
Do you want to send photos, audio, and videos using MMS to your contacts but don’t know how to activate the service on your iPhone? Luckily, activating MMS on your iPhone is not a tough task.
To activate MMS on your iPhone, swipe up from the home screen of your iPhone and go to your apps. Select Settings > “Messages” > “SMS/MMS” > “MMS Messaging” to activate the service.
We took the time to write a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to activate MMS on your iPhone. We will also explore the causes of MMS not working on your iPhone and disabling iMessage to send messages only through SMS or MMS.
Activating MMS on iPhone
If you don’t know how to activate MMS on your iPhone, the following step-by-step method will help you do this task quickly.
- Swipe up from the home screen of your iPhone and view your apps.
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll down and tap “Messages” beside the “Passwords and Accounts” column.
- Tap the toggle next to the “MMS Messaging” option to turn it on and activate the service.

Now, MMS is activated, and you can send and receive multimedia messages on your iPhone.
Why Is MMS Not Working on My iPhone?
Now that you know how to activate MMS on your iPhone, it’s time to explore a few quick solutions to fix the MMS service if you cannot send and receive multimedia texts.
If MMS is not working on your iPhone, check if your iPhone’s texting plan supports MMS messaging and if the SIM card is working correctly. Also, check that the contact details of the receiver are correct.
Fix #1: Update Carrier Settings
MMS may not work on your iPhone because of pending carrier settings updates. If this is the case, you will receive a notification on your device whenever an update is available. Tap “Update” and see if this improves the connection between your iPhone and the carrier network and solves the MMS issue.
You can also check the updates manually. Swipe up from the home screen to open the app screen on your iPhone, and go to Settings > “General” > “About”. A dialog box will appear in this tab if there is a pending carrier update.

Fix #2: Reset Network Settings
Another method to fix MMS on your iPhone is resetting the network settings. Here is how you can complete this process quickly.
- Swipe up from the home screen on your iPhone to open your apps and tap Settings.
- Select “General” > “Transfer or Reset iPhone”.
- Tap “Reset” > “Reset Network Settings”.
- Enter your passcode and confirm the “Reset Network Settings” action.

Now, send an MMS from your iPhone to check whether the service is working or not.
After resetting your iPhone’s network settings, you need to add the Wi-Fi password to reconnect. However, resetting will not affect the data usage on your device.
Fix #3: Contact Your Carrier
There may be a connectivity problem between your iPhone and your carrier. Technical issues may become a hurdle in the delivery of MMS. For troubleshooting these problems, contact your carrier.
You can search the carrier’s name on Google to get in touch with them.
Turning Off iMessage
If you want to send all your messages as MMS/SMS, follow these steps to turn off iMessage on your iPhone.
- Swipe up from the home screen of your iPhone to open your app screen.
- Tap the Settings app.
- Tap “Messages”.
- Tap the toggle next to “iMessage” to turn it off.

The iMessage app is disabled, and all the messages will now be sent via MMS or SMS.
Summary
In this guide about activating MMS on iPhone, we’ve discussed a simple method to enable the multimedia messaging service on your device. We’ve also discussed why MMS is not working on your iPhone and a method for disabling iMessage to send messages only through SMS and MMS.
Hopefully, your question is answered in this article, and now you can quickly activate MMS on your iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot receive photos on your iPhone, go to the Control Center, then turn on “Cellular Data” and turn off Airplane Mode. If the issue persists, go to Settings and turn on “Data Roaming”. Restart your iPhone afterward and ask someone to send you an MMS again.
MMS messaging service is supported by different carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS, and U.S. Cellular.
MMS is sent through a carrier, while iMessage requires a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data. iMessages are used only for communication between Apple users, while you can send MMS to all the other devices that are compatible with this messaging service.