What to do if Galaxy Note9 won’t download MMS or group message

Is your Note9 having trouble downloading MMS or group texts? Check this troubleshooting article out for ways to fix it.

Problem: Galaxy Note9 won’t download MMS or group message

I don’t understand why MMS / group messages are so janky on Androids. I know it’s likely something to do with the iMessage > MMS conversion when iPhone users are in the group but it’s freakin’ 2018 and this shouldn’t be an issue at all. Do you have any advice on that? I have 3 messages from my sister and 3 from my mom that are waiting to download and just spinning. All are under 1000 bytes.

What to do if your Galaxy Note9 won’t download MMS or group messages

There’s a number of possible reasons why your Note9 won’t receive MMS or group message. Follow our suggestions below and see which one will fix it.

Are you getting MMS from other contacts?

MMS, unlike texts or SMS, is usually a value-added service for most carriers. This means that you need to subscribe to it first in order to use it. It entails additional fees on top of your current regular subscription. If you are positive that MMS is working for other contacts, then go ahead and proceed to the next steps below. Otherwise, talk to your carrier first and subscribe to their MMS service.

Check signal strength

MMS requires cellular internet connection. If you have slow, intermittent, or almost a non-existent mobile internet, don’t expect to download MMS fast. The least that can happen is that your Note9 will attempt to download your messages but it may take a long time. Try to improve the signal strength on your mobile first by relocating to an area with good coverage.

Refresh the system

Sometimes, a simple step like a restart will help fix this type of issue. Make sure to reboot your Note9 and see what happens.

Make room in your inbox

Messaging apps can’t take unlimited number of messages. Make sure there’s enough room in the inbox to receive new or incoming MMS. you can delete old conversations, especially those that has lots of files or attachments in them. Delete as many threads as possible.

Manually select your network

Some users were able to fix network issues in the past by temporarily disconnecting from their own network. Sometimes, a device may fail to refresh a certain session with its network, which can lead to all sorts of problems. By disconnecting from your network temporarily, the bug may be eliminated. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Open Settings app.
  2. Tap Connections.
  3. Tap Mobile networks.
  4. Tap Network operators.
  5. Tap Search networks.
  6. It may take some time for the device to search for available networks.
  7. Tap on another network (not your own network operator).
  8. Your phone will try to register to that network but could not.
  9. Tap on your own network operator this time.
  10. Restart your Note9 and check for the problem.

Reset network settings

Should nothing has worked at this point, the next good thing that you can do is to clear all network settings.

  1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
  2. Tap General Management.
  3. Tap Reset settings.
  4. Tap Reset network settings.
  5. If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
  6. Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.

Get help from your carrier

If you can’t fix the problem after doing everything that we suggest, it’s time to ask help from your network operator. It’s their job to identify where the problem lies. Be sure to tell them all the troubleshooting steps you’ve done.


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