Lastly, the irritating group message issue in iOS has been resolved with version 26 update
Simplified Group Messaging with iOS 26's New Contact Feature
Apple's latest iOS update, version 26, brings a significant improvement to group messaging, making it easier to manage contacts and communicate with unknown participants.
Before iOS 26, adding people in a group thread to the contacts list was a tedious process. Users had to remember names and manually create new contacts, especially in group chats with strangers like sports teams or community groups. Now, with the new update, users can add people directly from a message thread to their contacts list, making identification and future communication easier and more seamless.
This new feature streamlines the management of contacts that frequently appear in group messages. It reduces confusion in group chats with many unknown members and makes it quick and easy to identify and save unknown participants.
For users who regularly participate in group chats with people they do not know personally, this enhancement eliminates the friction involved in recognizing and saving new numbers. It's especially helpful for those who often find themselves in group chats due to hockey team messages or other similar group conversations.
To add someone from a message thread in iOS 26, simply note their name, click "Add" next to the message, and then choose either "Create New Contact" or "Add to Existing Contact."
In previous iOS versions like iOS 18, adding someone to contacts required navigating to the thread's Info, finding the number, clicking the button next to it, creating a new contact, and entering their information. This multi-step process is now a thing of the past with iOS 26.
The iOS 26 public beta is available for users who are willing to deal with beta software and its associated kinks. The new iOS update, the first with a new naming convention, can be downloaded to a user's device. For more information on all the new features and how to use them, check out Tom's Guide's comprehensive guide on iOS 26.
In addition to this new group messaging trick, separate but related improvements in iOS 26 Phone app features (like screening unknown callers by asking for their name) complement this by better managing unknown contacts in calls. For a comparison of these features with other popular devices, visit Tom's Guide for articles on Call Screening on iOS 26 vs Android 16 and AI transcription tools for iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy vs Google Pixel.
The new contact feature in iOS 26’s group messaging makes it easier for users to add unknown participants directly to their contacts list, streamlining future communication and identification. This enhancement, when combined with other phone app improvements like call screening, effectively manages unknown contacts during calls, making communication more seamless and efficient.
