Failed to Download Attachment from Multimedia Message (FIXED!)

It’s frustrating when your Android phone keeps saying Failed to Download Attachment from Multimedia Message. There are a couple of reasons why MMS is not downloading.

Fortunately, this can be a relatively easy problem to fix. We’ll go through all the possible reasons why your phone failed to download attachments from multimedia messages and how to fix this problem. 

Why Your Phone Keeps Saying “Failed to Download Attachment from Multimedia Message”

Many reasons can lead to the failed to download attachment message. We’ve listed below some of the most common reasons that can cause the MMS not downloading problem.

• Poor internet connection 
• Corrupt cache/data of the MMS service
• Corrupt partition 
• Incompatible messaging applications
• Lack of necessary storage
• Invalid APN Settings  

How to Fix “Failed to Download Attachment from Multimedia Message”

Now that you know what’s behind your phone’s failure to download attachments from multimedia messages, it should be easier to find a fix.

Here are all the fixes that will help fix the failure to download multimedia messages on your Android phone.

1. Reboot the Android Device 
2. Switch to Mobile Data
3. Remove Old Messages 
4. Clear Cache Files for the MMS Service
5. Disable Auto-Download Feature  
6. Reset APN Settings 
7. Factory Data Reset 

1. Reboot the Android Device 

This is one of the most efficient fixes as most often, the problem occurs due to minor issues. And simply rebooting your Android device is the easiest way to get rid of it. 

1. Just tap on the On/OFF button on the side of your Android mobile and wait for the prompt. 
2. The Power Menu prompt would appear on the screen. Tap on the Restart option.   

After hitting the Restart option, wait for a few seconds. Your device should shut down and then turn on by itself. In most cases, this should be enough to fix the problem. If not, don’t worry! We have more fixes ready for you. 

2. Switch to Mobile Data

Well, why would switching to mobile data fix the MMS not downloading problem? 

Essentially, this is not about switching to Mobile Data specifically but switching the network. Suppose, you are comfortable using the Wi-Fi when you are at home.

But the network is having problems, not stable for the time being. And due to that, you are getting the failed to download attachment from multimedia message prompt on your smartphone.

At this moment, simply switching to Mobile Data can resolve the problem. Similarly, the same advice is applicable if you are facing the same problem while using Mobile Data. Wait to connect to the Wi-Fi.  

3. Remove Old Messages 

The lack of storage space is another possible reason why your MMS messages won’t download.

If your message storage is full, then, you might not be able to download the MMS message. Follow the steps below to get rid of the old messages to fix your MMS not downloading problem.

1. Open the Messages app and tap on the Menu button (Three Vertical Dots) at the top right corner of the panel. 
2. Tap on the Settings option. 
3. Navigate to More Settings. 

4. Switch the toggle next to Delete Old Messages to the on position. It turns blue when it’s on.

Once you’ve enabled this option, old messages will be deleted automatically after exceeding the maximum number of text messages or multimedia messages.

On the other hand, you have the option to manually delete old messages but it’s a tedious and time-consuming process.

4. Clear Cache Files for the Messages App 

Clearing the cache files for the MMS service is another useful tip for resolving the failed to download attachment from multimedia message prompt on Android devices. 

1. Open the Settings app and select the Apps option. 
2. Locate and tap on the Messages app. (On some devices, you need to enable the Show System Apps option. Then, search and locate MMS Service for clearing the cache)
3. Select the Storage option under App Info. 
4. On the following panel, tap on the Clear Cache option at the bottom of the panel. 

After the cache files are cleared, you should be able to download the multimedia attachment on your Android mobile. Give it a try. 

5. Disable Auto-Download Feature  

Auto-download or Auto-retrieve is a useful feature that allows you to download different types of multimedia files by simply tapping on them. As useful as it is, this feature is known to throw numerous errors in certain situations.  

So, if you are already getting the failed to download attachment from multimedia message prompt on your Android mobile, it is best to disable the feature. 

1. Head back to the Messages Settings. 
2. Tap on More Settings and then select Multimedia Messages. 
3. Here, you will find the Download Automatically option. Toggle the switch beside to disable it. 

Now, reboot the Android mobile and start using the MMS service. The prompt shouldn’t appear anymore. 

6. Reset APN Settings  

APN or Access Point Name is used by your mobile to connect to wireless services. If you are using an invalid APN, you may have problems downloading MMS. So, your best option is to reset ANP settings. 

1. Open the Settings app and tap on the Connections option. 
2. Navigate to the Mobile Networks. 
3. Tap on Access Point Names.

4. Tap on the Menu button (Three Vertical Dots) at the top right corner of the panel and select Reset to Default. 

After completing the steps, APN will be reset to default. Now, you should be able to download MMS attachments without any problem. 

7. Factory Data Reset 

If none of these fixes work, you may need to Factory Reset your Android mobile. 

You should not that this is a risky procedure as it will delete all data and settings from your phone. So, we recommend you to back up your phone to cloud storage before initiating the reset. 

1. Open the Settings app and tap on General Management. 
2. Tap on Reset and then select the Factory Data Reset option. 
3. Finally, you have to tap on the Blue Reset Button to execute the process.    

The device should be restored to the factory settings. Now, try to download the multimedia attachment, it shouldn’t cause any trouble. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it—a few potential solutions to fix it when your Android phone keeps saying Failed to Download Attachment from Multimedia Message.

Let us know if this helped fix the MMS not downloading problem. If you found success doing something else, leave me a comment down below!