To create a subgroup:

1. Desktop browser: In the main (parent) group, in the left menu, select Subgroups.
   Mobile device: At the bottom of a page in the main (parent) group, tap the More icon, then select Subgroups on the More menu.
2. On the Subgroups page, click or tap the Create Subgroup button at the top of the page.
3. Complete the elements on the Create A Subgroup page:
   • Subgroup Email Address

     Enter the name of your subgroup, up to a maximum of 34 characters. This name will appear in the subgroup’s email address and also in the URL of your subgroup on the Groups.io website.

     Note: Only letters, numbers, periods, and single dashes (hyphens) are allowed in the subgroup name.

   • Description

     Enter a description of your subgroup. This description will be displayed on your subgroup’s home page and on the parent group’s home page (if you choose to list the subgroup there).

   • Visibility

     ! Important: When you make a message archive private (viewable only by parent group members or subgroup members), you cannot change it later to be publicly viewable. Therefore, at this stage, you should be certain about what visibility you want your subgroup’s message archive to have.

     This option controls whether your subgroup is listed on your parent group’s home page and whether its message archive is visible to the general public, only to parent group members, or only to subgroup members. Select the option you want to use for your subgroup. See Subgroup visibility settings for descriptions.

4. Select the checkbox next to “I agree and confirm compliance with the Online Safety Policy and Terms of Service.” The Create Subgroup button is not activated until you select this checkbox.
   Note: This acknowledgement is required for compliance with the UK Online Safety Act. See Online Safety at Groups.io.
5. Click or tap the Create Subgroup button at the bottom of the page.

Now you can customize the subgroup’s settings (including adding the subgroup to a category), create member notices, and add members of the parent group to the subgroup (either by inviting them to join or, if the group is not a Premium trial group, by adding them directly). 

Note:

• After you create the first subgroup:
  • The parent group and subgroup will not be available for a short period of time while the group’s DNS information is updated. Typically, the delay in availability lasts only a few minutes.
  • The parent group’s original name will become a subdomain in the email address and in the URLs for the group and subgroup websites, and its name will become ”main.” Therefore, the parent group’s email address will become main@originalparentgroupname.groups.io, and its URL will become https://originalparentgroupname.groups.io/g/main.

    Examples of a parent group called Test before a subgroup is added:

    • Email address: Test@groups.io
    • Website URL: https://groups.io/g/Test

    Examples after the first subgroup, named Subgroup-A, is added:

    • Subgroup email address: Subgroup-A@Test.groups.io
    • Subgroup website URL: https://Test.groups.io/g/Subgroup-A
    • Parent group email address: main@Test.groups.io
    • Parent group website URL: https://Test.groups.io/g/main

    You can change ”main” to another name if you want a more descriptive name for the parent group. See Renaming a group.

  • In the email addresses and the website URLs for the parent group and subgroup, the parent group’s original name becomes a subdomain and its name becomes ”main.” To see examples, expand Subgroup Email Address in step 3 above. You can change ”main” to another name if you want a more descriptive name for the parent group. See Renaming a group.
• If you invite someone to join a subgroup who is not a member of the parent group, they will be added to the parent group automatically when they accept the subgroup invitation.