When using RCS to send an image, the description is truncated. How can we fix this?

Question

When using RCS to send an image with description, the description sometimes gets truncated meaning the user can’t see the entire text. Is there any way to show the complete text or do we have any guidance on the character numbers we need to use, to guarantee that the full text is readable?

Answer

It is important to reconsider what type of card you use when sending rich messages. There are several card layouts that reduce the image size to allow for additional description or if you need more buttons.

Google provide the following advice for rendering messages on Android handsets:

• Several factors (such as screen resolution, pixel density, and user preferences) can affect how rich cards appear to end users. In a carousel, however, the height of the first few cards defines the height of all the cards in the carousel, and card height affects title, description, and suggestion truncation.
   
• If a device can't display all elements of a card because of display constraints or card height, RCS for Business truncates the card until it can display on the device, using the following logic:
  
  - Reduce the description to one line.
  - Reduce the title to one line.
  - Omit suggestions that don't fit in the card, starting from the end of the defined list.
  - Omit the description.
  - Omit the title.

• To avoid truncation, keep titles and descriptions as short as possible. For tall media, use either a title and description or one suggestion. For medium media, use up to two suggestions. For short media, use up to three suggestions. To fit four suggestions, don't include media in the card.
   
• Keep cards roughly equivalent in terms of content sizing and length, and if necessary, front-load the carousel with larger cards to avoid truncation in following cards.

For example, if your description is being truncated to 2 lines (a version of #2 above) we would recommend that you reduce the description length if possible.

You can also experiment with different size media as rich cards can be driven by image size. Refer to the Aspect ratio/limitations of media in a rich cards article for more information.