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How to Send a Photo by Text Message (SMS) on Android – Easy Guide

Difficulty : Easy

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Sending Photos or Videos by Text Message (MMS)

Sending a photo by text message is very useful: to share a family photo, send a document, or show something to a loved one. On an Android phone, this is very easy—even if you’re a beginner. In this guide, I’ll show you two simple methods to send a photo by text message. Let’s get started!

👉 Good to know: when a text message contains a photo, it’s technically called an MMS (we explain this below).

Table of Contents

Send a photo from the Gallery
Send a photo from the Messages app

1. Send a photo from the Photo Gallery

This is the easiest and most practical method, especially for beginners. Why? Because you start directly from the photo you want to send—no need to search for it later. The second method works more like an attachment: you create a new message, then add the photo. If you’re not very comfortable with smartphones, this first method is recommended.

✅ Steps to send a photo from the Gallery

Open the Gallery app and tap the photo you want to send
Tap the Share button
3. Tap Messages
4. Choose the contact
5. Tap Send

Open the Gallery app (or Google Photos, if you use it), tap the Share icon at the bottom of the screen (similar to iPhone), then select the Messages app. Select one or more contacts, write a message if you want, and send the MMS. That’s it!

📶 Important: Mobile data (4G / 5G) must be enabled.
You can activate it quickly by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping Mobile Data.

premiers clics - tuto pour téléphone - comment envoyer une photo par message SMS

Then select one or more contacts of your choice, write a message, and send the MMS. That’s all!

The MMS will be sent right away. Please note that mobile data (4G, 5G, etc.) must be enabled on your phone. You can easily turn it on using the quick settings by swiping down from the top of the screen.

2.Send a Photo from the “Messages” App (SMS)

This method is also very common.

✅ Steps:
1. Open the Messages app
2. Open an existing conversation or create a new one
3. Tap the + button or the paperclip icon
4. Select one or more photos
5. Type your message and tap Send

Comment envoyer une photo par SMS ? Tuto simple pour débutants

Click to view the screenshots in full size

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many photos can I send by text message?

Usually 1 to 5 photos per message.
If you need to send more photos or larger files, use WhatsApp or another messaging app.

Can I send a video by MMS?

Only very short videos (a few seconds).
Longer videos are too large for MMS. Use WhatsApp instead.

Why does sending the photo fail?

There can be several reasons:

The file is too large
Too many photos are selected
Mobile data is turned off

Turn mobile data back on and tap Resend.

📷 Google Photos: What Is It?

Google Photos is an app that stores your photos online on Google’s servers.
It lets you:

Sync photos between devices
Automatically back up your pictures
Recover photos on a new Android phone or tablet

To learn more, check out our guide:
“How to view and manage your photos with Google Photos”

✅ Conclusion

Sending a photo by text message on an Android phone is simple and accessible to everyone—even beginners.
Whether you use the Gallery or the Messages app, just follow a few easy steps.

Want to learn more about using your phone?
👉 Check out all our beginner-friendly phone tutorials.

Thibaut Mathieu