Does sending pictures use data? All you need to know

Sending pictures from one phone to another, does it really require a mobile data or maybe probably not. This is a fantastic question especially if you want to go old fashioned way of sending pictures through text message or what is called MMS messaging.

There are different ways of sending pictures from one phone to another, and as we have advanced more in technology, the likes of iMessage, whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, etc has taken over the means of sending pictures to friends and family.

But what if you want to go old fashioned way?

That is, sending pictures through text message. This brings about the question of the day.

Does sending pictures use data?

Sending pictures do use data when using the phone default message app and which will be inform of mms messaging. However, if using any of the instant messaging apps like whatsapp, iMessage, etc to send pictures, it doesn’t necessarily use data unless the person is using a cellular data for it’s internet activity.

does sending pictures use data

Previously, sending pictures will require a mobile data to work but it won’t be billed into the user’s data usage. However, this has really changed for the past two years.

I noticed a little amount of data deduction after sending pictures through text message and this is when I want to feel nostalgic and go old school method of sending pictures.

To properly give you an insight on what is involved when sending pictures on your cell phone, I will categorize it into two and they are;

  • Sending pictures through text message
  • Sending pictures through instant messaging apps and services

Sending pictures through text message

Sending pictures through text message is called MMS messaging which not only involve sending pictures but also involves sending short videos, gif, etc.

Sending pictures through mms messaging requires you to have an active sim card, cellular network service and a cellular data plan (depending on your network provider) on your cellphone because mms messaging requires mobile data in sending files to another phone.

Now if you want to sender a picture from your phone to another person using the mms messaging feature, you must have a data plan and bear in mind that MMS messaging don’t use Wi-Fi.

You will ask why mms messaging don’t work wi-fi?

This is because mms messaging is of cellular network service and which requires a sim card and cellular network service to work and not a Wi-Fi.

This is my observation.

Going by the question of the day does sending pictures use data for mms messaging? The answer is yes. Sending pictures through text message do require and use data else the pictures won’t be sent to the recipient.

What I’m trying to explain?

What I’m trying to explain is that sending pictures through mms messaging do require and use data as it is very essential and compulsory else nothing will work.

For the fact that it requires and uses data, you must have a sim card in your phone and to which you will use in buying a data plan for your cellphone

Disadvantages of sending pictures through text message

THE PICTURES ARE COMPRESSED: Sending pictures through text message or what is called MMS messaging is usually compressed to a much smaller size and which in turn reduces the quality of the picture. This is one major reason why I don’t fancy mms messaging any and now we have better options.

WIFI IS NOT SUPPORTED: For the fact that one will have to use a mobile data in sending pictures through text message is a big no for irrespective of the fact that the data charges or consumption is usually very low.

NOT SUPPORTED BY ALL NETWORK: From my observation, quite a number of networks no longer support mms messaging especially now we have instant messaging apps and services which is mostly used in sending pictures, videos and gifs.

You may try to send pictures to another phone through text message and will find out it doesn’t go through, this is mainly because the network service provider no longer support mms messaging.

TAKES TIME TO SEND: There’s no way one will compare mms messaging to instant messaging, and it shows the big difference when sending pictures or videos through the default message app and using any of whatsapp, iMessage, Skype, etc in sending pictures and videos.

Sending pictures through text message can take up to five minutes before you see delivered while using instant messaging apps won’t even take more than 10 seconds depending on the size of the picture or video to show delivered.

EXTREME LIMITED FILE SIZE: This is another disadvantage of sending pictures through text message, you will be limited to a maximum of 250kb and can’t send a picture of 1mb.

Sending pictures through instant messaging apps and services

Talking about does sending pictures use data, I tell you this is the best means of sending pictures especially the likes of iMessage. With any of the instant messaging apps and services, there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to sending pictures.

What I mostly use is the iMessage unless I’m sending pictures to an android user then I will use whatsapp.

If you don’t fancy using data or subscribing to a data plan so as to send pictures on your cell phone, use any of the instant messaging apps as they all use both Wi-Fi and cellular data.

Sending pictures through instant messaging apps and services

SEND HIGH QUALITY PICTURES: One of the main advantages of using instant messaging apps to send pictures is the fact that the picture quality will remain the same especially when using iMessage to send pictures.

READ RECEIPT AVAILABILITY: Thanks to read receipt you will know when the recipient has read or opened your sent messages and which is not available for mms messaging. In mms and sms messaging, once you have seen delivered you will conclude that the recipient has opened the message.

SEND LARGE PICTURES: Through instant messaging you can send large pictures up to 100mb in size as mms messaging only allows 250kb which is extremely low in this modern world.

VERY FAST IN DELIVERING: As long as there’s an active internet connection on the cell phone, sending pictures through instant messaging will only take a second to 10 seconds depending on the size of the picture. On the other hand, mms messaging will take more than 5 minutes to send a picture of 250kb.

Does taking pictures use data?

Kindly note that taking pictures doesn’t use internet data because taking a picture doesn’t require internet connection. You can take pictures even if your phone is offline or has no cellular network service. 

There’s no relation between taking a picture and an internet data, where internet comes into place is when you want to send the pictures through sms text message then it will use data.

But if it is a mere taking of pictures on your cell phone, please it doesn’t need or use data.

Whether you are using android or iphone, taking pictures doesn’t use data as nothing concerns internet and pictures unless you want to share the pictures after snapping.

Does sending pictures use data if on Wi-Fi?

Sending pictures will use data irrespective of the fact that Wi-Fi is on especially when sending pictures through text message. Also when you have both Wi-Fi and cellular data enabled at same time, your phone will be using cellular data instead of the available Wi-Fi.

does sending pictures use data

So it is better you disable cellular data when sending pictures through instant messaging apps and services. But if you are sending pictures through text message, then you will have to enable your mobile data else nothing will work.

Related Questions

Does sending pictures use data AT&T?

You will need a data plan to send pictures via AT&T network but it won’t be billed into the phone data usage. And this is also applied to sending pictures use data on verizon.

How much data is used to send a picture message?

A minimum data of 2mb is very okay to send a picture message, if it is mms messaging it may not be deducted from the data plan or billed to the phone bill though it depends on the network service provider.

Can you send pictures without WIFI?

You can send pictures without Wi-Fi but that will be sending pictures through text message or instant messaging apps using the cellular data.

If you don’t have an active Wi-Fi connection around you, all you have to do is to subscribe to a data plan and use it to send pictures without Wi-Fi connection. With an active cellular data plan, you can say bye bye to Wi-Fi though Wi-Fi is lot cheaper and better for me.

Does taking pictures on iphone use data?

Taking pictures on iphone don’t use data as internet is not required unless you want to share it to your social media networks.

And that’s it for today, does sending pictures use data. I don’t see the need and the reason to send mms messages while we have imessage, whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, and others, unless you want to go old fashioned.

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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