Android Stuck on Sending or Downloading when picture messaging

How to Fix an Android smartphone when its messages are stuck on “Downloading” when trying to open a picture message, and/or when an Android phone gets stuck “Sending” when attempting to send a picture message.

Multimedia Messaging Service or MMS for short is a feature that you most certainly want to work on your Android phone. Sending and receiving picture messages is one of the greatest things your smartphone can do, so if you’re having some problems sending and downloading MMS, it can be pretty frustrating.

Good news! This issue IS MOST CIRTAINLY 100% fixable.

You don’t have to worry about how to fix a phone that will not receive messages because you are receiving messages you just cannot open the files that are attached to them.

This issue usually doesn’t result in slow messaging so you probably do not need to worry about how to fix delayed messages.

This issue of getting stuck on Sending or Downloading is actually a pretty easy thing to fix, and here is the solution.

Restart your phone

If you have not turned off your phone in a while or have not restarted your device since this issue first occurred then go ahead and reboot the unit. Manually turn it off, count to ten, and then turn it back on. Once it boots up try to open or send a picture message and see if the phone will work correctly. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

Soft reset

Sometimes a second level reset or soft reset can resolve this issue as well. If your phone allows you to remove the battery than, with the phone powered on, remove the battery from the unit. Count to 10 just like before, and then reinsert the battery into the phone, and power it back on. Make sure that the phone is not plugged into a charger when removing the battery or the phone will still have access to a power source and this reset might not work. Don’t worry a soft reset won’t hurt your phone, or cause any loss off data or information.

Clear some messages

Sometimes when Android smartphones have too many messages saved on them they can get a little clogged up and have problems sending and receiving both regular text messages and multimedia messages.

If your messages have started to pile up on the device then go through the saved message threads and do some cleaning. Data and Information can add up over time so try and stay on top of your saved messages.

Fix your MMS and Software issues all at once with a backup and reset

If cleaning your messages off the phone didn’t help then performing a full backup and factory data reset on your Android phone will.

Sometimes Android phones have problems and need to be wiped clean. DON’T PANIC THOUGH. Android makes it very easy and is very user friendly when backing up your information before doing the restore. Just read over the Android how-to backup and reset guide and you shouldn’t have any issues. I recommend a periodic backup of your phone anyways. You never know if and when anything might happen to it, and you most certainly don’t want to lose any of your important information.

This should fix the phone right up and allow you to download and send picture messages again. You might even notice an increase in speed and functionality after performing a reset. It sets the phone to how it was when it came out of the box for the first time. Nice and clean.

Note: if you simply object to doing a reset at all costs (remember to follow that guide to backup your phone so you won’t lose anything, you have nothing to panic about) then check your devices Access Point Name (APN) under Wireless and Networks, in the phones Settings, and make sure that the APN settings are accurate. A simple Google search with your “wireless provider’s name” and “APN Settings” should produce the current correct configuration for your APN. Just manually set a new APN, select that new APN as the phones default and then give it a try. Remember that you can send a picture message to yourself to make sure that its working properly.

If your device is still having issues messaging then a factory data reset will reset the APN settings, and fix any possible software bugs for you, and that is what I recommend as the sure fire fix for this issue.

Messages should be “Sending” and “Downloading” properly

It’s that easy to fix an Android phone when it’s stuck on “Sending” forever, or when it’s stuck on downloading and never actually downloads the attached file.

Enjoy sending and receiving lots of messages, and don’t hesitate to check out some of the other articles and content on the site, chances are you will learn something about your phone you might not have known before.

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14 thoughts on “Android Stuck on Sending or Downloading when picture messaging”

      1. You made me smile

        You made me smile Mr. Smith.

        Sorry for the delayed response Magon. I don’t know how I could have forgotten to post my response to your comment.

        I have yet to see the suggestions listed above, especially a factory data reset, not resolve this particular issue. If your phone is still getting stuck “sending” then the size of the file you’re trying to send may be too big. Usually it errors out and lets you know when that happens though. Don’t forget that you can also adjust your phones APN settings as well, before or after a hard reset. This too can affect the way your phone communicates with its wireless carrier.

        What phone was this happening on and what exactly was it doing? Was it happening everywhere and with everyone or only certain people? Did you have an iPhone before your Android phone? You have probably contacted your wireless service provider by now (again sorry for the delayed response), but were they able to resolve your issue on their end?

  1. Android stuck receiving a picture
    Thanks, I switched my phone off and started again (after counting to ten!) and it was as simple as all that. Thank you again.

  2. Specific text
    My phone is downloading mms fine, except one I tried downloading while roaming. Any advice on that?

    1. Opening an MMS message that may not have been received properly

      That’s a good question Owen. I doubt that the message is still stored in your wireless carrier’s database as the message was likely marked as delivered. And even if it was still stored somewhere in cyberspace I don’t know how you would trigger the system to resend the message again.

      I think your best bet is going to be to contact whoever sent the message originally and ask them to resend it.

  3. Can’t send MMS
    Your very first suggestion worked like a charm for me ie. switching the phone off… counting to ten… and switching the phone back on… Now I can send MMS.
    Thank you.
    Richard B.

  4. Fixing MMS sending and receiving with Cricket
    Go to Menu -> Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile networks -> Access Point Names -> New APN and type the below parameters.

    Name

    Cricket

    APN internet
    Proxy wap.mycricket.com
    Port 8080
    Username yourphonenumber@mycricket.com
    Password cricket
    Server wap.mycricket.com
    MMSC http://mms.mycricket.com/servlets/mms
    MMS Proxy wap.mycricket.com
    MMS Port 8080
    MCC 310
    MNC 004
    Authentication Type PAP or CHAP
    APN type internet

  5. Landon Gilbert

    Pics are canceling
    I’m trying to receive a photo while deployed over text message but because the Wi-Fi not being great in my room it stopped the download and said it was canceled it how can I start the download back up now that I have better wifi?

  6. Make sure there are no spaces
    Make sure there are no spaces in apn type. “default, mms” will NOT work but “default,mms” will work.

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