# Why won't Text send attachment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458 "2019-12-27T17:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/21 "2019-12-28T01:28:41Z")
I’ve sent photos by text. A major PITA because it requires resizing to low resolution photos. Deja Vu the 90’s and 800x600 or even 640x480 resolution. I’ll call Consumer Cellular support and ask about their limits. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/22 "2019-12-28T11:06:36Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve sent photos by text. A major PITA because it requires resizing to low resolution photos. Deja Vu the 90’s and 800x600 or even 640x480 resolution. > > I’ll call Consumer Cellular support and ask about their limits. Download WhatsApp for complex messaging. You’d be better off limiting your _text_ messages to, well, just text. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/23 "2019-12-28T13:52:35Z")
In the early days of text messaging, the character limit was 160 (including spaces, etc.). This was carried over into the cell phone system in certain ways which resulted in the 140 character limit in Tweets. Everything tacked on since then is, well, tacked on. So the SMS world is a real hodgepodge of stuff with different types of texts by different providers using different programs all creating confusion. In short, _if you want to send something non-trivial to someone use email_. (Even email has limits on attachment sizes, etc. but those are far less restrictive and all over the place standards-wise.) Sending pics, videos, pdfs, etc. via text is not a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/24 "2019-12-28T14:04:06Z")
I know that I can’t receive pictures and such over WiFi. I need to turn WiFi off, and receive through my data plan. Could this be related? Turn off WiFi and try again. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/25 "2019-12-28T14:20:51Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I know that I can’t receive pictures and such over WiFi. I need to turn WiFi off, and receive through my data plan. > > Could this be related? Turn off WiFi and try again. This makes no sense at all. By definition, SMS only works over Cellular. Apple has iMessage, which uses WiFi or Cellular if the recipients have iMessage, and Cellular if they don’t. I suspect that Android has something similar, but I don’t know. In any case, the data connection never has to be changed for it to work. Can you explain how you came to this conclusion? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/26 "2019-12-28T15:19:29Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > This makes no sense at all. > By definition, SMS only works over Cellular. Apple has iMessage, which uses WiFi or Cellular if the recipients have iMessage, and Cellular if they don’t. I suspect that Android has something similar, but I don’t know. In any case, the data connection never has to be changed for it to work. > > Can you explain how you came to this conclusion? Yes. I received a message with a picture attachment and the picture wouldn’t download. As soon as I left my WiFi area I received the picture. This has happened many, many times: I get an attachment, and I don’t see it. I turn off WiFi and I receive it. It doesn’t make any sense to me either, but believe me, that’s what I need to do to receive text message attachments. They will not download if I’m connected to a WiFi network. Android phone - Motorola. ETA: Have a look at step 2 on this link. [https://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/article/3-steps-to-fix-your-picture-video-message-issues](https://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/article/3-steps-to-fix-your-picture-video-message-issues) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/27 "2019-12-28T15:29:41Z")
Missed the edit window, but I found this from my carrier: see step 2. > **[Three steps to fix picture & video message issues | TELUS Support](https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/3-steps-to-fix-your-picture-video-message-issues)** > > Easy steps to fix most of your iOS or Android picture and video message issues. “Step 2: Make sure you have data service enabled and your device “data is turned ON” Ensure you have network coverage Ensure you have data services enabled, Picture & video messaging will NOT work over regular Wi-Fi” So, I need to disable WiFi to receive pictures. Beats me why. You would think, if data was enabled, it would default to data, but it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![htetrasme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f8ce5/32.png) [@htetrasme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htetrasme)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/28 "2019-12-28T16:46:52Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Download WhatsApp for complex messaging. You’d be better off limiting your _text_ messages to, well, just text. I find Telegram even better than WhatsApp. It’s cloud-based, can run on as many cell phones, tablets and computers as you want simultaneously, and doesn’t limit the size of the files you send. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/29 "2019-12-28T21:49:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I know that I can’t receive pictures and such over WiFi. I need to turn WiFi off, and receive through my data plan. > > Could this be related? Turn off WiFi and try again. This depends on all the usual factors I mentioned above. I have _only_ sent/received texts over IP connections (which sometimes might be WiFi). (Well, there’s exceptions like “mandatory” texts my phone service sends out. But I don’t consider such ~spam messages to be messages to _me_. So getting an Amber alert when I turn off airplane mode for something 2+ days old is really helpful, guys.) So I have never personally sent or received a text message over cell service. YMMV is a vast understatement in regard to these things. