How to use the family chat and private conversations

Open the Chat tab and tap your family’s name for the family chat, where everyone you’ve invited can talk. Tap New conversation to message one person or a few privately. Hold a message to react. Both are on every plan.

Where to find it

Chat

Who can do this

Everyone in the family. Anyone can start a one-to-one; parents and guardians can start a group.

Step by step

Open the Chat tab (the speech bubble).
Tap the first row, your family’s name, for the family chat.
Type in Type a message… and tap send.
For a private conversation, go back and tap New conversation, tick the people, name it if you like, and tap Start conversation.
To react, hold a message and tap one of the eight emoji.

What happens next

Family chat messages go to the rest of the family. A private conversation goes only to the people in it.
The Chat tab shows a dot when there’s something you haven’t read.

Good to know

Each pickup has its own thread too, from Messages on the pickup. That one is part of Premium.
Only people who have joined appear when you start a conversation.

Checked against Kid Pickup 1.6.2 on October 21, 2026. Something look different on your phone? Tell us and we’ll fix the guide.