Here’s how to fix the latest Android Messages bug

Android 12's March 5 update brings more than just security fixes. Unfortunately, this software patch also brings a bug that prevents many users from receiving multimedia information (MMS).

This sounds trivial, but this bug not only prevents users from sending and receiving pictures and videos, but also completely prevents them from participating in group chats.

As of this writing, Google has not directly addressed the issue, nor has it released a fix patch, although users of professional forums say this will happen soon. Without the help of the company, people have to find solutions for themselves.

Why is this bug so annoying?

It is well known for anyone who texts with a different operating system that Android and iOS are incompatible with messages. This is because Apple refuses to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS), a common text message protocol that supports end-to-end encryption, but instead uses its own iMessage protocol that is incompatible with Android. The company insists that iMessage is safer, but some see it as a strategy to sell more devices. Whatever the reason, the only loser in this battle is the user who is forced to communicate between the two operating systems using the less secure and outdated SMS and MMS protocols.

For group text messages, only one person needs to use a different device to transfer the entire conversation to the MMS. This is why users affected by Android bugs cannot send or receive messages in many group chats—even if the messages contain only text. Instead, they see an icon loading on the message thread and a few minutes later the message application will issue a notification saying the platform cannot download the message.

[Related: Don't delay device updates anymore]

Since the Pixel phone runs so-called native Android - which means that the operating system version has not been modified by manufacturers such as Huawei or OnePlus - users of Google flagship devices are first updated and are most affected by this bug . Still, users who use Samsung and Sony phones have also encountered problems.

How to fix Android message bugs?

It is not clear what the latest Android update does for the MMS settings, but users find it related to the access point name (APN), which is the gateway between the mobile network and the Internet. Most users who report this issue use AT&T network devices, but you may encounter this issue even if you do not have a plan directly with AT&T. There are other operators, also known as mobile virtual network operators such as Net10, StraightTalk and Tracfone, that lease a portion of the spectrum to AT&T, so they actually run on the company's network.

Before you continue to wipe your phone's network settings or to do a full factory reset to the device - in my case, this did not work - try resetting the APN settings to default. To do this, open Settings , go to Network and Internet, and then go to SIM card. There, scroll all the way down and click Access Point Name . In the upper right corner, open the three-dot menu (three dots in the upper right corner of the screen), and click to reset to the default value . That's it - the change should solve the problem immediately. However, if you are still having problems, try restarting your phone to make sure the new APN settings do work.

If this doesn't work, you can manually enter a specific APN configuration, which works for some users, including me. To do this, click the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen to open the Edit Access Point menu. Then copy the settings. Once you are done, click three-dot menu again and click Save. Go back to the APN menu, select the new APN profile you created, and restart the device for the changes to take effect.

If none of these methods work for you, you may still need to try factory reset, but if possible, you may need to wait until Google releases a fix for this bug. There is no reason to wipe the phone a few hours before the quick fix appears, and it's one of the worst things to do.

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