Your Android phone gives you the ability to send and receive multimedia messages. Even though the term texting sticks around, a text message can contain media — usually a photo — although short videos and audio can also be shared with a text message. Such a message ceases to be a mere text message and becomes a multimedia message.
Multimedia messages are handled by the same app you use for text messaging.
Not every mobile phone can receive multimedia messages. Rather than receive the media item, the recipient may be directed to a web page where the item can be viewed on the Internet.
The official name for a multimedia text message is Multimedia Messaging Service, which is abbreviated MMS.
Creating a multimedia text message
As with other things on your Android phone, you need to think of sharing when it comes to attaching media to a text message. Obey these steps:
Open the app that contains or shows the item you want to share.
For example, open the Photos app to view a picture or view a page in the web browser app.
View the item and tap the Share icon.
Choose the text messaging app from the list of apps.
When Hangouts is your phone’s text messaging app, choose the SMS option or account.
Continue sending the text message.
It’s also possible to attach media to a message from within the text messaging app. To do so, begin composing the message, but look for the Attachment icon. Tap that icon, and then choose the media to attach.
In just a few, short, cellular moments, the receiving party will enjoy your multimedia text message.
Receiving a multimedia message
A multimedia attachment comes into your phone just like any other text message does. You may see a thumbnail preview of whichever media was sent, such as an image, a still from a video, or the Play icon to listen to audio. To preview the attachment, tap it.
To do more with the multimedia attachment, long-press it and then select an action from the list. For example, to save an image attachment, long-press the image thumbnail and choose Save Picture.