Lorene Melone
How To Share Photos and Videos on Signal in 2025
Sharing photos and videos on Signal? Kinda straightforward, but sometimes stuff just doesn’t want to go through smoothly. Maybe you’re trying to send a quick pic from your gallery, or a video clip, and it feels like Signal is throwing a fit. Or maybe your media won’t upload at all—tech stuff, right? Anyway, this should walk through some practical ways to troubleshoot and get those moments over securely without losing your mind. Because of course, Signal has to make it harder than it needs to be sometimes.
How to Send Photos and Videos on Signal
Open the Signal App and Log In
First off, open Signal. You probably won’t get anywhere without logging in, so make sure you’re in. If you haven’t signed in yet, enter your phone number and verify (which is usually pretty quick). Sometimes, if Signal keeps asking for permissions or signing in, just restart the app; it helps clear up some glitches. On one setup, the media sharing worked right away, on another, I had to restart Signal a couple of times before the icons appeared properly.
Select the Right Chat
Next, go to the chat where you wanna send the media. Could be a new convo or an existing one—that’s not the issue. Just tap on that conversation, and you’re ready. Again, it’s surprising how sometimes the app forgets which chat you’re in, but a quick tap on the correct one fixes that. No rocket science, but kinda frustrating if you accidentally send a meme to the wrong person.
Choose Your Media Source
At the bottom left of the chat, you should see two icons:
- Camera Icon: Tap this to take a new picture or video right then and there. Handy when you’re on the spot.
- Gallery Icon: Tap this if you want to pick something already saved on your device.
If the gallery icon isn’t showing up, double-check that Signal has media access permissions in Settings > Apps > Signal > Permissions. Sometimes, it gets blocked and just won’t show the icon—kind of annoying, but fixing that usually solves the problem.
Select Your Media and Prepare to Share
Choosing the gallery allows you to navigate to your photos or videos and pick one or multiple files. Sometimes, the app glitches and only lets you select one, so just try again if that happens. Expect some delay if you’re sharing larger videos—Signal’s encryption is great but can slow things down with huge files.
Add Text or Caption (Optional)
If you wanna add a caption, it’s dead simple—type it above the send button. Sometimes, adding a little context helps, but mostly people just send and forget. Not sure why Signal’s media sharing process doesn’t better highlight this step, but hey, that’s the way it is.
Send and Wait for Upload
Tap the arrow icon on the right side of the chat input box, and Signal will kick into gear. You’ll see a progress indicator—sometimes it takes a few seconds or a little longer with big videos. On some devices, the upload bar appears, but on others, it’s kind of hidden. Patience is key—large files might even make Signal crash temporarily, so don’t panic if it stalls.
Extra Tips & Troubleshooting
- Make sure Signal’s updated; older versions tend to bug out with media sharing.
- Double-check your internet connection—media won’t send if Wi-Fi or data is spotty.
- Confused about the gallery icon? Confirm Signal has media access in Settings > Apps > Signal > Permissions. You might need to toggle on “Storage” or “Media.”
- If media upload hangs, sometimes toggling airplane mode or restarting the app fixes those stubborn uploads. Weird but effective.
Wrap-up
Sharing media on Signal isn’t rocket science, but it’s got its quirks. Once you get the hang of toggling permissions and waiting out big files, it’s pretty smooth. The biggest problem is usually permissions and app glitches, not the process itself. If something feels off, mess with the permissions or restart Signal — and don’t forget, patience is sometimes your best friend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send large files on Signal?
Yes, Signal supports pretty sizeable files, but if your video is huge or the upload keeps stalling, try compressing it first or breaking it into chunks. Large files can lag or even fail, especially if your connection isn’t stellar.
Is my media secure when sent via Signal?
Totally. Signal encrypts everything end-to-end, so only the sender and receiver can see it. No worries about snoopers.
What if I can’t find the gallery icon?
Usually, that’s permissions. Check in Settings > Apps > Signal > Permissions to ensure Signal can access media. Also, update Signal—sometimes, older versions hide or disable this feature unexpectedly.
Summary
- Make sure Signal has media permissions
- Use the gallery icon for existing files
- Keep Signal updated — outdated apps cause weird bugs
- Be patient with large videos
- Restart Signal if in doubt
Final Words
This whole media sharing thing? It’s simple in theory, but yeah, bugs happen. Usually, fixing permissions and waiting it out helps. Fingers crossed this helps someone avoid unnecessary frustration and get their moments shared quickly.