The Key Distinction
Internal participants (your team): Can be added or removed anytime
External participants (customers, contacts): Fixed once you send the first message
This design lets your team collaborate dynamically while protecting conversation privacy for everyone.
Adding Internal Participants
During group creation:
Select internal team members from your "Internal" directory
There is a maximum on 10 participants (including yourself) when creating conversations.
To an existing conversation:
Open the conversation
Click conversation settings
Select "Add Internal Participant"
Choose team members to add
They'll instantly see the entire conversation history
Removing internal participants:
Go to conversation settings and remove when access is no longer needed
Why External Participants Are Fixed
Privacy protection: Adding someone new would give them access to the entire message history
Conversation clarity: New participants aren't dropped mid-conversation without context
Carrier network standard: Group messaging identity is tied to specific members. This is how MMS works across all carriers
If You Forgot an External Participant
Don't worry, it's easily fixed:
Close the current conversation
Create a new group with all participants including the person you forgot
Send your first message
Optional: Provide brief context ("Continuing our earlier discussion...")
Pro tip: Review your recipient list before sending the first message to avoid this.
When Multiple Internal Participants Help
Team coverage – Ensure someone is always available to respond
Smooth handoffs – Add the next person before the previous one leaves
Training – Add supervisors for coaching without disrupting the customer experience
Subject expertise – Bring in specialists (technical, billing, legal) as needed
Backup coverage – Add team members before vacations or busy periods
Important Notes
✓ Internal participants see the full conversation history when added
✓ External participants never see internal participant changes
✓ All messages appear from the same business number
✓ Add team members thoughtfully based on their need to access the conversation
Multiple Groups for Different Combinations
If you frequently need different external participant combinations:
Create separate groups for each combination
Use clear context in your opening message
Each group maintains its own conversation thread
This improves both organization and privacy.