One of the most common issues that people encounter while using the Facebook Messenger application is not being able to log in properly. This is one of the most frustrating problems to encounter as it will keep you from accessing your account and reading your messages properly.
This guide will provide you with valuable information that can be used to identify and resolve any potential issues that are causing you to not be able to log in to the Facebook Messenger application properly.
It is important that you first attempt to accurately diagnose the cause of your issue. This will make applying the proper troubleshooting method easier and more effective.
Why Can’t I Log Into Messenger?
The next part of this guide will focus on the different reasons that may be causing you to not be able to log in to Facebook Messenger. These problems are commonly caused by a poor internet connection, server issues at Facebook, bugs and glitches, or cache issues.
Usually, when you can’t log into messenger, you might see an error message that says, Sorry Something Went Wrong Messenger.
All of these causes will be discussed in detail in the list below. You can use this information to accurately identify your issue so you have a better chance of resolving it using one of the troubleshooting methods contained later in this guide.
1. Poor Internet Connection
A bad internet connection is one of the main causes of login issues while using the Facebook Messenger application. Facebook Messenger depends on a stable internet connection to properly process all attempts to access the application and your account.
A bad internet connection can be caused by a faulty router, internet outage, or damage after a recent storm. You should use the list of troubleshooting methods below to help you resolve your internet issues.
If you are unable to restore your access to the internet after using the troubleshooting methods listed below, you should consider contacting your internet service provider for more information.
Your internet service provider can provide you with the most up-to-date information regarding your internet outage, as well as information regarding an estimated timeframe that your internet will be restored.
2. Messenger Is Down
One main reason you could be experiencing issues with your Facebook Messenger application is server issues at Facebook.
If the servers are down, you will likely experience many issues with connectivity and functionality while using Facebook Messenger, including not being able to properly access your account.
Servers are what enable users to connect and communicate effectively through any type of social media application. Server outages are rare, however, and typically only happened during times of scheduled maintenance.
That being said, server overloads are possible and will cause you to not be able to access certain network features and will cause issues when trying to log in to Facebook. You can check the status of the Facebook servers on the website of their social media accounts.
Server outages are a widespread issue that affects many users of the Facebook application at once. You will have to wait for the server issues to be resolved before you will be able to use the Facebook Messenger application.
You will likely not be able properly to access your account during a server outage due to the application’s current inability to gather accurate data that matches your account.
3. You Have Encountered A Bug
Bugs and glitches are common causes of all sorts of issues on the Facebook Messenger application. These types of errors are typically caused by runtime errors or application hang-ups that cause issues with functionality.
Bugs and glitches typically occur randomly and resolve themselves on their own, without any action needed from the user. That being said, in some cases bugs and glitches can be persistent and need to be addressed before you will have full functionality of your Facebook Messenger application.
You should consult the list of troubleshooting methods found later in this guide to help you resolve these types of issues.
As previously mentioned, bugs and glitches that are persistent will need to be addressed before you will be able to properly use Facebook Messenger and its features.
While your Facebook application is experiencing bug-related issues, it is possible that you will not be able to properly log in to your account. This can be frustrating, but the troubleshooting methods contained later in this guide can help your resolve these issues.
4. Cache Issues
If files in your Facebook Messenger cache have become corrupted or damaged, it is possible that they could begin to cause issues with functionality across the application. When this happens, you could risk having issues logging into your Facebook Messenger account properly.
Your Facebook Messenger cache stores data regarding your application usage to help the Facebook Messenger application startup faster from the background of your phone.
Sometimes the cache files that are collected could become corrupted or damaged in a way that makes them cause bugs and glitches while using your application.
There is no way to keep the Facebook Messenger application from collecting this type of data. Because of this, cache issues are an extremely common cause of many issues regarding the Facebook Messenger application.
If you suspect that your cache is the source of your login problems, you should consult the list of troubleshooting methods found later in this guide to help your resolve these issues.
You will need to use the detailed method for deleting your Facebook Messenger cache before you will be able to use your application properly.
Can’t Log Into Messenger? Try These Fixes
The next part of this guide will focus on the different troubleshooting methods that you can consider when attempting to resolve issues logging into your Facebook Messenger account. These troubleshooting methods have been proven to help fix these types of problems.
