit different depending on the device you are using.
If you are using an iOS device (an iPod or an iPhone), you will need to follow these steps:
- Find the conversation you would like to leave.
- Swipe left on said conversation. This will prompt the appearance of a “leave” button.
- Tap on the “leave” button.
If, however, you are using an Android device, you will need to follow these steps, instead:
- Find the conversation you would like to leave.
- Tap and hold your finger down on the group conversation until you are prompted with the option to leave the group.
Before you leave any groups you did not create yourself think about how likely you would be to change your mind and decide to go back into it. Once you have left a group you did not create, you will only be able to rejoin it if the Kik user who created the group decides to add you again manually themselves. You will not be able to rejoin a group yourself once you have left it.
Why Would You Join A Kik Group Chat?
Okay, we know that so far we have just given you some technical advice on either joining or leaving a group chat. But, what we have not done yet is to explain what you could use a group chat for. In other words, we have not told you why you should consider joining or creating group chats. This is precisely what we will do in this section.
Well, apart from chatting to a bunch of your friends simultaneously, you could also play group games. Not only will you find games at the Kik shop, you can also make up your own group games. A helpful way of thinking about this is to approach Kik group chats as virtual house parties. There are lots of games that can be played in groups particularly to break the ice initially. For example, you could ask group members to take about their favorite movie, etc.
You could also have fun with Kik bots. You can add Kik bots to your group chats too so we can all share the Gifs, jokes, etc. the most fun bots specialize in.
Some groups are very diverse and people talk about whatever they like. However, we find that the best Kik groups are those that have theme. For example, groups where people talk about sports, movies, music, or whatever. The topic itself is not that important as long as it is something that all members feel passionate about. You can also name the group anything that you would like. It helps to pick a name that is relevant to the topic in question so that members know what the group is like and do not get confused by all the different groups that they belong to.
In this article, we have wanted to show you how to join and leave Kik groups but also give you some tips on how to run a successful group. If you have any further tips or would like to share your experience, do not forget to leave a comment below.