Can’t enlarge pictures in text message

I am SO sorry I agreed to this update!! So many ridiculous features - more emojis. What a hassle. Lesson learned!! The hard tap does seem to work but there were so many confusing options first, instead of simply touching the photo. The whole thing is a drag.

My iPhone 8 is doing the same thing described in a number of these complaints. Text message pics won't enlarge with a single tap but option to delete instead. Wife's iPhone 8 hasn't been updated to 13 (another issue) and doesn't have the problem. I have to leave the text, open another text, go back to the first one and can then enlarge the pic. Lots of talk about a 'hard tap' WTF is a "hard tap"?

BC

You need to maintain a "press and hold" with one finger, and the photo will enlarge, as if in a "new window" and will offer options to copy/save/more, but to get to a super-zoom, from that "new" pic size, then just double tap, and you should be all set.

Now that we've mastered the picture challenge, I have a different, but related problem: In Messages, I'm having a hard time tapping on the blue icon to begin a new text. I've hard tapped, soft tapped, held my finger on it, etc. It takes several tries before I can get the new message screen to open. What the heck?? Any suggestions?

The need now to apply two gestures to zoom in on a text photo is only surpassed in annoyance by Apple’s decision to suddenly limit portrait mode in the XS to people only. The arrogance of “No person detected” when I want to take a food shot makes me want to throw the phone across the room. I should have stayed with the 8 plus, which allowed me to take food shots, which is part of my work product. Or Apple should have made this change clear to its retailers and consumers.. I used to be such a fan. Now I detest the text photo stupidity, the face recognition lack of quality and my inability to use portrait mode on whatever the **** I want.

I believe I have figured it out. If you go to the picture within a text and try to enlarge it you get the blue circle checkmark to the left of the picture. If you first see the picture and just tap (no need to tap it hard) the picture you can then use finger spread to enlarge the pic.

If you forget and do the way we used to, just cancel and then tap the pic.

Hope this helps.

You need to maintain a "press and hold" with one finger, and the photo will enlarge, as if in a "new window" and then it will offer options to copy/save/more, but to get to a super-zoom, from that "new" pic size, then just double tap, and you should be all set.

Thank you for your helpful advice...it worked perfectly for me. After months of frustration, I finally had time to go online for advice, and I just do not understand why Apple cannot give us a quick list of major changes after an upgrade. There are almost invariably problems and that is the major reason I postpone upgrades, until I get "hounded" by the remembers, until I finally give in.

Same thing happens with my iPhone 11(13.4.1), cannot expand text pics. I reboot and it works, but next day when I try same problem. Memory leak? I don’t want to reboot my phone each time there is a pic I want to enlarge!

Did the tradeoff for more secure OS= iPhone 11 Pro Max; however- Apple makes all sooooo much more difficult than needs to be! ????? I had forgotten. The inability to make text & pictures larger will hopefully be enough to demand a refund! That is ridiculous! Forget security if functionality is so jacked up! 🤨

I have an iPhone SE and have the same problem. It’s way annoying but if you go to information button up the top of the screen, you can go to where all of the photos and links that you and the sender have shared are collected and it doesn’t happen there. You can still zoom the photos by finger pinching them out as usual.

Good to know that it’s an Apple problem and not just my phone being a pain.

The instructions above do not work. When you tap a picture it only gives you the opportunity to delete. If you hold, it gives other options. No more ability to expand so you can see the details.

My wife was experieincing the same issue on her iPhone 6. I succeeded by using a quick "hard" tap on the image. It worked every time.

Your a genius !! It worked !! Thanks Joe.

The hard tap works but that is not intuitive at all. Seems like a bad change to me.