Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Often, they are faced with a situation where the standard messaging application starts to work incorrectly or refuses to send media files, the main reason for such failures is exceeding the limits set by carriers or the Android operating system itself. Users notice that an attempt to send a photo or voice message through the SMS/MMS This leads to errors and the storage is overflowing with cache.
The problem is not only relevant for older models, but also for modern devices with a shell MIUI or HyperOS. The restrictions apply to both text content and nested files. If you want your messages to reach the destination without distortion and delay, you need to understand the settings of multimedia messages and methods of compression. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to optimize.
It should be understood that the term "reduce" can be interpreted in two ways: both physical compression of a file before sending, and setting the network parameters for passing through narrow channels. Data protocols have their own severe limitations, ignoring which leads to unsuccessful attempts to send, and we will help you to configure the device so that it automatically adapts the content to the requirements of the network.
Reasons for limiting the size of messages in MIUI
The fundamental reason for the restrictions is the cellular architecture, which was not originally designed to transfer heavy files. SMS-messages have a limit on 160 coded GSM, And any deviation from that standard requires recoding or breaking it down into parts. MMS, where the limits are already set by the operator, and they often are no more than 300-500 Kbyte.
The Android operating system that runs Xiaomi phones has internal buffers for storing drafts and data that is sent. If the message is larger than the dedicated memory area or timeout of the operator's gateway response, the process is interrupted, often when you try to send multiple photos at once or low-quality videos that the system does not have time to compress in the background.
⚠️ Note: Attempts to send a file that is significantly higher than the operator’s limits (usually 1 MB) can lead not only to an error, but to a temporary blocking of the service. MMS on the number until the next device restart or reset network settings.
It is also worth considering that modern instant messenger applications often masquerade as standard SMS using the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol. Unlike classic MMS, RCS allows you to transfer larger files, but requires the mandatory availability of the Internet. If the Internet connection is unstable, the system may try to send a message as an MMS, facing size restrictions, which creates confusion for the user.
Configure MMS parameters in a standard application
To manage the size of multimedia messages sent on Xiaomi smartphones, you need to consult the settings of the built-in Messages app. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same. You will need to find the section responsible for multimedia messages where you can prioritize size or quality.
In most cases, the system suggests selecting a compression mode. If you select High Quality mode, the phone will try to send a file of the original size, which often leads to errors when the signal is weak. Switching to Standard or Traffic Saving mode forcibly reduces the image resolution and audio bitrate before sending, ensuring successful data transfer through the operator's gateway.
To change these parameters, follow the following steps:
- 📱 Open the Messages app and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- ⚙️ Select "Settings" and go to the section "MMS" or “Multimedia messages".
- 📉 Find the option “Creation Mode” or “Size Limit” and set the value “Standard” or manually specify the limit (for example, 300 KB).
It is important to note that some carriers ignore the phone settings and impose their settings through the phone. APN-If you don't change your settings in the application, you can get a little deeper into the AP settings, and then the automatic compression might not work, and you'll have to manually reduce the file size before you add it to the message.
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Before sending an important MMS, do a test sending to yourself to make sure the image doesn’t become too blurry after compression by the system.
Using third-party compression applications
Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t always provide flexible file size management. If you need to send an image of a certain weight (for example, strictly up to 200 KB), it is advisable to use specialized utilities, such applications allow you to control the resolution and compression ratio of JPEG or PNG with pixel accuracy.
One effective method is to use converter applications that compress media before you open the Messages app, which bypasses the limitations of the system, as the dialog box enters the finished, optimized file. Popular tools like Image Size or Photo & Picture Resizer do a great job of doing this.
The process of working with such programs is as follows:
- 📂 Upload the original photo or video to the compression application.
- 🎚️ Set the desired file size in kilobytes or quality compression percentage.
- 💾 Save a copy and select it to insert into SMS/MMS.
Using third-party software gives you the advantage of a predictable result: you know exactly how much the message will weigh, and you can be sure that it will pass through the operator's filters. However, it is worth remembering that strong compression can lead to artifacts in images, making the text in the photo unreadable.
Why does the quality of the photo drop after sending?
Optimization of investments: photo, video and audio
Video formats such as MP4 or 3GP require a special approach, since even a short video can weigh several megabytes. Standard MMS limits rarely allow sending videos longer than 10-15 seconds without preprocessing.
To successfully send a video, it is recommended to change its resolution beforehand. Decreasing the quality from 4K or 1080p to 480p or 360p drastisch reduces the file size, while maintaining image recognition on the recipient's smartphone screen. Audio messages should also be converted to a monophonic format with low sampling rate, if it is a voice note, where the sound quality is not critical.
Below is a table of recommended parameters for attachments to ensure delivery of the message:
| File type | Recommended authorization | Max. size (CB) | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo Credit | 800x600 | 300 | JPEG |
| Video (short) | 640x480 | 500 | 3GP / MP4 |
| Audio. | - | 200 | AMR / MP3 |
| GIF animation | 400x300 | 250 | GIF |
If the file exceeds the specified values, Xiaomi may either refuse to send it or attempt to send it over the Internet channel (if Chat is enabled), which may require the recipient to also have Internet access.
☑️ Preparation of the file for sending
Cleaning up cache and crowded dialogues
Sometimes the problem with the size of the message is programmatic and involves overflowing the Messages database. When thousands of messages and attachments are accumulated in the dialogue, the indexation of the base slows down, and adding a new large file can cause failures, in which case the “size” of the problem lies not in the file itself, but in the performance of the application.
To solve this problem, you need to clear the cache and, if necessary, the data of the applications. This will not delete your text messages if they are synchronized with the Internet. SIM-It'll be a map or a cloud, but it'll reset temporary files and thumbnails that might have been damaged. Regular cleaning helps keep the interface running faster and the outgoing messages being handled correctly.
Clean up through the system menu:
- 🔍 Go to the "Settings" of the phone and select "Apps".
- 📩 Find the list of "Messages" (or "Messaging").
- 🧹 Click "Clean" and select "Clear Cache." If the problem persists, you can select "Clean All", but then the history of correspondence in the application may be lost.
⚠️ Before completely clearing the application data, be sure to back up important correspondence, as this step can lead to their irretrievable removal from the device.
It is also recommended to check the MIUI folder in the file manager, where temporary files from attachments are often accumulated. Deleting old, already sent media files from the MMS folder will free up space and can improve the stability of the service.
Alternative protocols: RCS and Internet messengers
In the era of high-speed internet, using classic MMS to transfer files looks archaic and limited. RCS (Rich Communication Services) technology, which is actively implemented by carriers and supported by Google Messages (often preinstalled on global versions of Xiaomi), removes most of the size restrictions. Messages are sent over the Internet, allowing you to transfer files up to 100 MB or more.
To activate this function, you need to enable Chat in the message settings, in which case the system will determine whether the interlocutor has Internet, and send the message in high quality, ignoring the limits. MMS. If the internet is not available, the message will go away as normal. SMS/MMS, And then the limitations that I've described will come into effect, and it's a hybrid approach that delivers a better user experience.
If the recipient does not support RCS, The most reasonable solution is to use Internet messengers: they do not have strict limits on the size of a single message within a reasonable (usually up to 2 GB), use effective compression algorithms and do not depend on the operator’s tariffs for a single message. MMS-For Xiaomi owners, it is often the most rational choice.
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Switching to RCS or using instant messengers completely solves the problem of size limitation, since these protocols do not depend on the old cellular standards.