Disable iMessage GIFs
How to block GIFs in iMessage on iOS version 18+
After iOS version 18, it's no longer possible to opt out of iMessage's GIF feature. However, there are still multiple ways that it can be disabled.
As of iOS version 18 and later, Apple removed the ability to opt out of GIFs in iMessage. For many parents managing their child's internet access and adults self-managing their own iPhone, GIFs can provide unwanted access to adult content. Fortunately, there are a few effective ways that GIFs can be completely disabled in iMessage.
This is mainly a problem for iPhone or iPad devices, but if you're an avid Apple user with a Mac device, I'll explain a technique that should work on the macOS version of iMessage as well.
Discouraging a child from discovering inappropriate GIFs on an iPhone or iPad
While it is possible to completely block iMessage GIFs, we recommend using a more comprehensive approach first so that you don't have to consider every possible way your child could discover inappropriate images and videos.
You can effectively discourage a child from seeking out inappropriate GIFs on an iPhone or iPad by using a screen monitoring tool like the LivingRoom for Families app .
As your child uses their device, a recording indicator will overlay the top corner of the screen, discouraging them from seeking out inappropriate GIFs.
If they do happen to discover inappropriate content, you can at least review the screenshots of your child's device usage in the LivingRoom for Families parents dashboard.
Block iMessage GIFs on all Apple devices using a DNS Content Policy
A universal way to block GIFs in iMessage that works on all Apple devices is to use a DNS Content Policy .
Apple uses a specific domain to host and distribute GIF images to iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. If you block this domain, GIFs can't be loaded by your devices, and iMessages will not be able to load previews or search correctly.
Here's the domain Apple uses:
smoot.apple.com
If blocked correctly on iPhone, #images in iMessage should look like this:
On Mac, it should look like this:
This domain needs to be blocked at the network level on your device. There are a few ways you can do this on iPhones and Mac computers consistently, but we recommend using a DNS Content Policy to reliably block domains using a filtered VPN.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I manually block domains on a Mac computer?
In addition to a Content Policy, there are other website blocking techniques for Mac that you can use. For example, you can install an Apple Configuration profile that blocks Apple's GIFs hostname. See our Mac website blocking guide for more information.
Are there other ways to block GIFs on iPhones and iPads?
Gertrude App for iOS has a built-in preset for blocking GIFs along with closing down a few other loopholes, like images in Apple maps.
Can Apple's GIF domain be blocked using Screen Time?
Unfortunately, no. Screen Time can be used to block websites accessed through Safari and most other websites. It can't block domains used by other apps like iMessage. As a result, you couldn't block GIFs in iMessage by adding the domain to screen time's website blocklist.
Check out our comprehensive guide to blocking websites on iPhones for more blocking techniques and suggestions.