iPhone not sending or receiving pictures (2024)

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User profile for user: caylan2815

caylan2815 Author

User level: Level1

29 points

Whenever someone sends me a photo, whether it be a screenshot or normal photo, they will not display. It will not even let me click it or download it. I have to ask for the person to send it through Snapchat or Messenger. When sending photos or videos, they will not send through iMessage. They will barely send through MMS, and if they do, the quality is awful. Everyone I send or receive from are iPhone users. I have an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and currently on iOS 16.3.1. They use to be labeled HEIC, but I changed some settings according to Google and they now just say JPEG, as seen in the photos I attached. It also does this when connected to Wi-Fi. I feel like I've tried everything.

iPhone not sending or receiving pictures (2)iPhone not sending or receiving pictures (3)

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Posted on Mar 23, 2023 7:39 AM

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User profile for user: JazooPerth

JazooPerth

User level: Level1

19 points

Posted on Dec 8, 2023 5:15 AM

Ever since upgrading to OS 17.1.2 on my iPhone 13 I can no longer send and receive photos via text MMS, and I have tons of storage space. I am grateful for any ideas to fix this.

Tx,

Jazoo in Perth down unda

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User profile for user: JazooPerth

JazooPerth

User level: Level1

19 points

Dec 8, 2023 5:15 AM in response to Androctonus222

Ever since upgrading to OS 17.1.2 on my iPhone 13 I can no longer send and receive photos via text MMS, and I have tons of storage space. I am grateful for any ideas to fix this.

Tx,

Jazoo in Perth down unda

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User profile for user: oliverfromnew york

oliverfromnew york

User level: Level1

14 points

Dec 10, 2023 5:24 AM in response to JazooPerth

I am having same issue. Since upgrading to 17.1.2 having problems texting photos or sharing articles from multiple apps via text. Restart helped temporarily.

User profile for user: kdc61

kdc61

User level: Level1

14 points

Sep 10, 2023 7:52 PM in response to EDreamfall

yes, I'm over it too. I've done everything suggested, including turning on and off (which works temporarily) and then photos etc just won't work again. Apple needs to get their act together here. My next phone won't be an Iphone.

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User profile for user: Garynatfka

Garynatfka

User level: Level1

12 points

Nov 24, 2023 2:03 PM in response to caylan2815

It does not make a difference for me if MMS, Group or everything else is turned on. Even starting and restarting my phone. Pictures will not go through to andriod phones

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User profile for user: Androctonus222

Androctonus222

User level: Level1

9 points

Apr 14, 2023 12:14 PM in response to caylan2815

Everyone I know with an iPhone is having this problem since updating to iOS 16.4. Pics come through on iPads with the same Apple ID, but not on iPhones. I've personally tried every suggested fix (check/reset all Messages settings, power cycle the phone, reset network settings, reset Messages, reset the whole phone, etc.), on three different iPhone models with two different carriers, and nothing works. I've also noticed almost daily requests to do Apple ID updates that stated at the same time. This appears to a significant bug in iOS 16.4, in the Messages server system, or in the Apple ID system, that will require an update to fix.

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User profile for user: WasabiLover24

WasabiLover24

User level: Level1

10 points

Sep 14, 2023 7:18 AM in response to caylan2815

I recently had this happen to me. I made sure that SMS/MMS were enabled on my phone. I did one network reset. (that can be found under settings, general, scroll down to transfer/reset then select reset network.) eventually I called AT&T, who is my carrier, and they had to completely reset my phone to the local towers and it’s fine now. I have an iPhone 12. Hope this helps!

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User profile for user: iPhoneHopeless

iPhoneHopeless

Jul 13, 2023 7:40 AM in response to eliott16

Yup, never experienced this until the recent ios update. Did what many suggested, restart…re set the setting -> message etc…after many attempts…it only works for a short while.

Came on Apple, what happens? Many of your talented technicians left u?

