How can I disable GIFs in iMessages with iOS17?

I just found the answer in a YouTube video. You go to settings, accessibility, then select" motion" and then

unselect "auto-play animated images". It looks like you would still have the option to play the gif but the default setting has it disabled. I tried it with an old text and it worked. I don't know if that would address the concerns of parents but it solved the problem for me. Warning: the video bombards you with annoying gifs before telling you how to get rid of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0XY3IJB6Gw

[Edited by Moderator] 

To fellow parents and others who want to block this, I have the ONLY solution as of right now. It is a slight inconvenience but it works and is worth it!

Turn on Screen Time, then turn on Downtime. Create a schedule for downtime to be on every day, all day. You will then need to go to allowed apps and manually add the apps you want allowed in downtime (as it will always be on)

As a result, #images does not work. You can press it and no images come up. It will interfere will Safari webpages if you have Safari or your child does but this is the only way currently.

Hello erik14,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. You might be able to check the Messages settings to see if the option to remove GIFs is listed. Go ahead and follow the steps below:

1.) Navigate to Settings > Messages.

2.) Tap on iMessage Apps.

In this section you will see a list of apps that work with iMessages. You'll be able to remove or turn off apps that provide GIFs. Also, this resource doesn't have any details related to disabling GIFs in general: Send and save GIFs on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Because of this, you might have to provide Apple feedback. If you'd like to provide feedback on your experience with Apple products or services, you can do so using this link: Legal - Unsolicited Idea Submission Policy - Apple

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. Take care.

Hello, the fix you proposed doesn't fix the problem. Up until iOS 16 we could turn off the GIFs; now we cannot. Will this be fixed in a future software version?

We need an update that can remove gifs. Everyone should have the option to remove that feature. Especially with kids. Thanks a lot apple.

I am 100% in favor of an update to allow us parents to disable gifs/#images on iPhones. We are an iPhone family and think they are wonderful for parent-child communication. However… We have to be able to keep the unwanted material away from children. Help us be vigilant parents and let us keep being an iPhone family.

This is beyond frustrating. With every update you make it more difficult for parents to monitor their kids’ phones. Companies likes Bark, Troomi, and Gabb are doing way more than Apple to help parents and kids. Allow us to turn off the gifs app on our kids’ phones. Allow us to turn off the option to delete texts so we can make sure our kids are safe. iOS 17 is probably the worst system update in my 10 years of owning an iphone.

I am beyond frustrated by this. I just bought my son an iPhone with IOS 16, and he did the update to IOS 17, and now we can’t get rid of the the #images/gifs in messages. Apple really dropped the ball on this. Our family will not be purchasing any new iPhones until Apple fixes this and allows parents to turn gifs off in messages. Meanwhile, I bought a refurbished phone running on an older IOS and plan to have my son use that instead of his newer phone. PLEASE help us out, Apple! Help parents protect their kids!

Apple, please fix this. It will be a deal breaker for many parents that want to protect their kids from online trash. The IOS 17 “upgrade” is a major setback. Apple should have the best parental controls available. Apple has a lot of smart developers. Please prioritize this. Don’t lose customers to Galaxy for something that can easily be fixed in an update. Thank you!

I have a visual disability which makes viewing gifs painful. There should be an accessibility setting that blocks them. I even found a way to block them on Facebook. Come on, Apple. Get with the program!

I 100% agree with everyone. Apple, come on! Why would you disable parents’ ability to take gifs off our children’s phones? There is highly inappropriate content for children in these images. Zero reason this should no longer be an option with the update. Incredibly disappointed.

This is a great thing if you just don’t want them to play. 👍🏻 but This isn’t the fix we are looking for as parents. We want gifs to not be an option at all. So if my kid was searching for a gif, all my kid would need to do is push the play button and it would still play— inappropriate or not. Such a bummer we can’t do more than just have a stop and play button!

Please apple! Was this and do something about it. We are an apple family of five. Using apple for 15 years. Parents should be able to disable or delete #images from messages. Tons of inappropriate images and crude humor.

This is beyond frustrating!!!

not only our minor children are abused mentally and psychologically, we are too!! It’s bad enough that someone with bad intentions sends something deplorable, unwanted, bad taste, ridiculous and offensive that stays in our phones AND OUR CHILDREN’S phone. Jus as easy as you make that type of material to get into our phones, you should be able to get rid of it or a way to even get into our devices.