iOS 27.2 launches next week, and the update includes code that points to a forthcoming Messages app change: the ability to exclude muted conversations from the unread badge count.
Apple working on feature to exclude muted Messages conversations from unread badge count
Do you belong to a very active group chat? Or are there people in your life that you prefer to keep on mute in the Messages app?
If either or both is true, it might bug you that muting those conversations doesn’t impact the Messages app’s unread badge count.
Except soon, according to iOS 27.2 code, that might finally change.
Aaron Perris shared the discovery this week in a post on X:
iOS 27.2 RC indicates that Apple is working on a feature to exclude muted chats from the unread count in the Messages app
— Aaron (@aaronp613) October 19, 2026
Personally, I’m very excited by this potential change.
I keep a couple of busy group chats muted inside Messages so I’m not pinged with notifications constantly. And as someone who keeps notification badges disabled for most apps, a red badge is always very noticeable. So it always bothers me when Messages has an unread badge for group chats I’ve muted.
While it sounds like this feature won’t ship in iOS 27.2, hopefully Apple is able to offer it soon.
Would you use this Messages option if Apple provided it? Let us know in the comments.
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