Send photos, videos, or voice messages in Messages

Messages lets you send and receive photos, videos, audio files, or GIFs as multimedia over MMS.

Important:

Some steps only work on Android 6.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
To send or receive files, grant permission to Messages. Control your app permissions.

Send photos, videos, files, or GIFs

Tip: Photos or recordings that you take in Android Messages aren’t saved on your device.

Important:

If the videos you want to share aren’t already in your Google Photos library, Messages can create a link.
Anyone with the link can view the videos in the shared album. Learn how to stop sharing an album & manage settings.
If you use partner sharing, the videos you share from Messages are shared with your partner.

Open the Messages app .
Open or start an MMS or SMS conversation.
Tap Attach from Camera or Gallery .
Select the video you want to send.
1. Tip: If you select multiple videos, only one link is created.
Under “Google Photos link,” tap Add.
1. Tip: If you always want to send files as Google Photos links, tap Always.
Tap Send .
1. Before a link is sent to Messages, you can tap Cancel . If Backup & sync is on, your video still uploads to Google Photos.

Tips:

You can preview an attachment's file size before you upload it to Google Photos, even if the file isn't in your Google Photos library.
You can compose and send other messages while Google Photos links are uploaded, created, and sent.
When you share a media link, the media's metadata, like the video location, is uploaded to Google Photos. Learn how to manage uploaded metadata.

You can view all the Google Photos links you share in Messages.

Open the Messages app .
At the top right, tap More options Settings Google Photos.
To view, manage, and delete the Google Photos links you’ve shared, tap Manage links in Google Photos.

Tip: Learn how to manage your content in an album.

When you send to a contact in Google Photos:
- Contacts you shared with get an in-app notification and a push notification from the app. The shared item(s) appear in their Sharing page.
- When you share a new album or conversation with them, they’ll receive an email notification.
- Their account profile photo or initial is added to the album or conversation and will appear faded until they view the album or conversation.
- When they view the album or conversation, their account profile photo or initial will appear in the activity view next to the latest photos, comments, or likes they have viewed.
- If they join a shared album or like, comment, or add photos in a shared album or conversation, their profile image changes to their account profile photo or initial.
When you add photos or videos to albums or conversations, your account profile photo or initial will appear next to the latest photos you added.
If you share a video captured fully or partially in slow motion, others may be able to view any part of the video at a slower speed in their own player.

Get the latest versions of Messages and Google Photos.
Make sure you’re connected to cellular data or Wi-Fi.
If the upload takes a long time, check your connection or reduce the file size.
If a video is in process when you send it, the recipient gets a notification that the video is in process.