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I have a Galaxy S2 running Android 4.0.4. When people send me text messages with a picture attached, I receive the message but it says something like this, with a "download" button:

Message size: 1KB
Expires: 8:52AM, Mar 12
[Download]

When I press the download button, it changes to the text "Downloading" for a moment, and then it changes back to the download button and nothing else happens. I was expecting the picture to open, or something. Is there some way I can download & view these pictures?

[Update]: I have seen other suggestions to turn on mobile data. I went to:

Applications => Settings => Data Usage

and verified that Mobile data = ON. As an experiment, I toggled it OFF then ON again, then pushed the Download button on my text message again, but got the same result (it said "downloading" briefly then nothing).

I have also turned off auto-retrieve here:

Messaging app => Menu => Settings => Multimedia message (MMS) settings

Auto-retrieve is unchecked & still no success. I'm pretty stumped.

Update #2: Suggestion to check APN settings. I went to:

Settings => Wireless & network

But there is no "mobile" choice. There is a "more => mobile networks" but it only has "3G data" and "connections optimizer". Is there some other way to find/set the APN settings?

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  • Try opening the "Downloads" app, or use a file explorer to look at various folders on the phone. It may be that the message app you use simply stores it in a folder and expects you to handle it afterwards.
    – Stephen S
    Mar 5, 2014 at 13:53
  • @StephenSchrauger - thanks, I went to the downloads app. There are 2 tabs: "internet downloads" and "other downloads" but there is nothing under either of them. Is this where SMS downloads are stored?
    – JohnD
    Mar 5, 2014 at 13:55
  • No, that's just where downloads go to. Do you have a data plan at all? Can you e.g. call up web sites with your browser? Messages with pictures attached are MMS, and require an Internet connection, and often a specifically configured APN (provider specific, so you might need to contact your carrier).
    – Izzy ♦
    Mar 5, 2014 at 14:08
  • Yes I have a data plan, I can browse the web, do Google hangouts, and so forth. Everything else seems to work except this. I will have to read about APN, not sure what that is.
    – JohnD
    Mar 5, 2014 at 14:10
  • @Izzy is mostly right. This is largely a case of incorrect APN settings. When I use stock ROM specifically for my carrier, I can download files. But using custom ROMs (with modified-who-knows-what), I usually have problems, and am not able to download them. I can modify the APN somewhat, but it still has quirks. In the end, I just give up on MMS downloads.
    – geffchang
    Mar 5, 2014 at 14:13

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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I just solved this issue on my phone, mms only works through 3g or 4g. It doesnt work over wifi so turn your wifi off, turn your mobile data on and it will work! Or at least it did with mine anyway. That's had me stumped for a veeery long time haha I hope ive helped someone with this :-)

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  • 2
    Wow, thanks Dave, that did the trick on my phone too! Hard to believe.
    – JohnD
    Dec 30, 2014 at 0:20
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I was using a Nexus 5 with Android 6.0.1 and had this problem (download button did nothing once pressed and therefore I was unable to receive MMS msgs). Google's Messenger App as SMS/MMS app.

I ended up calling FIDO and someone directed me to change the url for MMS proxy (in Access Point Names => FIDO LTE => MMS Proxy) to an IP address. I then turned off my phone, took out the SIM, re-inserted it and turned the phone back on. I was then able to receive text messages. I'm not sure which of those steps actually solved it, but together they worked.

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