How to Fix GIFs Not Working on iPhone

Wondering how to fix GIFs not working on iPhone?

Nowadays, GIFs have become an essential part of texting. By using animated GIFs, users can communicate their reactions and feelings in a fun and simpler way. If you’re an iPhone owner, the #images app located in your Messages app is where you can find all your GIFs. 

However, many users have reported that after updating their iPhone to the latest version, GIFs have suddenly stopped working. The causes behind this issue may range from a poor internet connection to a bug within the software and more.

Regardless of the reason, if you’ve found yourself in a similar situation, it should be a relief that you’ve landed on this page. We have gone over all the ways in which you can fix GIFs not working on iPhone. 

So, keep reading to find out!

1. Turn Off Reduce Motion. 

The Reduce Motion feature on your iPhone reduces the screen movements and various effects while optimizing your battery life. Although it may be a useful feature, enabling it may also be the reason why you may be having a problem with GIFs not working on iPhone. 

So, if you’ve enabled the feature in the past, now is the time to disable Reduce Motion to fix the issue. Simply follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Start by opening the Settings app from your device. 
   
2. Next, tap on Accessibility. 

3. Now, select Motion. 
   
4. Lastly, turn off the toggle next to Reduce Motion. 

3. Enable #images. 

If you’re unable to look for GIFs from the Messages app, chances are that you may have accidentally turned off the #images feature from the app. Rarely this feature may also be disabled by default. In such instances, you just have to enable #images in order to use GIFs on your iPhone. 

Here’s what you need to do :

1. Launch the Messages app on your iPhone. 
   
2. Now, tap on a chat where you wish to send GIFs.
    
3. Inside the chat, tap on the App Store icon present next to the Camera icon. 

4. From the apps row that appears, swipe all the way to the left and tap on the three horizontal dots icon. 

5. An iMessage Apps screen will appear. Select Edit from the top-left corner of the screen. 
   
6. Under the More Apps section, look for #images, and turn on the toggle next to it. 

7. Finally, tap on Done from the upper-left corner. 

Alternatively, you may:

1. Open Settings. 
   
2. After that, select Cellular. 
   
3. At last, look for #images and if disabled, turn on the toggle next to it to enable it. 

After enabling the #images feature, go back to the chat you were previously on. You should be able to see the #images app in the apps row by now. If GIFs are still not working for you, move to the next method. 

4.  Re-Add #images. 

Even if after adding #images in iMessages, you’re still unable to find GIFs, the problem may lie within the #images app. Sometimes, a temporary bug may cause GIFs not to work on your iPhone. This issue can be resolved by simply disabling the #images feature. After a while, re-enable it on your iPhone. 

Follow these steps below:

1. Launch the Messages app first then tap on a conversation. 
   
2. From the chat, tap on the App Store icon next to the text field. 
   
3. Swipe all the way to the left and select the three horizontal dots icon to open iMessages Apps screen. 
   
4. Now, tap on Edit from the top-left corner and look for #images under the Favorites section. 
   
5. Now, select the – icon for #images and confirm by tapping on Remove from Favorites. 

6. The #images will now appear under the More Apps section. 
   
7. Turn the toggle off for #images to disable it. 

8. To re-enable it, simply turn the toggle on for #images. 
   
9. Now, re-add it to the Favorites section by tapping on the + icon from the left side of #images. 

10. At last, choose Done from the top-left corner. 
    
    

2. Reset Language & Region.

As #images is a country-specific feature, it may not be available in certain regions. So, if you’ve accidentally changed your region or traveled back from a location where the #images function wasn’t available, it may be the cause behind GIFs not working on iPhone. You can fix this by changing your region from the Settings app. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Launch the Settings app from your Apple device. 
   
2. Afterward, go to General. 
   
3. Scroll down and select Language & Region. 

4. Now, tap on Region and then select the desired region from the list.  

5. Restart the Messages App. 

Temporary glitches and bugs can also be suspected if GIFs are not working on your iPhone. In such cases, restarting the Messages app will delete its process and remove its background activity, giving it a fresh start. 

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone’s home screen to go to App Switcher. 
   
2. Next, swipe left or right to locate the Messages app preview. 
   
3. Then, swipe up the Messages app to close it. 

4. Restart it by tapping on the Messages app from your home screen.
   

6. Check Network Connection. 

A strong internet connection is a must when it comes to loading and sending GIFs on an iPhone. So, if you’re in a location with unstable internet or poor signals, it may be why GIFs are not loading and working. 

To resolve this issue, switch from Wi-Fi to Mobile Data or vice versa, depending on which one was creating a problem for you. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Wi-Fi. 
   
2. Now, turn the toggle off for Wi-Fi. 
   
3. Wait for a few seconds first before turning on the toggle for Wi-Fi. Other than that, you may head back to Settings and select Cellular Data. 
   
4. Then, turn on the toggle for Cellular Data. 

Once done, check if this method fixed GIFs not working on iPhone or not. 

9. Reset Your iPhone. 

If the simple methods mentioned above didn’t seem to work, your last option is to reset iPhone settings. This will help you get rid of any bugs that are causing GIFs not to work on your iPhone. 

Simply follow these steps to reset your iPhone:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone and choose General. 
   
2. Next, scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone. 

3. Tap on Reset and choose Reset All Settings. 

4. Provide your password to continue resetting your device. 

This concludes our guide on how to fix GIFs not working on iPhone. If you have further confusion, don’t forget to let us know in the comments section. We’ll be more than happy to provide further assistance. 

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