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/30 "2019-12-30T00:04:05Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yes. I received a message with a picture attachment and the picture wouldn’t download. As soon as I left my WiFi area I received the picture. This has happened many, many times: I get an attachment, and I don’t see it. I turn off WiFi and I receive it. It doesn’t make any sense to me either, but believe me, that’s what I need to do to receive text message attachments. They will not download if I’m connected to a WiFi network. > Android phone - Motorola. MMS (multi-media messaging service) requires network access to MMS Access point (APN) provided by the carrier. Some carriers set up the APN so it is accessible via any internet connected network, and can authenticate via the sim card. Others restrict access to the APN to their own data networks, so MMS delivery/retrieval requires disconnecting from external WiFi and connection via the mobile network. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/31 "2019-12-30T22:29:40Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > In the early days of text messaging, the character limit was 160 (including spaces, etc.). This was carried over into the cell phone system in certain ways **which resulted in the 140 character limit in Tweets.** Emphasis mine. Are you saying that the 140 character limit on Twitter is a technical limitation? I had always believed that that it was a design decision to encourage a brief style of writing (i.e “microblogging”). ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/32 "2019-12-31T01:04:08Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > The size limit is based on the carrier. Android allows users to set the MMS attachment limit to whatever their carrier’s limit _is_, but otherwise it wouldn’t know unless you tell it If you or I can find out the attachment limit, then an app can find out too. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/33 "2019-12-31T01:27:12Z")
> [@TwoCarrotSnowman](#): > > Emphasis mine. Are you saying that the 140 character limit on Twitter is a technical limitation? I had always believed that that it was a design decision to encourage a brief style of writing (i.e “microblogging”). [Yes](http://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000431.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/34 "2019-12-31T10:46:22Z")
> [@TwoCarrotSnowman](#): > > Emphasis mine. Are you saying that the 140 character limit on Twitter is a technical limitation? I had always believed that that it was a design decision to encourage a brief style of writing (i.e “microblogging”). > [@beowulff](#): > > [Yes](http://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000431.shtml). > [@ftg](#): > > In the early days of text messaging, the character limit was 160 (including spaces, etc.). This was carried over into the cell phone system in certain ways which resulted in the 140 character limit in **Tweets**. Thanks for the link, **beowulff** - but the link is about SMS, which isn’t what I was asking. **ftg** ’s comment above (again, emphasis mine) seemed to be asserting that restrictions in “tweets” - i.e messages published on Twitter - had the character limit they do because Twitter inherited that limit from SMS. This is what I was seeking to clarify. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/35 "2019-12-31T16:42:04Z")
> [@TwoCarrotSnowman](#): > > Thanks for the link, **beowulff** - but the link is about SMS, which isn’t what I was asking. **ftg** ’s comment above (again, emphasis mine) seemed to be asserting that restrictions in “tweets” - i.e messages published on Twitter - had the character limit they do because Twitter inherited that limit from SMS. This is what I was seeking to clarify. Twitter was originally designed to work over SMS, as well as the web. I guess that was the best solution for mobile use in 2006. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/36 "2019-12-31T21:42:16Z")
Here’s a [link](https://www.fastcompany.com/3060165/a-brief-history-of-twitters-140-character-limit) about tweet-length and SMS. The “missing” 20 chars are for a user name. Note that SMSs could be sent in a usually unused segment of the old cell phone service signal. Since this was used so little, putting it to use to send messages and _charge for them_ was something the phone companies took advantage of. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/37 "2019-12-31T21:55:44Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Note that SMSs could be sent in a usually unused segment of the old cell phone service signal. Since this was used so little, putting it to use to send messages and _charge for them_ was something the phone companies took advantage of. Wasn’t it a part of the GSM standard, mostly reserved for engineers to interrogate towers or something like that? The phone companies certainly made out like bandits when they figured out they could charge for using it for messaging generally, at very little cost to themselves. The UK ones certainly did! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458/38 "2020-01-01T13:18:13Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Wasn’t it a part of the GSM standard, mostly reserved for engineers to interrogate towers or something like that? The phone companies certainly made out like bandits when they figured out they could charge for using it for messaging generally, at very little cost to themselves. The UK ones certainly did! OTOH, in countries such as Finland in the early days the phone companies made texting free since it was a way to draw in customers and cost the companies so little. Resulting in teenage Finns becoming some of the most text-obsessed people in the world. This was in part why Nokia became so successful (for a while). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-text-send-attachment/845458.md?page=1)