MMS Best Practices for images and video

Recomendations on sending and transcoding multimedia messages.

Best Practices for Sending Static MMS Images

Recommended File Size for Static MMS Images

No Transcoding: We recommend keeping static MMS images files under 740Kb. Sinch Trancoding: We recommend keeping static MMS images files under 1Mb.

Recommended Images Dimension for Static MMS Images

The optimal image size across all devices has an aspect ratio of 9:16. We recommend 640px by 1138px or 1080px by 1920px.

Image Design Considerations for Static MMS Images

When an MMS image is delivered to a phone there are typically two ways the content is displayed. The content is displayed in the message conversation thread within a message bubble and then when the image bubble is tapped, the content is displayed in a full screen view. When when the image is displayed within a message bubble, there are portions of the image cut off from view. It's therefore important that any image be designed with the “content of interest” within a more restricted areas of the image so that it's readable from within the conversation view.

For Images 640px by 1138px: Avoid adding content of interest on the top 129px and the bottom 89px. For Images 1080px by 1920px: Avoid adding content of interest on the top 219px and the bottom 150px

Additional best practices for Static MMS Images

Image files in a .jpg format tend to render faster and are supported on more devices than .png files.
Don't use transparency in your image file. Transparent sections of an image may be rendered, white, black or in the message bubble color. There is no consistency behavior between device client versions.

Best Practices for Sending an Animated Gif Images

An animated gif is a .gif image file composed of multiple images that play on a loop. Unlike videos, animated gifs files don't include sound and don't require the viewer to press play.

Recommended File Size Animated Gifs

No Transcoding: We recommend keeping animated MMS image files under 600 KB. Sinch Trancoding: We recommend keeping animated MMS images files under 740KB

When transcoding an animated gif, we will reduce the dimensions of the animated gif by 25% and 50%. We will also apply compression to the animated gif. The results of this compression will vary based on the number of colors and compression you have already applied to your source animated gif.

Recommended File Dimensions Animated Gifs

Recommended Dimensions (Portrait/Vertical) 480px wide by 720px tall (a little animation) 480px wide by 640px tall (a lot of animation)

Recommended Dimensions (Square) 640px wide by 640px tall (a little animation) 480px wide by 480px tall (a lot of animation)

Animated GIFs are displayed too large on iOS v13–13.4 unless the width is 320px or less. This issue is fixed in 13.5

Image Design Considerations for Animated Gifs

480px by 720px: Avoid placing content of interest in the 39px at the top, right, and bottom of the gif. Also avoid the adding such content in the 44px on the left side of the gif.

480px by 640px: Avoid placing content of interest in the 65px at the top, and the 58px at the bottom of the gif. Also avoid the 39px to each side of the gif.

640px by 640px: Avoid placing content of interest in the 52px at the top, right, and bottom of the gif. Also avoid the adding content in the 58px on the left side of the gif.

480px by 480px: Avoid placing content of interest in the 39px at the top, right, and bottom of the gif. Also avoid the adding such content in the 43x on the left side of the gif.

Additional best practices for Animated MMS Images

Keep the animation short and repeat it.
Lower your Frames Per Second (FPS). A higher frame speed means that you are adding more content to each second which will increase the file size. While a video may have 24–30 FPS, we recommend keeping animated gifs in the 2–4 range depending on the length of the content.
Limit the number of colors used in your file.
Animated images should always be saved and uploaded as .gif files.
Don't include any transparent aspects in your file. Transparency will be filled in with another color by the phone.
We recommend that before sending this to your list, you send a test of your MMS to yourself to ensure high image quality.

MMS Best Practices for Sending Videos

Additional best practices for MMS Videos

Duration: Maximum duration for HD quality video: 20 seconds. Maximum duration for high deliverability: 30 seconds.

Frame Rate: 30 FPS.

Further Advice for Videos

You can improve the quality of your video by using the following techniques:

Use spoken audio instead of music.
Use slower movements in the video.
Use solid colors.
Video source files are best in .mp4 formats.
Different carriers have different requirements when it comes to the file size of a video. Carriers may decrease the size of the video if it's too large. This could affect the quality that's provided.