Easy Ways to Send Photos & Videos on Facebook Messenger

Did you know that you can use Facebook Messenger for more than just text messages? With the built-in camera function, you can quickly snap a picture or record a video and send it to your friends immediately. You can also browse your device's camera roll to share a picture or video you took earlier. Read on to learn more.

Quick Steps

Open a chat in Messenger.
Tap the picture icon.
Select a photo or video to send.
Tap Edit to crop if desired (Android only).
Tap Send.

Section 1 of 5:

Sending Photos and Videos Stored on Your Device

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1
Open the chat you want to send a photo or video to. You can send pictures and videos that you've previously taken or recorded on your device.
- You can use this method to send photos and videos on Messenger using your Android, iPhone, iPad, as well as the Messenger desktop app and on the web.
- If someone else sent you a picture that you want to forward or send to someone else, save it, then send it to your friend.
2
Tap the image icon
. This will display the pictures and videos that you've taken using your device's camera that are saved on your phone or tablet. You can send both pictures and saved videos from your camera roll or gallery.
- If this is your first time doing this, you may be prompted to give Messenger access to your device's storage. You'll need to allow access for the uploading features to work.
- When the camera gallery first opens, you'll be able to toggle the HD setting to send high-definition images. Tap the "HD" icon to the right of "All photos". It'll be purple when enabled. Now, any images you choose in the following steps will be sent in HD.
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3
Tap the picture or video you want to send. Two buttons will appear on the selected picture or video.
- Android users will see an "Edit" option so they can crop and change the picture before sending.
- Tap the "1 time" icon (it looks like a 1 in a circle that's half solid and half dotted) to enable this feature. It'll say "View once" when enabled and allows the other person or people in the chat to only see your image once. Tap it again and it'll be disabled and change to "Off."^{[1]
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4
Tap Send. The photo or video will be sent to the other person. It may take a little while to upload longer videos.
- If you're sending large videos, you may want to connect to a wireless network to avoid data usage.

Section 2 of 5:

Taking and Sending Photos and Videos on Android, iPhone, and iPad

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1
Open the conversation you want to send a photo or video to. You can send photos and videos that are saved to your device's camera roll, or, if you're using Android, iPhone, or iPad, you can take or record a snapshot or video on the fly and send it directly in Messenger. You can do all of this from the conversation screen.
- You can't take new pictures or videos using a computer, whether you have the desktop Messenger app or are using the website. Instead, use the Camera app or your webcam to take pictures or videos that you can later send with Messenger.
2
Tap
to take a picture or record a video. The Camera button above the message field allows you to take pictures and record videos that can be immediately sent to the conversation.^{[2]
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- If this is your first time doing this, you may be prompted to give Messenger access to your device's camera. You'll need to allow access for the camera features to work.
- You can switch between the front and rear cameras by tapping the button in the lower-right corner.
Tap the "Send" button to send it to the conversation.
4
Press and hold the round Shutter button to record a video. You can record videos up to 15 seconds long. Tap the "Send" button to send it to the conversation.
- You can cancel a recording by dragging your finger off the shutter and releasing it.

Section 3 of 5:

How to View All Photos & Videos Sent in Messenger

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1
Open the chat with the photos or videos you want to see. You can easily view all the pictures and videos you sent (or received) in a chat whether you're using an Android, iPhone, iPad, or computer.
- If you are on a computer, it's easiest to open Messenger in a web browser. But you can also use the desktop app if you have it.
If you're looking at the chat on a computer, you'll see 3 panels: the chat list, your chat with that person, and more information about the person you're chatting with.
On a computer, click Media to see images sent in the conversation. For mobile, all the images in that chat will be under the Media tab.^{[3]
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Save Photos in Messenger

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You can save each picture individually, or you could enable auto-save to automatically download every photo in an end-to-end encrypted chat.
If you want to save an individual image, select it. Alternatively, long-tap the image in the chat until a menu appears.
The image will be added to your gallery. Repeat this process for any pictures you want to save from the conversation.
4
Enable auto-save to automatically save images sent in the chat. There are a few ways to do this, depending on the device you're using:
- Android, iPhone, iPad: Tap the name of the chat at the top, then tap Auto-save photos under "More actions."
- Computer: Tap the chat name, then click Auto-save, and enable the toggle next to "Save photos you receive."^{[4]
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Section 5 of 5:

How to Edit a Picture in Messenger

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The messenger app allows you to edit pictures sent in a conversation. To get started, just click or tap on an image that someone sent in the chat.
2
Tap the Edit icon. It looks like a pencil with a line.
- If you are using an iPhone or iPad, click ••• first.
- Edit the image by drawing on it in multiple colors, adding a sticker, shape, or erasing parts.
3
Tap Send to send the edited image. You'll see the Send option in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Your edited image will appear in the chat^{[5]
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Community Q&A

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Question

Why don't I see the options to take pictures and videos in Messenger?

Community Answer

You may be running an older version that doesn't have the new image sharing features. Check for app updates in your device's app store to get the latest version of Messenger.

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How do I send a picture from my photos to someone on messenger?

Community Answer

On the bar where you type the message there should be an icon with a mountain and sun in a square. Tap that and then select your image.

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How can I send a video in Messenger to a contact who is not on Facebook?

Community Answer

You can't; you are going to have to do it the old fashion way, email. Messenger is Facebook's chat interface, so those who wish to use it need to set up a Facebook account.

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Tips

Pictures uploaded to Messenger conversations are not added to your Facebook photos.

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If you want to share a picture that you have physically, you need to scan it first so it's digital, then you can share it over Messenger on PC, Mac, phone, or tablet.

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You can send multiple images in Messenger! You can tap to select more than one image after tapping the image icon.

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