MMS is a great method to send multimedia over your phone. But its use has declined with the onset of apps like WhatsApp. And recently, its reported compatibility issues with WiFi on Android devices shows that the technology is aging.
Since the past few years, several users have been complaining on various forums, that they are unable to send or receive MMS while having their WiFi on.
It appears that the issue is present on Android only, predominantly on Samsung devices, that too after an update to Android 10. However, there are a few exceptions.
Also, the issue doesn’t seem to have anything to do with carrier networks, since the problem is reported on all major US carrier forums like Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and the like.
If you are a Samsung user and facing MMS WiFi issues, then you are not alone. A mod seems to have identified the cause of the problem and says that they are taking up the issue to Samsung:
It seems that the main cause of the issue is the fact that mobile data gets disabled as soon as you connect to a WiFi network. However there is a fix that keeps mobile data active, regardless of the network you are on:
Fix for MMS WiFi issues
To do the above, you need to head to the about section of your phone settings and tap quickly on “build number” several times, until the developer settings are enabled.
After doing that, scroll to the option that says “mobile data always active” and enable it.
Note: the above-mentioned steps will work on most Android skins.
If that does not work for you, then it also very likely that your phone has the following option regardless of what Android skin you are on. It will be available under mobile network settings and has to be toggled on:
The final option is to reset your WiFi, mobile and bluetooth settings that will be available under System > Reset options. If it is not present there, then just look it up via your settings search-bar.
If none of the above options are working, then check this Reddit post out. Lastly, make sure that your data plan has not expired.
It is worth mentioning that unlike SMS, MMS requires mobile data to function. Your phone probably won’t support it if mobile data is kept off. Make sure to turn it on before sending an MMS.
Also, if you are facing this issue after updating to Android 10, then keep in mind that Google may have added a feature to turn mobile data off when connected to WiFi. This measure could be for preserving battery life.
That being said, if you are a Samsung user on Android 10 and waiting for your device to receive an Android 11 update, then check this out.
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