How to Send a Photo on Messenger (Phone and Computer)

A photo of a damaged parcel, a screenshot of a booking, the holiday snaps your gran keeps asking for: sending pictures is one of the main reasons people open Messenger. It's also where little confusions creep in, such as the camera icon versus the gallery icon, or where the options vanish to on a computer. I've gone through what Messenger's help pages say so you can send a photo without hunting around.

Send a photo from your phone on the Messenger app

Messenger's help pages say the options sit at the bottom of every conversation, next to the text box. The steps are the same idea on iPhone and Android:

1. Open Messenger and open the conversation you want.
2. Look at the options next to the text box. If you can't see them, tap the icon next to the text box first.
3. To share a picture you already have, pick the option that sends photos or videos from your device.
4. Choose the photo from your gallery and send it.

The help pages show these options as small icons without naming them, and the artwork can differ between app versions. Go by the descriptions above rather than the artwork: one takes and sends a new photo or video, another sends photos or videos from your device.

Take a new photo and send it straight away

The first option in that row, according to Messenger's help pages, lets you take and send new photos or videos. It's handy when you're showing a customer a product, a supplier a fault, or a friend where you've parked. Take the picture inside Messenger and it goes into the chat without a trip through your gallery.

There's a small difference worth knowing on Android. The Android version of the help page says the ability to send videos is currently only available on some Android phones. So if you can send a photo but video doesn't behave, that's a possible reason, not a fault with your phone.

Send a photo on Messenger from a computer

messenger.com

Open a conversation, then use the options next to the text box. If you can't see them, click the icon beside the text box. One option sends photos or videos, and others cover stickers, GIFs, emoji and voice messages. Messenger's help pages add that attaching files may be unavailable in countries located in Europe.

Messenger desktop app

In the desktop app you open a conversation and click the option next to the text box that adds an attachment, which is how you pick a picture from your computer. You'll also find emoji, stickers and GIFs in that row.

Photos in a Facebook chat

If you chat inside Facebook rather than the Messenger app, the experience is a little different. Messenger's help pages mention a separate Facebook help article for that, so if the steps above don't match what you see on facebook.com, you're probably in that version.

If you run a business page and swap pictures with customers all day, it's worth getting used to that row of options once, because you'll use it constantly. Open a chat, find the options, and send a test picture to a friend before you rely on it with a client.

How big can a photo on Messenger be?

Messenger's help pages say you can send photos, voice messages, GIFs, stickers or AI stickers of up to 25 MB in file size. A normal phone photo is usually well under that, but a very large image or a long video could hit it. If the file won't send, try a smaller version.

Photo won't send on Messenger? Check these

Messenger's own troubleshooting tips for messages that won't go through are a good place to start, and they apply to pictures too:

• Update Messenger to the latest version.
• Connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network.
• Make sure your device has enough storage.
• Close the app and restart your device.
• Make sure the person hasn't deactivated or deleted their account.
• Check you haven't blocked them and they haven't blocked you.

If you're replying in a group chat, the help pages also say to check that the other members haven't left the conversation. And if you've sent a lot of messages recently, Messenger says that can temporarily stop you sending. The block is temporary. If you're not sure about the update step, my guide to updating Messenger walks through it.

Messenger also has a help article on unacceptable file types, which sits in its Fix a problem section. If you're trying to send something unusual and it keeps failing, that's the page to read.

How to tell your Messenger photo was sent

After you send a picture, tiny icons next to the message show where it's got to. I've explained them in my guide to what Delivered means on Messenger. If a photo seems stuck, check your connection before trying again, so you don't send the same picture twice.

A few habits for sending photos to customers on Messenger

• Add a short line of text so the photo isn't the whole message.
• Check nothing private is in the background, such as an address or another customer's details.
• Don't send pictures of other people without their say-so.
• If a chat feels unsafe, report the conversation inside Messenger and, if you're in danger, contact the police.

Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I send a photo on Messenger?

Open a conversation, tap the option next to the text box that sends photos or videos, choose your picture and send it. If the options are hidden, tap the icon next to the text box first.

How do I send a photo on Messenger from my computer?

On messenger.com, open a chat and use the photo or video option next to the text box. In the desktop app, click the option that adds an attachment.

Can I take a photo inside Messenger and send it?

Yes. Messenger's help pages list an option to take and send new photos or videos from the row next to the text box.

What is the size limit for photos on Messenger?

Messenger's help pages say photos, voice messages, GIFs and stickers can be up to 25 MB in file size.

Why won't my photo send on Messenger?

Update the app, check your Wi-Fi and storage, restart your device, and make sure the person hasn't blocked you or left the conversation.

Why can't I attach files on Messenger?

Messenger's help pages say attaching files may be unavailable in countries located in Europe.