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User profile for user: toulouse177

toulouse177

User level: Level1

9 points

Dec 13, 2023 1:56 PM in response to caylan2815

I’ve just updated to 17.2 and it’s still not fixed it so it’s have no idea what’s going on with Apple atm it’s very frustrating

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User profile for user: lyra258

lyra258

User level: Level1

15 points

Dec 5, 2023 10:35 AM in response to caylan2815

This happens to me too ALL the time. Im out and about and i try to send a picture to some body, and they tell me they didn't get it until i got to wifi. The same happens to me the other way, someone try's to send me a voice message or something and it wont let me download it or listen to it

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User profile for user: jigneshpadhiyar9120

jigneshpadhiyar9120

User level: Level3

793 points

Nov 3, 2023 2:52 AM in response to caylan2815

If your iPhone does not send photos, there are several issues that you can check.

1. Check if the person to whom you're going to send the picture has the iMessage app. If the recipient is not an Apple user, then you need to use other iMessage alternative apps.

2. Check your file size. If the file size is too large, you need to reduce the file size.

3. There could be an iMessage server issue. You can visit Apple's server system page to check the iMessage server status.

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User profile for user: ghungerford

ghungerford

User level: Level1

10 points

Aug 22, 2023 3:19 PM in response to caylan2815

sending photos in any format using a Mac device is truly broken now. The failure mode is that it works for a couple of days and then suddenly stops working. Not a single one of the techniques Apple suggest fixes the problem.

I'm using 13.4.1 on my MacBook, and IOS 16.6 on my iPhone

I use a 10Gb gaming router and >1Gb internet connection which is solid and it screams.

Apple is deaf to this. Telegram works fine, FB messenger is OK, Apple iMessenger and iPhone texting is broken

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User profile for user: EDreamfall

EDreamfall

User level: Level1

8 points

Sep 10, 2023 6:19 PM in response to caylan2815

Sure resetting the phone works, however it isn't a permanent solution. I find it to be a big inconvenience to have to reset my phone a few times a day just to send and receive images properly. Paid 900$ for my phone, would love it if apple could step up to the plate and find a permanent solution. Make the absurd amount of money I spent worth it.

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User profile for user: Androctonus222

Androctonus222

User level: Level1

9 points

Jun 2, 2023 5:43 AM in response to Sand-Wichman

This has continued to happen to me periodically, and to a couple of friends as well. Each time we find that there is a new iOS update available, and once we do the update, it works again. So apparently this is a new ploy that Apple has intentionally implemented to force people to install updates as soon as they’re released.

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User profile for user: JamieInAZ

JamieInAZ

User level: Level1

4 points

Jul 6, 2023 1:51 PM in response to caylan2815

Same problem. Images can be sent and received on my MacBook and iPad and even my Apple Watch but not on my iPhone 12 running 16.5.1. I tried every single tip in this thread and it's still not working.

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User profile for user: angelaw321

angelaw321

User level: Level1

8 points

Jun 12, 2023 8:01 AM in response to caylan2815

I'm updated to 16.5 and still can't send photos in group messages or to androids. MMS is activated and restarted. Tried all the fixes and nothing works. This is going to be a real pain when I'm in Alaska and wanting to send photos home to friends and family.

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iPhone not sending or receiving pictures

iPhone not sending or receiving pictures (2024)

FAQs

IPhone not sending or receiving pictures? ›

Make sure that your device has enough space to receive images and videos. If you use SMS or MMS messaging to send photos or videos, your carrier may set size limits for attachments. Larger files may take more time to send, and your iPhone can compress photo and video attachments when necessary.

Why is my iPhone having trouble sending and receiving pictures? ›

Solution 1: Make Sure MMS Messaging is Enabled

Otherwise, your picture message will not be delivered, no matter how much you try. Step 1: On your iPhone, go to the Settings and then click on the Messages. Step 2: Now, check if MMS Messaging is enabled. If not, then enable it and try again to send a picture.

Why can't I send or receive pictures? ›

Things You Should Know. Make sure MMS is enabled, as photo texts are sent via MMS instead of SMS. Ensure your cellular data is enabled, and that you have an active cellular plan. Restart your messages app or phone to clear out corrupt data or glitches.

Why is my iPhone not loading pictures in Messages? ›

If you're experiencing issues with iPhone photos not loading in messages, it's possible that the Automatic Sharing option is turned off. By enabling this option, you can ensure that photos are automatically shared and displayed within your iMessage conversations.

