iPhone Photos Not Showing Up In iMessages on iPhone [Full Guide]

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Not being able to send or receive photos in iMessage is a frustrating issue that many iPhone users face. If your iPhone photos are not showing up in iMessage, don’t worry – this article will guide you through several advanced troubleshooting processes to fix the problem.

Quick Answer:

Here is a quick answer to the article on iPhone photos not showing up in iMessage:

If your iPhone photos are not showing up in iMessage, try these troubleshooting tips:

Enable Wi-Fi Assist in settings to switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data seamlessly.
Check that the date and time on your iPhone are set correctly. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
Sign out of iMessage, then sign back in with your Apple ID to re-register your device.
Reset network settings to erase all Wi-Fi networks and passwords and reconfigure them. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Update your iPhone software in case of a bug.
Delete old message threads that may be causing issues.
Check your iCloud storage in case it’s full.
Try toggling Airplane mode on and off to reset connectivity.
Make sure iMessage is enabled in settings.
Force quit and relaunch the Messages app.

Step 1: Enable Wi-Fi Assist

Wi-Fi Assist is a feature that automatically switches your iPhone from Wi-Fi to cellular data when the Wi-Fi connection is poor. This prevents dropped connections and improves the reliability of apps like iMessage.

To enable Wi-Fi Assist:

Open Settings on your iPhone

Tap on Cellular or Mobile Data

Scroll down and turn on the switch for Wi-Fi Assist

Go back to the main Settings page

Quickly switch your Mobile Data connection off and back on again

Enabling Wi-Fi Assist allows your iPhone to seamlessly transition between Wi-Fi and cellular data. This often fixes issues with iMessage not sending photos properly.

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Step 2: Fix Date and Time Settings

An incorrect date and time setting is another common reason for iMessage problems. Here’s how to check and fix your iPhone’s date and time:

Go to Settings > General > Date & Time

Make sure “Set Automatically” is enabled – this syncs your iPhone’s date and time with the network

If “Set Automatically” is already turned on, toggle it off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on to force a refresh

This resets the date/time and resyncs it with the network. Photos in iMessage rely on accurate time stamps to send properly. Correcting the date/time often resolves the issue.

Step 3: Log Out and Log Back Into iMessage

Signing out of iMessage and signing back in forces your iPhone to re-register your device with Apple’s servers. Follow these steps:

Go to Settings > [Your Name]

Tap on Media & Purchases

Tap “Sign Out” to sign out of iMessage

Enter your Apple ID password when prompted
Once signed out, sign back in with the same Apple ID

This refreshes your authentication credentials and resyncs message history. After logging back in, try sending a photo over iMessage again.

Step 4: Reset Network Settings

Resetting network settings erases all Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and other network preferences – and forces them to be reconfigured.

To reset network settings:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone

Tap “Reset”

Tap “Reset Network Settings”

Enter your passcode if prompted

Tap “Reset Network Settings” again to confirm

Wait for your iPhone to reboot. All networks will be erased and you’ll have to reconnect. This often resolves persistent connectivity issues that prevent photos from sending in iMessage.

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Still, Having Issues?

If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps but are still unable to send/receive photos in iMessage, here are a few other things to check:

Update your iPhone to the latest iOS version
Check iMessage settings and make sure it’s enabled
Turn iMessage off and on again
Force quit and relaunch the Messages app
Try deleting old message threads
Check for iOS updates and install them if available
Try resetting all settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings)

In most cases, one of the troubleshooting steps above will successfully fix the problem and get iMessage to send photos properly again on your iPhone. Let us know in the comments if you need any help!

FAQs:

Why are my photos not sending as pictures in iPhone Messages?

There are a few common reasons why photos may not be sent properly in the Messages app on iPhone:

Weak cellular or Wi-Fi signal
Outdated software – try updating your iOS
iMessage is disabled – check settings to make sure it’s on
Apple ID or authentication issues – sign out and back in
Too many old messages and threads – delete some old conversations
Corrupt cache data – try force quitting the Messages app

How do I fix if my iPhone says “Cannot Send Photo” in iMessage?

If you get a “Cannot Send Photo” error when trying to send pictures in iMessages, try these troubleshooting tips:

Check your internet connection and switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data
Update your iPhone software in case of a bug
Reset network settings to refresh all connections
Sign out then back into iMessage with your Apple ID
Check your iCloud storage in case it’s full
Try deleting the photo and sending it again

Why do some images disappear in Messages on my iPhone?

If images disappear or won’t load in the Messages app on your iPhone, it’s usually caused by connectivity issues, software bugs, authentication problems, or storage limitations:

Toggle Airplane mode on/off to reset connectivity
Update iOS software in case it’s a bug
Sign out/in of iMessage to refresh authentication
Clear old messages and threads to free up space
Check iCloud storage limits under settings

Restarting your iPhone can also help by clearing any software glitches.

How do I fix iPhone message failed to send error?

If your iPhone says it “failed to send” a message, try the following:

Check for software updates and install if available
Turn Airplane mode on, wait 30 seconds, then turn it off
Open Settings > Messages and switch iMessage off/on
Sign out then back into iMessage with your Apple ID
Reset network settings in the General settings
Try deleting the message thread and starting a new one

This will resolve any network, software, authentication or connectivity issues preventing the message from sending.

Why are some messages out of order on my iPhone?

Messages may appear out of order in the app if:

You switched devices while messaging
There was a connectivity issue when sending
Background app refresh is disabled for Messages
Old messages are stuck in a queue before sending
The time zone was set incorrectly on your device

Check your settings, connection, and time zone. Force quit and relaunch the Messages app to resolve any ordering issues.

How do I re-download photos and videos missing from my iPhone Messages?

If photos or videos are missing from your message history in the iPhone Messages app, you can try re-downloading them by:

Opening the Messages app and tapping the photo to redownload
Going to Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Messages – this will allow you to redownload from iCloud
Connecting your iPhone to iTunes and restoring from a backup
Signing out then back into iMessage can also re-download missing attachments

As long as the photos/videos were previously saved in iCloud, you should be able to retrieve them using one of these methods.

Conclusion:

Not being able to send or receive photos in Messages is a headache, but fixing it is usually straightforward. First, make sure Wi-Fi Assist is enabled and your date and time settings are correct. Then log out and back into iMessage, and reset network settings. Updating your software, deleting old messages, and checking your iCloud storage can also help resolve issues. With a bit of troubleshooting, you’ll have your iPhone sending iMessage photos properly again in no time.