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Restrict iMessage to Download Attachments Only on Wi-Fi?

A

aKansasKid

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 27, 2015
210
103
Is there a way to restrict iMessage to only download attachments (photos) when connected to Wi-Fi, and not over cellular data? I know how to do it for email, but not iMessage. Google was no help. I fear there is no way to do it. My data plan is getting killed with vacation photos. :)
 
iMessage can be a weapon. You could "spam" someone's number with a zillion photos or vids during the day, when you think they'll be off wifi and send them over their data cap before they know what's up.
 
cableguy84 said:
How about you get yourself unlimited data, then it won't be an issue
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No offence, but that's not a helpful suggestion. If having unlimited data was a feasible solution I'm sure the OP wouldn't even be asking. Not everyone lives in a place that offers reasonably priced unlimited mobile data.
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aKansasKid said:
What happens to iMessages at that point? Mine get sent as SMS, I believe. What about those sent to me as iMessages (as part of a group thread)?
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I believe there's an option in settings to turn this off (iMessages being sent as SMS). So if you did that and turned of data you should only receive messages when you have wifi. I'm just guessing though. I haven't tried this myself.
 
It's interesting that the media portion of iMessage doesn't really have controls as far as being allowed or not on cellular. Certainly seems like something that would make sense to be there in the options for Messages.
 
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I've often wished Apple let you use iMessage for regular text messages, but SMS for pictures/videos. I have unlimited messages on my plan and would rather pictures/videos be sent that way for free rather than using my data plan. Regular text messages I am fine being sent as data since they use so little.
 
Beerstalker said:
I've often wished Apple let you use iMessage for regular text messages, but SMS for pictures/videos. I have unlimited messages on my plan and would rather pictures/videos be sent that way for free rather than using my data plan. Regular text messages I am fine being sent as data since they use so little.
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That is a very bad idea.
Carriers downgrade mms attachments and compress them very bad resulting in horrible quality.
iMessage doesn't.
 
In unsure if this is limited to iOS 10 but I have a low quality image ode toggle under settings>general>messages that may be helpful in curbing data use.
 
Applejuiced said:
That is a very bad idea.
Carriers downgrade mms attachments and compress them very bad resulting in horrible quality.
iMessage doesn't.
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Half of the time pictures and videos tend to fail getting sent over iMessage for me anyway, and they have to be sent as SMS. Not sure if this is an issue with my home WiFi, or Verizon, or what as I haven't paid that close of attention.

Either way 90% of the time I would be perfectly happy with getting a lower quality picture or video of whatever someone has sent me in a message. I don't need every picture my wife sends me of my daughter to take up 2-4Mb of my data plan (her sending it, me downloading it). But I would like to see what happened etc. My wife will have the full quality image on her phone and we will copy it to our computer and keep it there eventually. Same thing with other people, if the picture/video they sent me is that important there are other ways I can get it.
 
Beerstalker said:
Half of the time pictures and videos tend to fail getting sent over iMessage for me anyway, and they have to be sent as SMS. Not sure if this is an issue with my home WiFi, or Verizon, or what as I haven't paid that close of attention.

Either way 90% of the time I would be perfectly happy with getting a lower quality picture or video of whatever someone has sent me in a message. I don't need every picture my wife sends me of my daughter to take up 2-4Mb of my data plan (her sending it, me downloading it). But I would like to see what happened etc. My wife will have the full quality image on her phone and we will copy it to our computer and keep it there eventually. Same thing with other people, if the picture/video they sent me is that important there are other ways I can get it.
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That's weird.
I never had a media iMessage fail.
But I rather have the full resolution image than a scaled down grainy thumbnail of the actual image.
Shrinking down size and mb amount varies by carrier. Good thing iMessage is not effected or controlled by various carrier policies.
 
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