5 Fixes for Google Messages Not Downloading MMS

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he's a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife. Learn about our Tech Review Board

Updated August 9, 2024 Reviewed & Updated by Paurush Chaudhary Expertise: Technology, Content Writing, YouTube, Cinema, Desserts Education: PDGM in English Journalism

Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters are with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often making it longer. Learn about our Tech Review Board

Open the Messages app > Profile icon > Settings > Advanced > Enable Auto-download MMS.
Open Messages app info > Mobile Data > Allow background data usage.
Open Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names > Reset to Default > Reset.

Basic Fixes

Switch to Wi-Fi: Some MMS files might require fast internet speeds because of their file size. So we suggest switching to Wi-Fi.
Force quit and relaunch the Messages app: This will give the app a fresh start if it has been running in the background.
Update or reinstall the Messages app: Install the new version of the Messages app on your Android phone to get rid of bugs or glitches.

Fix 1: Enable Auto-Download MMS Option

Is Google Messages failing to download MMS messages automatically? That could happen if you’ve mistakenly disabled the auto-download MMS feature. Here’s how you can enable it.

Open the Messages app > Profile icon > Settings > Advanced > Enable Auto-download MMS.

advanced settings messages android auto download mms google messages app

Fix 2: Enable Background Data Usage for the Messages App

Google Messages may have trouble downloading MMS messages if you’ve imposed background data restrictions on the app. Here’s how to change that.

Open Messages app info > Mobile Data > Allow background data usage.

mobile data app info google messages allow background data usage google messages

Fix 3: Clear App Cache

Google Messages saves cache files to improve app performance on Android. However, these cache files can occasionally become problematic, causing some app features to stop working. Thankfully, Android makes it relatively simple to delete the redundant app cache.

Open Messages app info > Storage > Clear cache.

storage app info messages android Clear Google Messages App Cache on Android

Fix 4: Reset APN Settings

Misconfigured APN (Access Point Name) settings can also prevent apps from connecting to the internet and cause such problems. A quick way to fix incorrect APN settings on Android is to reset them. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Open Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks.

Step 2: Tap on Access Point Names.

Step 3: Tap the three vertical dots menu icon at the top right corner and then select Reset to default.

menu access point names android reset APNs to default android

Step 4: Select Reset to confirm.

Fix 5: Reset Network Settings

If none of the solutions have worked, we suggest to reset the network settings on your Android phone.