There are two reasons you might see a "Media unavailable" message in a chat. Here's what each one means and what you can do about it.
The file is no longer available for download
Photos, videos, and other files shared in a chat can only be downloaded for a limited period of time after they are sent. Once that window has passed, the file is no longer available on our servers and cannot be retrieved.
What you'll see
A "Media unavailable" message when you tap on the media.
What you can do
Ask the person who originally shared the file to send it again. There is no way to recover the file once the download window has closed.
The file wasn't restored to your device
If you recently restored your account from a backup, some media may not come back automatically. This can happen for a few reasons:
The file was not included in the backup.
The file existed in your chat history but was never downloaded to your device before the backup.
The file is still being restored in the background and hasn't finished yet.
What you'll see
A "Media unavailable" message when you tap on the media.
What you can do
Wait a few minutes - if your restore is still in progress, the file may appear on its own once it finishes.
Check your internet connection - a slow or interrupted connection can delay the restore.
If the file still doesn't appear, ask the original sender to share it again.
Still need help?
If you're seeing these messages unexpectedly or can't resolve the issue, contact our support team.