How to Enable MMS Messaging for iPhone
Open Settings., Scroll down and tap Messages., Slide "Send as SMS" to the "On" position., Scroll down and slide "MMS Messaging" to the “On” position., Slide "Group Messaging" to the “On” position., Open Settings., Tap Cellular., Slide “Cellular...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open Settings.
It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically found on your home screen. -
Step 2: Scroll down and tap Messages.
It’s grouped in a section with other Apple apps, like Mail and Notes. , It's near the bottom of the screen.
This enables your iPhone to send messages using cellular data when iMessage is not available. , It is located in the SMS/MMS section and will turn green.
This allows your phone to send messages with pictures and videos using your data plan with your carrier.
MMS is different from iMessage, which can be sent using a Wi-Fi signal when senders and recipients have iMessage enabled.
It doesn’t use cellular data when Wi-Fi is available. , It’s just below "MMS Messaging" in the same section.
This allows you to send Group Messages, which is a text sent to multiple people as an MMS message.
All Group Messaging recipients are able to see other recipients.
Replies will go to the whole group rather than to you, individually. , It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically found on your home screen. , It's near the top of the menu.
This menu will be labeled Mobile Data if your iPhone's language is set to U.K.
English. , It will turn green.
If you have a text package through your carrier that includes MMS, then you may not have to turn on cellular data to send MMS messages. , In order to use MMS, you will need an iPhone 3G or later, iOS
3.1 or later, a cellular data plan, and a domestic MMS plan.You can check your iOS version by tapping General in the main menu of Settings, then tapping About.
You must be enrolled in a data plan that supports MMS in order to use it. , This will allow you to check that your cellular data plan is working correctly.
If this fails, you will need to contact your carrier to fix your cellular data connection. , If you have iMessage enabled, your phone will try to send as an iMessage first.
Problems can occur if one of your contacts has recently switched from iPhone to Android and didn't deactivate iMessage.
Your iPhone may still attempt to send MMS messages to their iMessage account rather than their phone number with MMS.Open Settings.
Tap Messages.
Slide iMessage to Off.
Try sending or receiving an MMS message. , This will reload your cellular connection settings, potentially fixing any errors in your MMS service.
Open Settings.
Tap General.
Tap Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
If you have a passcode, you will be asked to enter it. , MMS is a carrier feature, which means that your carrier manages the servers that send MMS data from your iPhone to other phones and vice versa.
If you're having persistent MMS problems, your carrier may be able to reset your MMS service on their end, fixing the connection issue. , This action can be used if everything else will not work.
You can create a backup before you restore, which will let you retrieve all of your data.
See this guide for detailed instructions on restoring your iPhone. -
Step 3: Slide "Send as SMS" to the "On" position.
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Step 4: Scroll down and slide "MMS Messaging" to the “On” position.
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Step 5: Slide "Group Messaging" to the “On” position.
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Step 6: Open Settings.
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Step 7: Tap Cellular.
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Step 8: Slide “Cellular Data” to the “On” position.
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Step 9: Check that your device and service is compatible.
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Step 10: Turn your Wi-Fi off and try loading a webpage.
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Step 11: Turn iMessage off to test if you can send MMS messages.
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Step 12: Reset your Network Settings.
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Step 13: Contact your carrier.
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Step 14: Restore your iPhone and set it up as new.
Detailed Guide
It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically found on your home screen.
It’s grouped in a section with other Apple apps, like Mail and Notes. , It's near the bottom of the screen.
This enables your iPhone to send messages using cellular data when iMessage is not available. , It is located in the SMS/MMS section and will turn green.
This allows your phone to send messages with pictures and videos using your data plan with your carrier.
MMS is different from iMessage, which can be sent using a Wi-Fi signal when senders and recipients have iMessage enabled.
It doesn’t use cellular data when Wi-Fi is available. , It’s just below "MMS Messaging" in the same section.
This allows you to send Group Messages, which is a text sent to multiple people as an MMS message.
All Group Messaging recipients are able to see other recipients.
Replies will go to the whole group rather than to you, individually. , It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically found on your home screen. , It's near the top of the menu.
This menu will be labeled Mobile Data if your iPhone's language is set to U.K.
English. , It will turn green.
If you have a text package through your carrier that includes MMS, then you may not have to turn on cellular data to send MMS messages. , In order to use MMS, you will need an iPhone 3G or later, iOS
3.1 or later, a cellular data plan, and a domestic MMS plan.You can check your iOS version by tapping General in the main menu of Settings, then tapping About.
You must be enrolled in a data plan that supports MMS in order to use it. , This will allow you to check that your cellular data plan is working correctly.
If this fails, you will need to contact your carrier to fix your cellular data connection. , If you have iMessage enabled, your phone will try to send as an iMessage first.
Problems can occur if one of your contacts has recently switched from iPhone to Android and didn't deactivate iMessage.
Your iPhone may still attempt to send MMS messages to their iMessage account rather than their phone number with MMS.Open Settings.
Tap Messages.
Slide iMessage to Off.
Try sending or receiving an MMS message. , This will reload your cellular connection settings, potentially fixing any errors in your MMS service.
Open Settings.
Tap General.
Tap Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
If you have a passcode, you will be asked to enter it. , MMS is a carrier feature, which means that your carrier manages the servers that send MMS data from your iPhone to other phones and vice versa.
If you're having persistent MMS problems, your carrier may be able to reset your MMS service on their end, fixing the connection issue. , This action can be used if everything else will not work.
You can create a backup before you restore, which will let you retrieve all of your data.
See this guide for detailed instructions on restoring your iPhone.
About the Author
Jean Cooper
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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