When iOS 17 rolled out on the iPhone, like many of you, I initially felt frustrated when I couldn’t easily find the GIFs option in the Messages app. Even after locating it, the GIFs often didn’t load properly. Have GIFs disappeared on your iPhone too? Read on.
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GIFs Aren’t Gone! Find Them Here
Earlier, the #images icon (resembling a red magnifying glass) was readily available in the Messages app. However, in iOS 17, it’s been moved within the app. GIFs haven’t disappeared, just hidden.
Just tap the ‘+’ button, swipe up through the options, or tap the More button and tap #images to see GIFs.
Pro Tip: To quickly access #images, tap and hold the icon, then drag it to the top of the list.
My GIF Keyboard Disappeared
Since the iPhone keyboard doesn’t offer a dedicated GIFs button, many people rely on 3rd-party apps like GIF Keyboard. If suddenly that option also stops working or disappears from your iPhone, don’t worry, we’ve got your back.
Method 1:
1. Reinstall the app from the App Store.
2. Go to Settings > General > Keyboards > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and select GIF Keyboard.
3. Next, give full access to the GIF Keyboard so it works properly.
4. That’s all. Now tap on the Globe icon to switch to the GIF keyboard.
Method 2:
If the GIF Keyboard option has disappeared on your iPhone, navigate to Settings > Messages > iMessage App and enable the GIF Keyboard toggle.
You should now see the GIF Keyboard option when you tap the ‘+’ button in Messages.
Check #images (GIFs) Availability
According to the official Apple Support Page, #images is available in the US, UK, Canada, India, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, France, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Philippines, and Singapore. If your country isn’t listed here, please wait for Apple to release this feature in your region or consider using third-party GIF apps.
Use 3rd-Party Keyboard Apps
Since the default iPhone keyboard doesn’t offer a GIF option, consider using third-party keyboard apps like Gboard or SwiftKey for using GIFs. This can be helpful if the above methods don’t work out for you.
That’s all for now. These were the handy solutions to ensure GIFs appear correctly on your iPhone inside iMessage, keyboard, and elsewhere. I hope this post was helpful.