You should first attempt to accurately diagnose your issue using the list above. This will ensure that you are applying the relevant troubleshooting method for your issue.
1. Restart Messenger
You should first attempt to restart your Facebook Messenger application on your device to help resolve bugs and glitches that are causing your login issues. To restart your messages application on your device, simply close the application and open it back up again.
This will cause your login attempt to be reevaluated upon restart and encourage the resolution of any bugs or run-time errors that were causing your problem. This will often allow Facebook Messenger users back into their accounts with no issue upon restart.
If restarting the messages application does not automatically resolve your issue, then you should consider some of the other troubleshooting methods contained in this list to help resolve your issue.
2. Turn Off Your Wi-Fi Then Reconnect
You should consider disconnecting your device that you are using Facebook Messenger on from your Wi-Fi and then reconnecting it after a few minutes. This is an effective and common way to resolve login issues with the Facebook Messaging application.
After the internet connection is reestablished, it should encourage the resolution of any login errors that are keeping you out of your account. Once your application has restarted, you will likely be able to access your Facebook Messenger account without issue.
3. Restart Your Device
You should consider restarting your phone to help you resolve any issues that could be causing your Facebook Messenger login issues. This will encourage the resolution of any hang-ups or run-time errors that could be causing your issue.
Like any device, it is subject to internal errors that can cause parts of it to not function correctly. If you are having problems logging into your Facebook Messenger account, you could need to restart your phone.
Restarting your phone will give it the chance to consolidate any potential run-time errors that could be causing your battery percentage meter to not function correctly. A quick restart will solve most minor issues that users might experience while using their phones.
The process for restarting your phone will vary depending on the device. Typically, all you have to do is hold down the top volume button, located on the left side of your phone, at the same time as the screen lock button, located on the right side of your phone. Doing this will give you the option to slide and restart your phone.
4. Switch From Wi-Fi To Data
If you are experiencing issues with your Facebook Messaging application, you should consider switching your connection from Wi-Fi to your phone’s data. This can help you bypass any internet connection issues that your Wi-Fi is experiencing by using your phone’s data to connect to Facebook Messenger instead.
To switch from Wi-Fi to data on your phone, simply disconnect from the Wi-Fi and your phone will automatically begin using a data connection to access the app.
You should continue to use your data to access Facebook Messenger until your standard home internet connection issues are resolved.
5. Wait For Messenger To Go Back Up
If the Facebook servers are currently down, the only thing you will be able to do is wait for the issue to be resolved. Facebook server outages are rare and typically only happen during short periods of required maintenance.
That being said, server overloads and crashes are still possible. Keep an eye out on Facebook’s website or social pages for more information regarding any ongoing server outages or scheduled maintenance.
You can expect server outages to be resolved within two hours. More severe server issues could cause the downtime to greatly exceed this estimation. For server overloads, the downtime you can expect is around five to six hours.
During Facebook server outages, you will likely not be able to access your account or have Facebook Messenger access during this time.
6. Wait For Them To Come Out With A Fix
In some cases, you will simply have to wait for Facebook to release a fix for your issue. This is more common with widespread issues that affect a large group of users on the app.
When this happens, Facebook will be made aware of the issue and immediately begin working on a fix to release that will resolve the issue.
7. Log Out Then Back In
Logging in and out of the Facebook Messenger application can help encourage the application to resolve any account issues you are facing that could be keeping your account from functioning correctly.
Like any application, the Facebook app can get hung up due to bugs and glitches. These could cause your Facebook Messenger application to not work correctly.
Logging in and out of your account will refresh your application and encourage the resolution of any errors that your application could be experiencing.
This can force account privileges to be reevaluated and processed correctly if they were experiencing issues due to some internal error the application is experiencing.
8. Update Messenger To Get Rid Of Bugs
If you are having issues, it could be because the version of Facebook Messenger you are using is out of date. Facebook releases periodic updates that improve functionality and user experience on the app. The updates also serve to fix bugs and glitches that they have been made aware of.
Keeping your Facebook Messenger application up to date is vital for an optimal experience. If you let your application fall behind on updates, you run the risk of encountering errors and bugs with your Facebook functions more frequently.
9. Clear Your Facebook Messenger Cache To Get Rid Of Bugs
How you clear your Facebook Messenger cache will depend on the type of device that you are currently using to watch Facebook. The list below will walk you through the process for popular mobile devices and web browsers that are most commonly used to watch Facebook.
