ZTE Axon 7 Compressing Received MMS Pictures & Gifs

[WheelmanM80]

My ZTE Axon 7 suddenly began compressing pictures and gifs received via MMS to no more than 30 kb, which means picture quality is terrible and gifs don't play. Unfortunately, I don't recall exactly when this started happening... Sent pictures and gifs appear fine on the recipient's phone. The compression happens when I'm using the default texting app Messaging, Google's Messages, Textra, or Signal, etc. HOWEVER, the phone does not compress media received through WhatsApp. I've ruled out an issue with the Verizon network by switching SIM cards with my wife and sending a gif to her number, which is then received by my phone. The received gif is still compressed to 30 kb. I've performed several hard resets to restore all settings to factory, and nothing's worked. Can anyone here help troubleshoot this please? I'm running Android 7.1.1, kernel version 3.18.31, build number A2017UV1.1.0B35.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Is there any kind of data-saver app or feature on the phone? Who's your carrier?

 

[WheelmanM80]

Thanks for the quick reply - Data Saver is off, and I'm on Verizon.

 

[B. Diddy]

Does it happen in Safe Mode as well? How do I put my device in Safe Mode?

 

[WheelmanM80]

Yes it does still happen in safe mode

 

[ManiacJoe]

Are you sure this compression is happening on your phone when you receive the message?

Normally any compression is done on the sender's phone during the sending of the message. If you actually receive the message, there is no need for any added compression because you already received the message.

 

[B. Diddy]

When you receive the image or gif, what happens if you save it to your device? Is that what you're doing already when you notice it's only 30 KB in size? Are you certain you're not looking at the thumbnail instead of the full image file?

 

[WheelmanM80]

@B. Diddy: In Google's Messenger, a small bubble pops up at first that says 30 kb while it's downloading, but yes, if I miss that I save the received image and view the details. Gifs are supposed to play in Messenger, too, and gifs sent to the phone don't play unless the original gif was under 30 kb prior to sending. In Messaging, I can long press the image and choose details to see the file size. I've saved sopictures I've received to my device to verify that it's 30 kb. If I'm sending an image to myself to test, I can long press the image I've sent to see that it's much larger. Verizon has also verified that the full image size has been delivered to my phone via MMS.

 

[WheelmanM80]

@ManiacJoe: When I spoke to a Verizon tech (who gave me the idea to switch SIM cards per above), he said that data from the network showed that the full-size MMS files were being delivered to my phone. Yes, I'm trusting Verizon, but I don't know how to confirm any more certainly than that.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm, strange. You've already tried Safe Mode and a factory reset, so I doubt this will help -- but try the Reset Network Settings option, if present in the Settings>Network​ menu.

 

[WheelmanM80]

Nope - same effect... At one point in the past, this wasn't happening. Is there a way to roll back all updates on my phone?

 

[B. Diddy]

It's not easy if there isn't a firmware flashing program for the phone, like Odin for Samsung phones. You'd have to root the phone and find the original stock firmware to install.

What happens if you temporarily delete all other 3rd party messaging apps, and just use the stock messaging app?

 

[WheelmanM80]

Immediately after my hard resets, I'd try receiving MMS's, but they were still all 30 KB. Just deleted Signal, Messages, and Textra, but not WhatsApp, then restarted the phone, and the gif I sent myself is still received as less than 30 KB.

 

[B. Diddy]

If you're willing, delete WhatsApp as well. I'd be interested to see how the native messaging app functions without any other potential interference.

 

[WheelmanM80]

Alright, uninstalled, but no dice. Tried sending the same 121 KB Jonah Jameson laughing gif to myself and the phone receives it at 8 KB.

 

[WheelmanM80]

I've also reset Messaging to default settings, cleared data in app settings, cleared its cache, and made sure [allow] "unrestricted data usage" [when data saver is on] is set to on, too. Restarted, tried again, same.

 

[WheelmanM80]

Is there any way this would be permissions related?

 

[B. Diddy]

Since the app seems to be saving something, it probably wouldn't be a permissions thing. Just to be sure, check to make sure it has Storage permission turned on.

 

[WheelmanM80]

Yep, Storage, Contact, Phone, and SMS permissions. "All Permission" shows that it can receive text messages (MMS). Is there a system app that may have that permission that needs it?

 

[B. Diddy]

Running out of ideas here.:-\ Are you able to check the APN settings to make sure they're correct for Verizon? https://bestmvno.com/apn-settings/verizon-wireless-apn-settings/