The present disclosure provides a multi-user instant messaging method performed by a server. The method includes: obtaining a first quantity of first multimedia data streams; merging the first quantity of first multimedia data streams into a second quantity of second multimedia data streams, the second quantity being less than the first quantity; and transmitting the second quantity of second multimedia data streams to a recipient terminal, wherein the recipient terminal presents the corresponding second multimedia data streams. Embodiments of the present disclosure can improve the compatibility with recipient terminals in a multi-user instant messaging process.