Facebook App Not Opening? Fixes to Try in Order

There's a particular kind of annoyance when you tap the Facebook icon, the screen flashes, and nothing happens. If you're a creator or run a Page for your business, that missing app can feel like a locked shop door.

Facebook's Help Centre doesn't have a page called "app not opening", and it doesn't name one cause. What it does have is a short run of checks for when something isn't working. I've put them in the order Facebook gives them, quick ones first, and added what to do while you wait.

What a Facebook app that won't open can look like

People describe this in a few ways. The app might not respond when you tap it, it might show the logo and then close, or it might open but sit on a blank screen. Facebook's troubleshooting article covers these under "something isn't working correctly", for example content not appearing or a selection not loading. The fixes below follow that article, plus the pages on updating and logging in.

Start with the Facebook app update

On Android, Facebook's help page says to first make sure you've got the most up-to-date version of the Facebook for Android app. It tells you to go to the Play Store, or download the newest version directly from Facebook, and look for a newer version to download. On iPhone and iPad, the troubleshooting article also opens with updating the app.

If the update itself won't download, check your internet connection. For best results, Facebook says to connect to Wi-Fi before downloading.

Check the network before blaming the Facebook app

For iPhone and iPad, Facebook lists making sure you're connected to a reliable data or Wi-Fi network as its second step. It's easy to forget that an app can fail to start correctly when the connection is dropping in and out. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data for a minute, or the other way round, then try to open the app again.

Closing the Facebook app fully, then reopening it

Next, Facebook says to close the app and open it again. A half-frozen app can sit in the background and ignore taps, so close it fully rather than just returning to your home screen. How you do that depends on your phone, and the steps differ between makers, so use your phone's own app switcher.

Restarting your phone when the Facebook app still won't open

The troubleshooting article lists restarting your device after that. It's a boring step, but it clears out whatever else is running and it's the last quick fix before you start deleting things. Once the phone is back on, open Facebook before any other app so you can tell whether it worked.

Checking your phone's software is still supported

Facebook has a separate help article on supported software. It says the app for Android, iPhone and iPad supports Android 8.0 or greater, and iOS 15.1 or greater on iPhone and iPad. If your phone is on something older, Facebook says you can continue to use the app but you won't get further updates, and over time you may see slow performance or other issues. You can't update the app to fix them.

That doesn't prove your phone is the cause, because Facebook doesn't say an unsupported phone will stop the app opening. It's a fair thing to rule out, though. Check for system updates in your phone's settings, and if the software is older than the list above, use a browser until you can move to a newer phone.

Deleting and reinstalling the Facebook app

If the app still won't open, Facebook's download and update page suggests uninstalling it, restarting your device and installing it again from your device's app store. Have your login details ready first, because you'll need to sign back in. If you've lost track of them, read the next two sections before you delete anything.

For install trouble, Facebook adds a storage check. On Android, open your phone's settings and look at the storage settings. If you've got less than 100MB available, clear some apps to make room, then retry. You can also cancel and restart the download, or log out of Facebook and try again.

If the Facebook app opens but won't let you log in

Some people say the app won't open when what's happening is that login fails. Facebook's help page on logging in says that if you're having trouble logging into the app, make sure you've got the latest version, or try deleting the app and reinstalling it. It also says to try logging in from a mobile browser instead, for example Chrome or Safari.

If a browser login works but the app doesn't, that points you back to the update and reinstall steps above. If neither works, Facebook has a recovery route for when you can't log in at all, and I'll cover that in a separate guide.

Using Facebook in a browser while the app won't open

This is the bit I'd do straight away if work is waiting. Facebook's help page says that if you can't use the app, you can use Facebook on a computer at facebook.com, and you can chat with other people by visiting facebook.com/messages. If you run groups for clients, finding Facebook groups for marketers is a job a browser handles nicely. Page admins might also like to see where a Page's QR code lives, which works fine from a desktop.

When to tell Facebook the app still isn't opening

If you've tried everything and the app still won't open, Facebook's troubleshooting article says the issue could be a bug. It tells you to report it: on iPhone or Android, shake your phone and follow the on-screen instructions. That only works if the app opens at all, so if it doesn't, try the report option from a computer's Help and support menu, then Report a problem.

Say what phone and software you've got, which fixes you've already tried and what you see when you tap the icon. Clear detail helps the team, and it stops you repeating steps you've already done.

A quick Facebook app not opening checklist

• Update the app from your app store.
• Check your Wi-Fi or mobile data.
• Close the app fully and reopen it.
• Restart your phone.
• Check your phone's software against Facebook's supported list.
• Uninstall, restart and reinstall the app.
• Try facebook.com in a browser, and report the problem if it carries on.

Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my Facebook app open?

Facebook's help pages don't name a single cause. They point you to updating the app, checking your connection, closing and reopening it, restarting your device and reinstalling it.

How do I fix the Facebook app not opening on Android?

Update it from the Play Store, check your connection, close and reopen the app, restart your phone, and if needed uninstall and reinstall it.

How do I fix the Facebook app not opening on iPhone?

Update the app, make sure you're on a reliable network, close it and reopen it, then restart your iPhone. If it still fails, reinstall it from the App Store.

Can an old phone stop the Facebook app opening?

Facebook says that on unsupported software you can keep using the app but won't get updates, and may see slow performance or other issues. It doesn't say the app will refuse to open.

Can I use Facebook if the app won't open?

Yes. Facebook's help page says you can use Facebook on a computer at facebook.com, and chat at facebook.com/messages.

How do I report the Facebook app not opening?

On an iPhone or Android phone, shake it and follow the on-screen instructions. On a computer, use Help and support, then Report a problem.