Is Facebook Messenger not opening or won’t open?
Messenger is an app where you can start voice calls, group video calls, and text messaging.
You can communicate with your Instagram followers on Messenger and search for them by their usernames or names.
Change your privacy settings to determine who can message you or where your messages are sent to.
There is a wide range of emojis that you can use to customize your reactions.
Choose from several chat themes like “Tie-Dye” or “Love” to personalize the app.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix Facebook Messenger not opening on Android (e.g., Xiaomi, Oppo, Samsung) or iPhone.
Why won’t Facebook Messenger open?
Facebook Messenger won’t open because of a bug or a glitch on the app.
The bug/glitch is most likely caused by the latest Messenger update.
Otherwise, the server is down and you have to wait for it to be functional again.
You can check if Messenger is down by going to Down Detector.
Alternatively, you can search for “Messenger down” on Twitter and check the top and latest tweets.
If there are many people tweeting about it, the app is most likely down for everyone.
How to fix Messenger not opening
To fix Messenger not opening, you can try downloading Messenger APK (older version).
Alternatively, you can try to use Messenger on your desktop or update the app when an update is released.
This is because the latest Messenger update might have bugs or glitches.
To download a Messenger APK, you need to visit a third-party website like Uptodown.
Fix 1: Download an older version of Messenger
- Delete the Messenger app from your device.
- Visit https://facebook-messenger.en.uptodown.com/android/versions.
- Select an older version of Messenger.
- Select “Download”.
- Open the Messenger APK.
- Log in to your Facebook account.
Fix 2: Use Messenger on your desktop
If Messenger is not opening, you can try to use it on your desktop instead of your mobile device.
Here are 3 ways to use Messenger on your desktop:
- Messenger Desktop: Install and use Messenger on your desktop (https://www.messenger.com/desktop).
- Messenger website: Visit https://www.messenger.com/, log in to your Facebook account, and start using Messenger.
- Facebook website: Visit https://www.facebook.com/, log in to your Facebook account, and select the Messenger icon.
Fix 3: Update Messenger when a follow-up update is released
- Go to the Google Play Store or the App Store.
- Search for “Messenger”.
- Select “Update” (if there’s an update available).
If there isn’t an update available, you need to wait until it’s released—this can take multiple days.
An update that has bug fixes and improvements will include this line, “Fixes for crashes within messaging experiences”.
Fix 4: Other troubleshooting methods
- For Android devices, clear Messenger’s cache by navigating to Settings > Apps > See All Apps > Messenger > Storage & cache > Clear cache > Force stop).
- For iOS devices, uninstall and reinstall Messenger to clear its cache and data.
- Force exit the Messenger app (swipe up from the bottom of your screen and swipe up on Messenger) and reopen it.
- Try connecting to a VPN (if you’re already connected to one, try disconnecting it).
Further reading
How to Fix Messenger Isn’t Responding
