iMessage "Tap to Download" Issue

FIXED! I had the same issue.

• Go to Settings.
• Tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
• Enter your iPhone passcode.
• Tap Reset Network Settings to confirm.
• Go to Settings again.
• Tap Wi-Fi, then select your network and enter the password.
• Open iMessage to reload all its content, including pictures.

That Gg in your profile name must stand for Double-Genius. I appears to be working. Very slowly but I have a ton of images. Looks like you saved my memories. My Mother passed away last year and I was scrolling through the text messages we shared so I read our previous conversations and skim through the images, but no images were downloading. I have them now, along with a huge smile on my face and warmth in my heart. Thank you gganne! I'm happy because of you, but disappointed that Apple dropped out of the conversation sometime ago and without a solution. I've been using Apple since Apple was born, and it's disappointing to see that they bailed on this conversation.

Curious as to if you have discovered a solution. I am having the same issue. Plenty of space on my iphone and I also have the 2TB icloud plan with plenty of space. I have tried logging in and out, updating software etc. Tap to Download does nothing when I click on the link. this seems to be happening with older pics as current ones seems available.

SAME!!! I’m trying to screenshot some older messages before I get a new phone, and some pix are there, but most aren’t. Just the “tap to download” box that does nothing to bring the photos back. I too have tried ALL the troubleshooting options multiple times, even turning icloud backup off for messages so they’ll stop saving in the cloud and download on my phone. I have PLENTY of space, over 40GB. PLEASE somebody fix this problem!

SAME with my 12Pro iOS 15.2.1.

Pictures disappear after I read them and they are replaced with “tap to download” boxes that do not work.

PLENTY of space, iPhone and iCloud!

No problem with iPad. iPad imessages display received pictures and there are no "tap to download" links for pics.

So much for thinking a picture will say a thousand words, SOL, we lost 3 years; some photos returned, most still not downloading... All this started after the IOS15 install... APPLE DO YOU EVEN CARE!

I have had the same issue with my phone as well. Same with my husband and my sister. It’s really unfortunate that we can’t get the pictures we were sent. Plenty of space in both iCloud and iPhone storage.

Same issue for me for years 😡😡😡

Can anyone, engineer, SDE from apple fix this?!!!

So annoying that we have lot of people with same issue and no one care at all or just redirect the issue to people around 😢😢😢

just updated the new ios 15.1 as well, reset, ton of space and nothing fixed

Hey there PacoHunter10,

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities. We understand you're having issues with downloading photos sent in the Messages app, and we'd be happy to look into what's going on.

To get started, you've done some great troubleshooting to help isolate the issue. Going forward, how much storage space do you have available on your iPhone? If unsure, check out this link that can help with checking your available storage: How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If you have iCloud Photos enabled, we'd also recommend checking how much iCloud Storage is available to ensure that the issue is not related to insufficient storage: Manage your iCloud storage - Apple Support

If you find that you're low on storage, try freeing up some space using the recommended steps in the same resources above, and let us know if that's able to help.

Have a great day!

The fix is to click the person or the group chat until you get to the Menu area where you FaceTime and see links, scroll all the way down And there should be an option to download the photos. Make sure iMessage is turned on in your iCloud settings and keep messages is enabled in iMessage settings.

Assuming it isn't a storage capacity issue, I believe you may have already downloaded the pictures once and deleted them but if they are still in your deleted pictures folder still you can't download the same picture unless you delete the picture for the deleted pictures folder, of course you could just restore it at that point. It would be nice if apple at least provided a message indicting it didn't download instead of nothing.

This didn't used to be an issue and only seems to have come up in one of the most recent updates.

Some results, still missing earlier photos, attachments, etc.. Thanks for passing along anecdotal solutions. Fact: While apple revenues increase, support declines…and the end users, once again figure out how to survive!

Just read a suggestion from gganne that worked for me. Go into your ICloud and toggle messages off. A pop up will appear which tells you all of your messages have not been downloaded. Select disable and download. Then toggle messages on. Go to your messages app and at the bottom you should see “downloading messages from iCloud”. I suggest being on Wifi while doing so. It took about 10 minutes for my messages to download. I was able to retrieve my picture messages again. Hope it helps you also