Yes! You can once again hang out with more than just one other person at a time. Here's how group hangouts work.
What's Different Now?
A hangout isn't limited to just you and one other member anymore. Once a second person joins, you're all in a shared group chat together, and more members can keep joining from there. It's a whole crew hanging out, not just a one on one.
How Do I Start a Group Hangout?
Starting a hangout works the same way it always has.
On mobile:
- Tap the Hangout button in the top right corner of the Explore
- Choose what you want to do
- Add any extra detail under Anything Specific? (optional)
- Let us know if you're flexible on where to meet or already have a spot in mind
- Tap Join Hangouts
From there, anyone nearby can ask to join. The more people who get admitted, the bigger the group gets.
How Do I Invite People Directly?
Don't want to wait for people to find you? Any member in the group chat can invite others straight into it.
You can also share a link with friends who aren't on Couchsurfing yet, so they can see what's going on and join in.
Who Decides Who Gets In?
Once your group chat exists, everyone in it has a say. Any member can admit or dismiss a join request, and any member can remove someone from the group if needed. Standard safety tools like report, block, mute, and leave are always available too.
Can I Leave a Group Hangout Without Leaving the Chat?
Yes. Leaving the hangout itself takes you out of the activity, but you'll stay in the group chat unless you leave that too. Leaving the group chat is the full exit, you're out of everything.
A Couple Things to Know:
- You'll need an active membership to join a hangout.
- Your profile needs to hit our profile completeness bar before you can join in.
- A group chat isn't created until a second person joins, so it takes at least two to make it a group.
Need more help? Get in touch. You can also reach us anytime through Settings → Contact Support.