Why won't my iPhone download pictures in text message? ›

The most likely reason for iPhone not downloading pictures in iMessage is the poor Internet connection. If your iPhone has a slow or unstable network, it won't download or load pictures in iMessage or other apps. If your iPhone does not have enough storage space, it may also cause image downloading to fail in iMessage.

Why are photos not loading on iPhone? ›

if the internet is too weak or unstable, the iPhone may encounter trouble loading the photos. Make sure your iPhone has enough free space available to process and load the pictures. Users with iPhones having less built-in storage like 32 GB or 64 GB are more likely to experience this problem.

How to clear the cache on an iPhone? ›

How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari
  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Select Safari from the list of apps.
  3. Go to Clear History and Website Data.
  4. Choose Clear History and Data in the pop-up box.
Jun 1, 2024

How do I enable my iPhone to send pictures? ›

Steps for enabling MMS on iPhone
  1. Open Settings. First, you'll need to access your iPhone's settings menu. ...
  2. Tap Messages. From your settings screen, scroll down until you reach the label that reads Messages and tap it. ...
  3. Toggle MMS messaging on. Once you're in the Messages menu, scroll down until you reach the SMS/MMS section.
Nov 9, 2022

Why does my iPhone fail to send messages? ›

If your iPhone is not sending messages, first make sure your phone has service, as the issue may be with the Wi-Fi or cellular network, not your device itself. Check in your iPhone's Settings app that various messaging options are turned on so that your phone can dispatch texts if iMessage fails.

Why doesn't my iPhone send pictures to Androids? ›

Enable MMS message

MMS messaging is the key protocol to share photos from iPhone to Android. If this feature is disabled on your device, it won't send photos to an Android phone. Thus, if iPhone can't send pictures to Android, be sure the MMS feature is turned on.

How to get images on iPhone messages? ›

Open the Messages app on your iPhone. , then tap Photos. Swipe up to search, browse through all photos, or change albums, then tap the images you want to send.

Why are pictures not loading on Messenger? ›

If you can't see pictures in your Facebook Messenger, it could be due to a cache and data corruption issue. Try clearing the cache and data for the Messenger app on your device. This can often resolve the issue and allow you to view pictures in Messenger again.

How to clear iMessage cache? ›

Go to System Files → Mediadomain → Library → SMS → Attachments from the sidepane. Every folder in Attachments is your message cache, which includes every image, video, and file you've sent or received. Remove them. Ideally, remove every folder.

Why is my iPhone not receiving text pictures? ›

Check the MMS settings in iOS

Images attached to a text message will be sent via MMS (the Multimedia Messaging Service) if iMessage is not available. MMS is enabled by default but there is a slim chance you may have deactivated it by mistake when previously altering the settings of your iPhone.

Why won't my phone download pictures? ›

Check if Your Phone has Adequate Unused Storage Space

Let's say you allow access to your photos and videos and phone storage. If the available space is insufficient, there's no way you can download pictures or video content from the app. The next step is to free up storage for the media you want to download.

How to fix unable to download photos on iPhone? ›

Part 1: Why is your iPhone not Downloading Photos Properly?
  1. Connectivity Errors. ...
  2. Lack of Storage. ...
  3. iCloud-related Issues. ...
  4. Other Reasons. ...
  5. Fix 1: Make Sure the Low Power Mode is Disabled. ...
  6. Fix 2: Have Enough Free Space on your Device. ...
  7. Fix 3: Check Network Settings on your iPhone. ...
  8. Fix 4: Restart your iOS Device.

Why does my iPhone fail to send Messages? ›

If your iPhone is not sending messages, first make sure your phone has service, as the issue may be with the Wi-Fi or cellular network, not your device itself. Check in your iPhone's Settings app that various messaging options are turned on so that your phone can dispatch texts if iMessage fails.

Why can't I send photos from my iPhone to my email? ›

The best way to fix this problem is via "Reset network Settings". Go to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset". Tap on "Reset Network Settings". Connect with Wi-Fi or cellular and try send photos from email again, it should work now.

What do the exclamation marks mean in iPhone text? ›

If you see a red exclamation point

with an alert that says Not Delivered, follow these steps: Check your network connection. Tap the red exclamation point. , then tap Try Again. If you still can't send the message, tap the red exclamation point.

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