Gifs not showing in iMessage when downtime is enabled

BlitzMcFancy,

It looks like you are in the correct section. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

• Check Always Allowed:

If you are accessing Messages during downtime, ensure it is in Always Allowed in Setting > Screen Time > Always Allowed. If you are using a third-party app for gifs when sending messages, make sure this is under Always Allowed as well.

• Toggle:

Remove and then add back the app by following "Manage iMessage apps" Use iMessage apps on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

• Isolate:

See if this is isolated to just this particular gif app by testing another gif app if you have one available.

Hope this helps.

Have a good day.

Hi BlitzMcFancy, We appreciate you reaching out to us. We understand that you are experiencing issues using GIFs in iMessage if Downtime is enabled.

We’d like to gather additional details that may help us be in a better position to assist you.

Is Messages an allowed app?

If yes, we recommend that you check if the issue persists when signed in on a different user account. 

The article below can help if you do not have any other user account to test with.

Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

If you are experiencing the issue when signed in on a different user account, we recommend that you check if the issue persists while on safe mode. 

Below is an article to help guide you through the process.

How to use safe mode on your Mac

Take care!

Hello BlitzMcFancy,

Welcome back to Apple Support Communities!

To help us further isolate the issue, does this happen with all GIF or only certain ones? Does this happen with multiple different contacts?

Are you connected with a strong Wi-Fi or cellular connection at the time this happens?

Let's make sure you're using the latest iOS version, which can help make sure the software is working as expected: Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

BlitzMcFancy,

You've told us that this happens only when Downtime is enabled. Can you go through your Downtime settings, allow one app at a time, test GIFs after each one and see if we can breakdown which portion of your Downtime settings may be impacting GIFs?

We are also going to suggest you connect with Apple Support on the matter to continue troubleshooting. You'll be able to reach out using the following link - Contact Apple Support.

Thank you.

BlitzMcFancy,

Let's isolate. Which apps are impacted by the Downtime settings you have enabled? Can we change them one at a time and then test to see which one is impacting GIFs? When you receive a GIF, is it a blank space in the Messages app, does it appear as a still image or something else?

To change Downtime settings, you'll do that in Settings > Screen Time > Downtime.

Thanks.