> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://plivo.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Recieve MMS Messages

> Handle inbound MMS multimedia messages on a Plivo phone number

## Overview

This guide shows how to receive MMS messages on a Plivo phone number.

You can start receiving MMS messages either by using our PHLO visual workflow builder or our APIs. Follow the instructions in one of the tabs below.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Using API">
    There’s how to use Plivo APIs to receive MMS multimedia messages.

    <h2 id="api-how-it-works">How it works</h2>

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/plivo/7-odxN9fJG_Dg1dt/images/receive-mms-api.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=7-odxN9fJG_Dg1dt&q=85&s=1acf1d91ec85934808b313f0c7f1e40f" alt="Receive MMS" width="1446" height="774" data-path="images/receive-mms-api.jpg" />
    </Frame>

    <h2 id="api-prerequisites">Prerequisites</h2>

    To get started, you need a Plivo account —  [sign up](https://cx.plivo.com/signup) with your work email address if you don’t have one already. To receive incoming messages, you must have a Plivo phone number that supports MMS; you can rent numbers from the [Numbers](https://cx.plivo.com/phone-numbers) page of the Plivo console or by using the [Numbers API](/numbers/). If this is your first time using Plivo APIs, follow our instructions to [set up a Python development environment](/sdk/server/set-up-python-dev-environment-api-messaging/).

    <h2 id="api-create-a-flask-application-to-receive-messages">Create a Flask application to receive MMS messages</h2>

    Create a file called `receive_mms.py` and paste into it this code.

    ```py theme={null}
    from flask import Flask, request

    app = Flask(__name__)

    @app.route('/receive_mms/', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
    def inbound_sms():

        from_number = request.values.get('From')
        to_number = request.values.get('To')
        text = request.values.get('Text')
        media_url = request.values.get('Media0')
        print('Message received - From: %s, To: %s, Text: %s, Media: %s' %(from_number, to_number, text, media_url))
        
        return 'Message Recevived'

    if __name__ == '__main__':
        app.run(host='0.0.0.0', debug=True)
    ```

    <h2 id="api-create-a-plivo-application-to-receive-messages">Create a Plivo application to receive messages</h2>

    Associate the controller you created with Plivo by creating a Plivo application. Visiting Messaging > [Applications](https://cx.plivo.com/xml-applications) and click **Add New Application**. You can also use Plivo's [Application API](/account/api/application/#create-an-application).

    Give your application a name — we called ours `Receive MMS`. Enter the server URL you want to use (for example `https://<yourdomain>.com/receive_mms/`) in the `Message URL` field and set the method to `POST`. Click **Create Application** to save your application.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/plivo/Ac6PoKJHHxDx1U63/images/create_mms_app.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Ac6PoKJHHxDx1U63&q=85&s=554cde1afc81c04a1566d4e1201f3d71" alt="Create Application" width="2852" height="1602" data-path="images/create_mms_app.png" />
    </Frame>

    <h2 id="api-assign-a-plivo-number-to-your-application">Assign a Plivo number to your application</h2>

    Navigate to the [Numbers](https://cx.plivo.com/phone-numbers) page and select the phone number you want to use for this application.

    From the Application Type drop-down, select `XML Application`.

    From the Plivo Application drop-down, select `Receive MMS` (the name we gave the application).

    Click **Update Number** to save.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/plivo/Ac6PoKJHHxDx1U63/images/assign_MMS_app.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Ac6PoKJHHxDx1U63&q=85&s=4f86e1a1baff28cd0204d90913f665ee" alt="Assign Phone Number to Receive MMS App" width="2856" height="1606" data-path="images/assign_MMS_app.png" />
    </Frame>

    <h2 id="api-test">Test</h2>

    Send a text message with an image, video, or audio attachment to the Plivo number you specified using any phone.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>