How To Fix Messenger When it Won’t Open

Like all apps, Messenger may crash from time to time, refuse to sign you in, or not let you send messages altogether. Fortunately, there’s usually a relatively simple fix to the problem and you can start interacting with your friends again.

This article will explain how to fix your Messenger app.

Why Your Messenger Won’t Open

Here’s why your Facebook Messenger app has refused to open.

A Slow Internet Connection

All the apps you run on your phone can’t open if your Wi-Fi connection is slow or unstable. Thus, your Messenger app may refuse to log in because of a poor internet connection. 

Your Device Has a Malicious Virus 

You can’t run your Messenger app if your device has viruses. If you’ve opened phishing emails or clicked insecure websites before, your phone might have malicious bugs. Hackers use these bugs to track your internet activities and steal private data. 

Inadequate Internal Storage

The Messenger software may be incomplete since it couldn’t be saved on your device when you installed it. Some devices will generate an error message when you try to log in to partly installed apps. Check if you’ve enough storage on your device.

The App Is Offline

If an app experiences an outage, users can’t log into it. Hence, your Messenger could fail to open because its servers are down. The app itself might have short-lived technical glitches that are slowing it down. 

How to Fix Your Messenger App

If your Messenger app can’t open, there are a number of fixes you can try.

Check if the Messenger Is Down

You can use the Downdetector website. Another helpful option is Services Down. Either of these websites will let you know if the app has an outage and give you an estimate of when the problem might be resolved. Also, they can reveal if other Messenger users are experiencing the same issue.

Force-Close the Messenger and Restart

If you don’t use your Messenger app often, you might not be logged in. Also, it can open but run erratically. So, force your app to close and start it afresh. If you have an iOS device, force-close and restart Messenger like this:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to start the “App Switcher.” You can also double-tap the “Home Screen” button.
   
2. Locate the Messenger app by swiping right. 
   
3. Swipe up on the Messenger app to force-quit it. 
   
4. To restart the Messenger app, move to the “Home Screen” or “App Library” and touch it. 
   

Here’s how to force-close and restart the Messenger app on an Android device:

1. Launch the “Settings” menu and choose “Apps.”
   
2. Touch the “Messenger” app icon. 
   
3. Tap “Force stop” to quit the Messenger app. 
   

Reboot Your Phone

To know if your Messenger app has stopped opening because of a system error, restart your smartphone. Here’s the fastest way to reboot a smartphone: 

1. Press the “Power” button for about ten seconds. 
   
2. Choose “Restart” from the shortcut menu that appears.
   
3. Press the “Power” button again and reopen the Messenger app. 

Open Messenger on a Different Smartphone

Perhaps your Messenger has stopped working because of an issue with your device. You can test this by opening the app on another smartphone. The Messenger app works on any platform, including Windows, iOS, and Android. Open Messenger on your desktop PC browser and see how it behaves. If this method works, your smartphone has a problem. 

Clear the Cache File

Your Facebook Messenger may fail to open because of a corrupted cache file. The cache file stores an app’s data temporarily, allowing them to run smoothly without consuming many resources. You should clear the cache file to check if your Messenger will open. Accessing the apps works differently on various iOS and Android phones.

Here’s how to clear the cache on Android: 

1. Open “Settings” on your phone and tap “Apps.”
   
2. Locate the “Messenger” app on a list of apps and tap it. 
   
3. Tap “Storage” to view “Cache” and other details.
   
4. Tap the “Clear Cache” icon. 
   
5. Restart your Messenger app to see if it will open. 

Note: If using an iOS device, you won’t be able to clear the cache file without uninstalling the Messenger app first. So, uninstall the app, go to the App Store, and reinstall it. 

Turn On Background Data

Your Messenger app may refuse to open if it can’t access background data. You can turn off background data for apps you don’t use often. It will let you connect those apps to the internet only when using them. Check if Messenger is one of the apps that can’t use background data automatically. Then, turn on the background data restriction:

1. Move to “Settings” and tap “Apps.”
   
2. Touch the “Messenger” app on the list and hit “Data Usage”
   
3. Check if you have turned on “Background data.” If it is off, tap to turn it on. 
   

Note: You can tap “Apps” or “Apps & notifications” in Step 1, depending on the version of your device. Again, your device might have you tap “See All Apps” or “Manage Apps” in Step 2 to view the list of apps. 

Remove Your Messenger and Install It Again

Messenger can fail to open because it has a technical problem. You can solve this by uninstalling it and installing it afresh. Nothing will happen to the data you’ve stored in Messenger after uninstalling the app.

 Here are the simple steps to follow on Android: 

1. Launch “Google Play Store.”
   
2. Search for the “Messenger” app.
   
3. Press “Uninstall” on the preview page. 
   
4. After removing the app, touch “Install” to get the app back. 
   
5. Restart the Messenger to see if it will open normally.

FAQs

Can an app I installed earlier stop Messenger from opening?

Your Messenger app could fail if you recently installed a different app. That app might block Messenger without your knowledge. You can remedy this issue by putting your Android device into “Safe mode.”

What can I do if I can’t open my Messenger app no matter what?

The best thing is to take your phone to a professional repair shop. They can check if your device has the wrong settings, software hitches, or hardware problems. 

Fix Your Messenger App Now

You can’t communicate at all on Facebook if the Messenger app fails. It can fail to open for different reasons, including issues with the app or servers. The best way to restore your app is to troubleshoot and consider all possible causes. If there’s an outage on the app, all you can do is wait for it to respond again. 

Has Messenger ever not opened for you? If so, how did you solve the problem? Let us know in the comments section below.