Can't get a photo into your vet chat? Don't worry — this is almost always a phone permission, and it's a couple of taps to fix.
Why this happens
To show your gallery, open your camera or record a voice note, the app needs your phone's permission. If that permission was never granted, was declined, or was set to "limited" access, the attachment sheet can't show your photos.
What to check first
Before changing any settings, rule out the everyday limits:
- Are you already at 5 attachments on this message? Remove one to add another.
- Is the file over the size limit — 100 MB inside a chat, or 10 MB for photos attached when you book?
- Is the video longer than 2 minutes, or the audio longer than 5 minutes?
- Is it a supported type? Booking photos must be JPG, PNG or HEIC.
Fix 1 — photo access is switched off
If the attachment sheet shows the banner "Photo library access is off — tap to enable in Settings", tap the banner. It opens your phone's settings for Ask A Vet, where you can allow photo access. Come back to the app afterwards.
Fix 2 — you granted "limited" or "Selected Photos" access
If you see "Showing \<n> selected photo(s). Tap to choose more.", the app can only see the specific photos you allowed. Tap the banner to add the photos you want to that selection, then pick them from the rail.
Fix 3 — you're on Android 13 or older
On Android 13 and below there's no in-app gallery rail. Instead you get a camera tile and a Browse photos tile that opens your phone's own photo picker. Tap Browse photos and choose your image there.
Fix 4 — the camera won't open
If you see Camera unavailable — "Could not open the camera. Make sure camera permission is granted in Settings." — open your phone's settings for Ask A Vet and allow camera access.
Fix 5 — voice notes
Record an Audio Clip needs microphone permission. If nothing happens when you tap it, allow microphone access for Ask A Vet in your phone's settings.
If it still doesn't work
If permissions are on and photos still won't attach, restart the app and try again. If that doesn't help, contact the Ask A Vet support team [CONFIRM: support contact channel — email address and/or in-app support route] and let them know your phone model and OS version.
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