If you are using Google Chrome to access Facebook, you will first need to click the three dots at the top right corner of your screen. This will bring up a menu where you can find the More Tools tab.
In the More Tools tab, you will find the option to Clear Browsing Data. Click this option and choose the All-Time option. Finally check the Cached Images & Files box and click Clear Data. This will successfully clear your Facebook cache in Google Chrome.
If you are using Firefox, you will first need to open the Firefox menu at the top of the screen. Navigate to the History tab and you will find the option to Clear Recent History.
Click on Clear Recent History and approve the clearing of Everything and check the Cache box. Once this has been done click Clear Now and you will have successfully deleted your Facebook cache on Firefox.
If you are using an Android device to access Facebook, you will need to open your device’s Settings menu and then open the Apps menu. In the Apps menu, you will see the Facebook app. Tap into the Facebook app menu and select Storage.
In the Storage menu, you will find the option to clear all of your cache data related to the Facebook application.
If you are on an iPhone, you simply need to delete the Facebook application from your device and reinstall it to successfully clear the cache.
After you have successfully cleared your Facebook Messenger cache, the location issues that you are experiencing have a good chance of being automatically resolved. Keep in mind that these files will immediately begin to be replaced by new cache files. You should consider clearing your cache periodically as it begins to grow larger in size.
10. Uninstall And Reinstall The Facebook Messaging Application
Common errors caused by these types of issues are login issues and general messaging issues. These can be frustrating and can hinder your ability to use the Facebook Messenger application.
When this happens, a reinstall can help encourage the resolution of these errors and restart the application running fresh. This is a good solution for many problems people encounter on the Facebook app.
To reinstall the Facebook Messenger application, you will need to delete the application from your device completely. Once you have done this, you will have to redownload the Facebook Messenger application from the app store and reinstall it on your device.
This will replace all of the files associated with the Facebook app with new ones. This process will remove any damaged or corrupted files that were potentially causing your messaging issues.
11. Reset Messenger Password
You should consider resetting your Messenger password if you cannot gain access to your account properly.
There is a chance that you may have forgotten or mistyped your password. There is also the possibility that your account has been compromised, which can cause you to not be able to log in properly.
A password reset will be sent directly to your email for you to edit and can ensure that the password that you are using is the correct one.
12. Reset Network Settings
If your internet connection is not stable, you will likely experience issues trying to access the network features on Facebook Messenger. To fix internet issues, consider restarting your Wi-Fi or contacting your internet service provider for more information regarding your outage.
To reset your router, simply unplug it for at least sixty seconds. This will give your router time to completely power off and stop any latent functions occurring inside the device. Once you have powered your router back on, it will automatically begin the process of reestablishing a connection to your devices.
13. Use Messenger On A PC
If you are having problems with your Facebook Messaging application on your mobile device, you should consider accessing Facebook Messenger from your web browser application to try and resolve your location issues.
This could help resolve any problems that your Facebook application is experiencing. Using a web browser application to access Facebook will allow you to use the Facebook web software that operates on separate software that is not dependent on user updates.
Facebook.com has all of the same features that the application does but in web browser format. This is often the preferred way to use the Facebook application for some users as it is often easier to navigate using the Facebook.com web page.
14. Contact Facebook
If you are experiencing persistent issues with your Facebook application, you should consider contacting Facebook support so they can investigate your issue further.
You should only consider this once you have attempted all of the troubleshooting methods listed here, as Facebook support will likely suggest many of the methods on this list.
You can contact Facebook Support on their website or through the app. There you will find detailed instructions on how to report your issue. First, you will need to provide a detailed account of your problem which will then be investigated by someone at Facebook Technical Support.
Facebook Support will walk you through any troubleshooting methods that you might have missed and offer detailed suggestions on how to successfully solve your issue.
This method requires some patience, as dealing with customer service on the phone can be frustrating. Rest assured that Facebook Support will do all they can to get your application functioning properly.
Final Thoughts
This guide has provided you with all of the information that you need to accurately identify and resolve any issues that you might be experiencing with your Facebook Messenger application. Login issues are common with the Messenger application but this guide can help you avoid these issues in the future.