If you find that keyboard shortcuts have suddenly stopped working when using Facebook, don’t panic. There are a few simple things you can try to get them working again.
Refresh the Page
The first step is to simply refresh the Facebook page you’re on. Keyboard shortcuts stopping working suddenly is often just a small glitch that can be fixed by reloading the page. Here’s how to refresh on different devices:
- PC – Press F5 or CTRL+R
- Mac – CMD+R
- iPhone/iPad – Pull down from the top of the screen to reload
- Android – Pull down from the top of the screen to reload
After refreshing, try using the keyboard shortcuts again and see if they work. Many times this will resolve the issue.
Restart the Browser
If refreshing the page doesn’t bring back keyboard shortcut functionality, the next step is to fully restart your web browser. Here’s how:
- PC – Close all browser windows and re-open the browser.
- Mac – As above.
- iPhone/iPad – Double click the home button and swipe up on the browser app to fully close it, then re-open.
- Android – Open the app switcher and swipe the browser app closed, then re-open.
Restarting the browser often clears up problems like keyboard shortcuts not working. Once you’ve restarted the browser, open Facebook again and try the shortcuts.
Update the Browser
An outdated browser version can also cause issues with Facebook keyboard shortcuts. Make sure you’re running the latest version of your preferred browser:
- Chrome – Go to Settings > About Chrome. Chrome will automatically update itself.
- Firefox – Go to Help > About Firefox. Firefox will automatically update itself.
- Safari – Go to Safari > Preferences > Software Update. Follow prompts to update.
- Microsoft Edge – Go to Settings and more > About Microsoft Edge. Edge will automatically update itself.
Once your browser is updated, restart it fully and access Facebook again. The update may have included a fix for keyboard shortcut problems.
Try Disabling Browser Extensions
Some third party browser extensions can cause interference with Facebook keyboard shortcuts. Try temporarily disabling all extensions and see if that restores normal shortcut functionality.
To disable extensions:
- Chrome – Go to Settings > Extensions and turn them off individually or collectively.
- Firefox – Go to Add-ons > Extensions and toggle them off.
- Safari – Go to Safari > Preferences > Extensions and uncheck enabled extensions.
- Edge – Go to Settings and more > Extensions and toggle extensions off.
With extensions disabled, restart the browser and access Facebook again. If the keyboard shortcuts now work, you know an extension has been causing conflict. Re-enable extensions one by one until you find the problematic one.
Try in Private Browsing Mode
Private browsing mode starts the browser in a fresh, clean state which can fix Facebook keyboard shortcut problems. Here’s how to enable it:
- Chrome – CTRL+Shift+N (CMD+Shift+N on Mac)
- Firefox – CTRL+Shift+P (CMD+Shift+P on Mac)
- Safari – File > New Private Window
- Edge – CTRL+Shift+P (CMD+Shift+P on Mac)
Once in private browsing mode, open Facebook and test the keyboard shortcuts. If they work normally, an extension or regular browser setting is likely causing the issue.
Try on Another Browser
If you just can’t get keyboard shortcuts working in your preferred browser, try switching to another browser as a workaround. Install an alternate like Firefox, Chrome or Edge and access Facebook there.
If the shortcuts work fine in the other browser, an issue with your usual browser is the culprit. You may need to uninstall then reinstall it to fix corrupted files.
Update Facebook
Make sure the Facebook app on your mobile device is updated to the latest version via the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). The app needs to be updated for keyboard shortcuts to work properly.
On desktop, clear the browser cache to force Facebook to re-load the latest files. Here’s how:
- Chrome – Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data > Clear cached images and files
- Firefox – Options > Privacy & Security > Clear Data > Cached Web Content
- Safari – Develop > Empty Caches
- Edge – Settings and more > Clear Browsing Data > Cached data and files
This ensures any corrupt Facebook files are deleted and updated ones are downloaded when you next access the site.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still can’t get Facebook keyboard shortcuts working after trying all the steps above, it’s time to contact Facebook support directly.
Go to Facebook’s Help Center and select the Contact Us option. Explain your keyboard shortcut issue and what troubleshooting you’ve tried.
Facebook’s team may be able to provide specialized help or escalate a technical issue on their end causing the problem.
Keep in mind response times may be slow due to high volume of requests. But reporting your keyboard shortcut problem is the best way to ultimately get it fixed if all else fails.
With a few simple troubleshooting steps, you should be able to get Facebook keyboard shortcuts working again. Refresh, restart, update and clean out your browser to resolve common issues. Switch browsers or contact support if the problem persists across devices.