Facebook Messenger’s chat heads feature allows you to keep conversations visible while multi-tasking on your mobile device. The floating chat bubbles appear over other apps, enabling you to quickly view and respond to messages. However, sometimes the chat heads stop working properly and fail to appear. This can be frustrating if you rely on chat heads to stay on top of conversations. The good news is there are some troubleshooting steps you can take to get chat heads back up and running.
Check Facebook Messenger Settings
The first thing to check is whether chat heads are enabled in your Facebook Messenger settings. To verify this:
- Open the Facebook Messenger app
- Tap your profile picture in the top left
- Go to Settings
- Tap “Chat Heads”
Ensure the toggle is switched on next to “Show Chat Heads.” If it is disabled, tap to enable it. This turns on the feature and should make chat heads start working again.
Force Stop the Facebook Messenger App
If chat heads are enabled but still not showing, try force stopping the Messenger app. Force stopping completely shuts down the app and can clear up issues with features like chat heads. To force stop Messenger:
- Go to your phone’s Settings
- Select “Apps” or “Application Manager”
- Find and select Facebook Messenger
- Choose “Force Stop”
Give Messenger a few moments to reset then open it again. The chat heads should now appear when receiving new messages.
Clear App Cache and Data
Over time, cached data and temporary files can accumulate in apps like Facebook Messenger. This can sometimes disrupt features or cause glitches. Clearing the cache and app data gives the app a fresh start which may resolve the issue.
To clear the cache and data:
- Go to your phone’s Settings
- Select “Apps” or “Application Manager”
- Choose Facebook Messenger
- Tap “Storage”
- Select “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data”
This wipes the existing data and cache for the app. When you relaunch Messenger, chat heads should load correctly again.
Check App Permissions
In order for chat heads to work properly, Facebook Messenger needs access to certain permissions on your device. If permissions were accidentally revoked, it can cause features like chat heads to stop working.
To verify Messenger has the right permissions:
- Go to your phone’s Settings
- Tap “Apps” or “Application Manager”
- Select Facebook Messenger
- Tap “Permissions”
- Ensure all permission toggles are enabled, especially for overlay/display over other apps
Granting the necessary permissions again should resolve any issues caused by revoked permissions.
Update the Facebook Messenger App
If Messenger lacks important bug fixes or new features to properly display chat heads, updating the app can help. Use the following steps to update the app:
- Open the Play Store or App Store on your phone
- Search for “Facebook Messenger”
- If an “Update” button is shown, tap it to update to the latest version
- If auto-updates are disabled, enable them so apps stay up-to-date automatically
Updating to the newest Messenger version available may fix bugs or problems that are causing chat heads not to work correctly.
Restart Your Phone
If all else fails, restarting your phone can help refresh apps and system processes. Power cycling your device essentially acts as a reset, and may fix chat heads if nothing else has worked.
- Hold down your phone’s Power button
- Tap “Restart” or “Reboot” when prompted
- Let your phone completely shut down and start back up
- Once restarted, open Messenger and see if chat heads appear
Restarting your device can clear up lingering app issues and errors.
Factory Reset as Last Resort
The nuclear option to fix any persistent app problems is performing a factory reset on your phone. This erases all data and resets the phone back to default factory settings.
Factory resetting your device should only be done as an absolute last resort, after trying all other troubleshooting steps. Make sure to fully backup your device before resetting.
To factory reset:
- Go to Settings > System > Reset options
- Select Factory data reset
- Follow prompts to confirm the reset
- Set up your phone again once the reset completes
This will wipe the phone and revert software back to a clean state, which should allow Messenger’s chat heads to work again.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still cannot get Messenger’s chat heads to appear after trying all troubleshooting steps, you may need to contact Facebook for further support:
- In the Messenger app, go to your Profile > Settings > Help & Support
- Select “Contact Us” and explain the issue with chat heads
- You can also visit Facebook’s Help Center online and search for Messenger chat heads issues
Facebook support can further assist with debugging and fixing problems that prevent chat heads from appearing properly in the app.
Conclusion
Facebook Messenger’s chat heads provide a convenient way to manage conversations, but sometimes technical issues arise. If the chat bubbles are not popping up, first ensure the feature is enabled in Messenger’s settings. Force stopping the app, clearing cache/data, updating the app, and checking permissions can also help resolve common problems. For ongoing issues, try restarting your phone or resetting it to factory settings. If all else fails, reach out to Facebook support for additional troubleshooting assistance. With a few simple fixes, you should be able to get Messenger’s chat heads working again.