How to fix your Motorola Moto X4 that won’t send MMS, MMS sending failed error [Troubleshooting Guide]

New smartphones are packed with lots of advanced and interesting features including MMS. And similar to other features, MMS must be activated on the phone before you can use it. Modern Android devices are capable of sending and receiving MMS messages for as long as it has network access. Aside from mobile/cellular data, you can also rely on Wi-Fi connection for MMS functions.

Nonetheless, there would be always an instance when a network service like MMS suddenly fails or stops working as intended. This is inevitable since various factors can inflict trouble to network-related functions on the phone. In case you’d end up facing an issue with MMS that won’t send on your Motorola Moto X4 device, I’ve lined up a few helpful solutions and workarounds you can use to troubleshoot the issue. Read on for more detailed solutions.

How to troubleshoot Moto X4 that won’t send MMS?

Before troubleshooting, verify and ensure that your account is provisioned for MMS services. To ensure that MMS is activated on your activated on your account, contact your service provider/carrier to double check. Also ensure that MMS is enabled on your phone, otherwise you have to configure your device for MMS functions.

Also check if SMS messaging and calling functions are working on your device. Doing so will help you determine if the problem is attributed to network connectivity errors. If there’s no problem with SMS and calls and prior MMS requisites are met but still unable to send MMS on your Moto X4, then you may go ahead and try some workarounds to rule out software problems from the underlying cause.

First solution: Clear cache from your messaging app then soft reset your phone.

For sudden issues, it could be just because of that app that’s glitching. To clear this out, clearing the app’s cache and data can help. Corrupted cache or temporary data from the app are usually the main culprits. To clear this out, try clearing cache and data on your Moto X4 messaging app with these steps:

  1. Drag the Arrow up symbol from the Home screen to show all apps.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Select Apps & notifications.
  4. Tap App info.
  5. Tap the Drop-down menu then select All apps.
  6. Tap to select your Messaging app.
  7. Then tap Storage.
  8. Tap Clear cache to start clearing cache from the app’s memory.

Errant cached files are likewise dumped in the process, thus fixes minor app glitches inflicted by errant cache.

After clearing cache and data on your messaging app, perform a soft reset on your Moto X4 to clear its internal memory and to rectify minor software glitches that may have triggered MMS functions to fail. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds and then release when the Power off menu appears.
  2. Tap Power off to turn the phone off.
  3. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button until the Moto logo appears.

You won’t lose any critical information in the process so you don’t need to back up data beforehand.

Second solution: Toggle Mobile Data off and on again.

This is another simple trick to clear random errors affecting mobile data services like MMS messaging on your device. It works like restarting mobile data services on your phone. Surprisingly, this trick has done wonders to many of those who have resorted to it when dealing with random problems with mobile data features. If you wish to give it a shot on your Moto X4, then here’s how it’s done:

  1. Drag the Arrow up symbol from the Home screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Tap Network & Internet.
  4. Select Data usage.
  5. Tap the switch next to Mobile data to turn the feature off for a few seconds, and then tap the switch again to turn Mobile data back on.

This can help refresh cellular services including MMS messaging functions on your phone.

Third solution: Reset network/APN settings on your phone.

Invalid network settings on the phone can also be the main reason why network functions aren’t working as intended. This is usually what happens after making incorrect or invalid settings configuration. Bad updates can also result to this same issue. As remedy, follow these steps to reset network settings on your Moto X4:

  1. Tap the Arrow up icon from the Home screen to view all apps.
  2. Go to Settings-> System-> Reset options menu.
  3. Then tap Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth.
  4. Tap RESET SETTINGS to continue.
  5. If prompted, enter the PIN, pattern or password for your device.
  6. Finally, tap RESET SETTINGS to confirm.

Reboot your phone after the network settings reset is finished then configure necessary options. Don’t forget to enable network features you want to use including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data.

Fourth solution: Update your phone software to the latest version available.

Installing the latest software update on your phone can also help clear out software problems from random bugs and malware. Updates usually offer fix patches to address existing device issues. If you haven’t set your device to auto-update, then you can manually check for and update manually instead. Before doing so, make sure your phone has Wi-Fi internet connection, has at least 1GB of available memory (RAM) and at least 50 percent of battery life. These are the requisites to ensure the update process won’t get interrupted. Once you’ve got all of that set, follow these steps to check for available OTA updates to download and install on your Moto X4:

  1. Tap the Arrow up icon from the Home screen to show all apps.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Select System.
  4. Tap System updates. The System update history prompt will then show up.
  5. Tap the option to Check for update.
  6. If prompted, read the information then tap OK.
  7. If an update is available and you’d like to install it, tap Download.

Wait until the update file is completely downloaded then follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to proceed with the update installation process.

Don’t forget to reboot/soft reset your phone after the installation is finished so that all new changes are properly implemented and likewise to prevent any apps from going rogue.

Fifth solution: Wipe cache partition on your Moto X4.

Temporary files that are stored as cache in system folders or cache partition of your phone can also cause such troubles whenever they get corrupted. This is usually what happens when a new system update is installed and that has resulted to system data corruption. To clear this out, wiping cache partition is recommended. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Turn off your phone, if necessary.
  2. With your phone turned off, press and hold the Volume Down button and Power button simultaneously for about 3 seconds and then release both buttons when the Boot Options screen appears.
  3. Press the Volume Down button to scroll to and highlight Recovery then press Volume Up button to select. The phone will then show the Motorola logo followed by the Android recovery screen.
  4. Once you’re on the Android recovery screen, press and hold the Volume Up button for about 10 to 15 seconds.
  5. Then quickly press and release the Power button. The Android recovery screen with menu options will display.
  6. Press the Volume Down button to highlight wipe cache partition option.
  7. Then press the Power button to confirm selection.

Your phone should restart when the wipe cache partition is finished. Wait until it completely reboots and then test to see if you can now send and receive MMS properly on your device. If it’s still failed or unable to send MMS, then you may need to consider performing a factory reset to erase your device and restore its default settings. This can help resolve persistent problems that are attributed to fatal system errors and messed up settings on the phone. You can carry out a master reset through your Moto X4 settings menu or via Android recovery. Just back up all your important files beforehand.

Other options

If SMS messaging functions are also not working on your device, try checking your network operator’s message center number saved on your phone settings. It’s possibly missing or incorrect. Contact your carrier or network service provider to verify and ensure that the message center number stored on your phone settings is valid and correct.

You can also try to use other messaging applications to find out if the problem is isolated the current messaging app in use. Just pick and download a credible messaging app for your device.

If you’re only unable to send MMS messages to a specific contact, try to send MMS on that same contact using a different device. If the other device still won’t send MMS message to that contact, then it’s likely a problem with that contact/recipient.

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