Follow these quick tips if you want to send photos and videos via Messages, but the photo picker doesn’t show up on your iPhone or iPad.

For starters, you can send images and videos via iMessage, MMS, and RCS without leaving the Messages app. All you need to do is tap the plus button to see a list of iMessage apps and then select Photos. A small selector appears at the bottom of the screen, showing your most recent items from your photo library. You can then tap to select one or more items and send them.

Alternatively, you can just touch and hold the plus button to bring up the photo picker directly. And if you receive a “Send photos” message, just tap the underlined ‘photos’ text to directly open the photo picker (see the screenshots below).

However, if the above methods don’t work, you’ll have to leave the Messages app and use the iOS Share Sheet in the Photos app to send a picture or video. While doable, this is a lengthy process and requires navigating apps.

We’ll share the quick steps to fix this inconvenience caused by temporary system glitches or software bugs. You may also face this issue after ending an iPhone Mirroring or screen mirroring session.

Force quit and reopen Messages and Photos

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold until you see a stack of app cards. Now, swipe up the Messages and Photos (if visible there) cards to force close them. Then, reopen the Messages app and try accessing the photo picker. It should work.

Lock and unlock your iPhone

Press the side power button to lock the phone. Then, unlock it after a few seconds, return to the Messages app, and check whether your photos are showing there.

Restart your iPhone

Usually, the problems like the one you’re facing are due to minor operational glitches. Just turn your iPhone off and back on, and it should be fixed.

Make sure your iPhone isn’t too hot

Touch your iPhone, and if it feels too hot, shut it down and wait for it to cool down. Then retry sending photos or videos from inside the Messages app.

Update the software

In case your iPhone is running an older version of iOS and a new update is available, go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install it.

Reset all settings

If none of the above solutions work for you, consider resetting all iOS settings. This won’t delete apps, photos, videos, and other personal data from your iPhone, but it will reset all settings to their default state. You can learn more about it in our dedicated tutorial.

In case nothing helps…

It won’t come to this, but if the problem persists, wait for a new iOS update, and until then, share the photos and videos directly from the Photos app. This is easier than completely erasing your iPhone and setting it up again from scratch (which should certainly address this problem).

Also, check out: How to fix photos & videos not being sent via iMessage on iPhone

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2026/04/21/photos-not-showing-messages-ios/

Apple today seeded developers with the third betas of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5.

The updates arrived on Monday, April 20, 2026, roughly one week after Apple released the second betas of the same software.

Registered developers can download the new betas through the Apple Developer portal or over-the-air on enrolled devices:

• On iPhone and iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• On Mac: Open System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Similar paths apply to Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro.

A free or paid Apple Developer account is required for access. Public beta versions typically follow shortly after developer releases via the Apple Beta Software Program.

As with recent point releases in the iOS 26 / macOS Tahoe 26 family, iOS 26.5 and its companion updates appear focused on bug fixes, performance improvements, and minor refinements rather than major new user-facing features. No specific changes have been highlighted yet for beta 3, consistent with the steady, weekly cadence Apple often follows in the later stages of point-update testing.

Earlier betas in the 26.5 cycle introduced or tested items such as:

• A “Suggested Places” feature in Maps
• Continued work on end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging
• Preparatory messages about upcoming ads in Apple Maps (for the US and Canada)

The third betas continue polishing the software ahead of a likely public release in the coming weeks.

These updates follow the major iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26 releases that debuted in 2025 with the new Liquid Glass design language and expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities. The .5 releases typically serve as maintenance updates that improve stability and address issues reported after the initial major versions.

Developers are encouraged to test their apps thoroughly against the new SDKs included with Xcode 26.5 to ensure compatibility.

Beta software can contain bugs and is not recommended for daily-driver devices. Always back up your data before installing.Stay tuned for further details as developers and public beta testers dig into today’s builds and report any new findings.

---

‎

.

Source link: https://macdailynews.com/2026/04/20/apple-releases-third-betas-of-ios-26-5-ipados-26-5-macos-tahoe-26-5-watchos-26-5-tvos-26-5-and-visionos-26-5/