SMS, images and message length
A standard Activity Messenger SMS contains text. When your communication includes a template, image or document, the SMS gives the recipient a link to the message or media. Opening that link requires internet access; receiving the SMS text does not download the image.
What happens to images and documents?
Email can display images and formatted content. In the standard SMS workflow, images and PDFs are not attached as MMS files. Adding a picture, an emoji or a video does not automatically turn the message into an MMS.
For example, a camp announcement can display a photo in its email version. The SMS version should contain the essential announcement plus a link to view the content. A thumbnail shown in the editor or an email is not a promise that a thumbnail will appear on the recipient’s phone.
Keep any instructions that matter immediately in the SMS text, such as the changed location or cancellation. Recipients may not be able to open a link right away.
Add a picture to a designed message
- Open the template in its editor.
- Add or edit an image block.
- In Image, select or upload the picture, then save the block and template.
- Use the template in your message and inspect both the email and SMS versions.
The email can show the picture directly. The SMS links to the hosted message or media. Optimize the picture for readable email/web content and follow the upload limits displayed by the editor. An MMS-specific 500 KB attachment rule does not apply to this standard outgoing workflow.
For a simpler message, the composer’s Attachment options can also provide supported media or links. Check the actual destination in the preview. See Recipients and sending options.
Understand length and SMS usage
One message can use several billable SMS segments. The characters you use, including emojis and some accented or non-Latin characters, can change how much text fits into a segment. Do not treat a character count as a universal one-SMS allowance.
Activity Messenger also has its own long-message handling. When the organization’s standard long-SMS limit is enabled, the outgoing body is shortened after 350 characters and a link to the full message is appended. Organizations with long SMS enabled can have different behavior. Personalization is applied before this processing; appended links and marketing identification/opt-out text can also change the final outgoing length.
Use the composer’s counter and cost display as estimates, not a promise of the final carrier segmentation or charge. For long instructions, write a concise SMS introduction and link to the complete content instead of relying on every word arriving in the SMS body.
Check the sender separately
The sender number is assigned to the organization. Editing a reply-to number does not change the sender. Use SMS sender numbers and replies to find the assigned number and understand shared/dedicated-number options.
Activity Messenger uses Twilio for standard SMS delivery. For current commercial terms, consult the pricing page and your organization’s Billing screen rather than estimating cost from the image size.