- First, work out how Messenger isn't loading
- Messenger not loading: the quick checks from Messenger's help centre
- Check your internet when Messenger won't load chats
- Free up storage if Messenger is slow to open or loads blank
- Reinstall Messenger if it still won't load
- Messenger loads but a message won't send or appear
- A message that's loading slowly in an encrypted chat
- When to report Messenger not loading
- Frequently asked questions
If Messenger isn't loading, work through the basics Messenger's help pages list: update the app, connect to reliable Wi-Fi, free up storage, then close the app and restart your device. If it still won't load, uninstall and reinstall Messenger, then report the problem through the Help Centre.
Messenger can fail to load in a few different ways. The app opens to a blank screen, your chat list never fills in, a conversation sits there spinning, or a message just won't appear. Each looks like the same problem, but Messenger's help centre treats them as a short list of possible causes: the app, your device or your internet. This page walks through that list, from the quickest check to the last resort, and flags what the help pages don't cover.
First, work out how Messenger isn't loading
Spend ten seconds on this, because it tells you where to look:
- If the whole app won't open or closes straight away, go to the storage and reinstall steps below, because that's crash territory.
- If the app opens but chats or messages don't appear, start with your connection.
- If you can see chats but one message or one person's chat is the problem, jump to the checks on the other person's account.
- If you can't get in at all because of a login problem, Messenger's help centre has a separate article for that, listed under Fix a problem.
Messenger not loading: the quick checks from Messenger's help centre
Messenger's help pages list a handful of simple tips for problems with the app. They're in this order on the help page, and they're a good order to follow:
- Update Messenger to the latest version.
- Connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network.
- Make sure your device has enough storage.
- Close the Messenger app and restart your device.
Do these four back to back before you try anything else. A lot of apps that won't load simply need a clean restart on a decent connection. If you want help with the first step, my guide to updating Messenger covers phones and computers.
Check your internet when Messenger won't load chats
Because Messenger lists problems with your internet as one of the main causes, test it. Open a web page or another app that needs the internet. If those load slowly or not at all, Messenger will struggle too. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or move to a spot with a better signal, and then reopen Messenger.
Messenger's help pages also suggest connecting to Wi-Fi before you download updates, so if you're updating over a weak connection, that could be why the new version never arrives.
Free up storage if Messenger is slow to open or loads blank
The help article on troubleshooting the Messenger app says running out of device storage may cause the app to crash. A phone that's close to full can make apps fail to start. Remove large files or unused apps, then reopen Messenger. The help pages also point to Apple's and Google's own guides for checking storage on iOS and Android.
Reinstall Messenger if it still won't load
Messenger's help pages say you may want to uninstall the app and then reinstall it. The steps differ by phone:
On Android
- Open your phone's settings and go to your application manager.
- Tap Messenger.
- Tap Uninstall, then OK.
- Download Messenger again from the Play Store.
On iPhone or iPad
- Tap and hold the Messenger icon until it jiggles.
- Tap the minus sign in the top left of the icon.
- Tap Delete App.
- Download Messenger again from the App Store.
Have your login details ready before you start, because you'll need to sign in again.
Messenger loads but a message won't send or appear
When the app itself is working but one conversation isn't, the help pages list causes tied to the other person or your account:
- The person you're messaging has deactivated or deleted their account.
- You've blocked them or they've blocked you.
- In a group chat, the other members have left the conversation.
- You've sent a lot of messages recently, which can temporarily stop you sending.
- Your messages went against Community Standards, which may temporarily restrict your account.
Messenger says a block like that is temporary, and you can still reach confirmed friends through the Facebook app or facebook.com in the meantime. For the situation where a person just seems to have vanished, I've explained why Messenger says user unavailable.
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A message that's loading slowly in an encrypted chat
Some chats are end-to-end encrypted, and Messenger's help pages say messages in them can be delayed. You may see Waiting for this message. This may take a while. in place of the message. The other person's phone needs to be online to help your phone decrypt it, which can happen if you or they were offline or recently reinstalled Messenger. Ask the person to open Messenger on their phone and to update, and ask them to resend if it still doesn't arrive.
When to report Messenger not loading
If you've updated, checked your connection and storage, restarted and reinstalled, and Messenger still won't load, report it. Messenger's Fix a problem section includes a page on reporting a problem with the Messenger app. It also lists a page on the operating systems that support the Messenger app, which is worth a look if your phone or computer software is old.
Tell the team what you see (blank screen, spinning wheel, missing chats), the device you use and what you've already tried. For anyone running a business page, keep another way for customers to reach you while you sort it out.
Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Messenger not loading?
Messenger's help pages point to problems with the app, your device or your internet. Update the app, use reliable Wi-Fi, check storage and restart your device.
Why won't Messenger load my chats?
Check your connection first. If other apps are slow, Messenger will be too. Then update the app and restart your device.
Will reinstalling Messenger fix it?
It's one of the steps Messenger's help pages mention. Update first, then uninstall and reinstall if the problem continues.
Why does a message say Waiting for this message?
In end-to-end encrypted chats the other person's phone may need to be online to help decrypt it. Ask them to open Messenger and update, or to resend.
Why is Messenger not loading on my phone but working elsewhere?
That points to the app or the device. Check storage, update, restart and reinstall on the phone that has the problem.
Where do I report that Messenger isn't loading?
Use the Fix a problem section of the Messenger Help Centre, which has an option to report a problem with the app.
