Why do pictures in backed up Messages show question mark?

It's 2024 and this is still happening. Please Apple, show us some love and help solve this!

Yeah, Apple support needs to get this fixed. All my pics and videos sent in text messages are like this now. I have lots of storage on my iPhone, have updated to latest IOS version, have made sure settings are correct…..fix this issue!!!

This is totally acceptable. I have had this problem on and off for at least 4 years. This only goes to show that Apple is respectful of it's users. I bought my first iPhone in 2008 and although my current phone is a 2012 Pro, I managed to convince my family (with in laws) of nine to use iPhone, iPads, Mac, HomePod watches, Airpods etc.

Why should I be erasing and then resetting my phone to fix what I as a lay person assume is a software problem.

The question mark issue may have fixed itself when I changed phones.

Yesterday 01/10/2023 I sent some pics that I took to my company. Today they all show the "BLUE question mark". Will this issue be ever fixed? Why does it affect some phones and not others. It is frustrating!

Apple we are awaiting your response.

I have the same problem. One workaround I’ve found is going to the top of the iMessage clicking on the person and scrolling down to photos. The photo with the ? Is there to be downloaded but still very frustrating that it isn’t in the body of the message.

interestingly, the photo is in the iMessages of my MacBook Air

It would be nice if apple actually addressed this rather than the stock standard “update thus update that blah blah blah”

my phone is the latest, my software is the latest, my connnection is either 5g (200mbps or greater) or a fixed line connection of 100mbps or greater).

the dozen upon dozens of people posting here are asking for you to do you job and fix the bug.

thanks for the chat!

I have the exact same problem, I would say for more than two years now!! I spoke with different people at apple and nobody was able to fix this issue. It's so strange that they never fixed this bug as it is obvious to me that this has nothing to do with the connection or IOS being updated. I changed my phone but the problem still exists. It's so weird that in all this time I can see all those photos on my 2017 MacBook with no issue!!!

Hi Llellison3,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand you're unable to view photos in the Messages app, as it displays a question mark. We'll be happy to help.

Our recommendation is to ensure that your iPhone is updated to the latest version of iOS 15.2. Having the latest update helps provide software improvements that may help: Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

In addition, we suggest to have your iPhone connected to a Wi-Fi network. From there, you can test and see if you're able to view those photos.

Please keep us posted with the results.

Kind regards.

That’s untrue, because it’s happening to me on a brand new iPhone SE 3rd Gen, Set Up As New with loads of free space still on it, a couple of hours after sending the photos. Not a substantial amount of time, not an issue of low available storage. Sounds like your Apple “genius” was just speculating or making something up because they didn’t want to admit they didn’t have an answer.

I’m having the same issue. It’s very annoying to have a question mark instead of my original image. It’s only images that I have a question in it’s place. It I go to the person name see all photos the image is there but not in body of my conversation. Appl it’s been a few month Fix this bug

Since my previous post seems to have gotten cut off:

I am not having any problems with message threads or images on my 2017 MacBook. Everything seems to be there.

I’d ask for further advice but everyone seems to be perplexed just like me.

Two solutions that worked for me:

I was missing some photos too in message threads. They had turned in to question marks.

Whilst in the message thread of the person in question, I clicked on their name at the top of the screen. On the screen that appears, there was the option at the very bottom of the screen to download pictures from iCloud. I clicked it and after a small amount of time (cellular, not WiFi), the pictures downloaded. Question marks disappeared. Result.

I repeated the above procedure for another message thread, but the pictures didn’t download for some reason. In this case, I turned off ‘Sync this iPhone’ in the Messages section of Apps Using iCloud menu, then turned it back on again (Settings>’Your Name’ (top of screen)>iCloud>Show All (in apps using iCloud section)>Messages>toggle off ‘Sync this iPhone’. I turned it off, waited a while, then turned it back on again.

I went back to the message thread in question and clicked download photos again. This time, it worked for the photos that didn’t download first time around.

Can’t guarantee this will work for you, but worth a shot. Best of luck everyone getting your photos back.

I had this issue for months and finally fixed it. Back up your phone and erase it, when you restore it make sure to stay on wifi and plugged in. Took forever to load all my messages because I have threads that are years old, but I can download all images now.

Exactly! No point restating same issue we are ALL STILL having with this issue!

What amazes me is STILL NO SOLUTION posted from Apple!?!?

No need for me to stay with iPhone. More trouble than they’re worth.

Yes. I said it.

SAME. I was also being asked to sign back in with my AppleID over and over.

Now I am missing photos and they won't download. I turned imessage off and on and messages seemed to download from iCloud, but now I 'm having the question mark / photo issue.

I’m also having the same problem. My picture from different conversations in my messages are just disappearing and showing a question mark. I didn’t move them or want them moved. I’d really love to just have them back.