Why can't I post pictures to Facebook from my iPhone?

There are a few common reasons why you may be unable to post photos from your iPhone to Facebook. The most likely culprits include having no internet connection, Facebook or iOS software bugs, privacy settings blocking photo uploads, exceeding the image file size limit, or having storage issues on your device. Troubleshooting the various causes step-by-step can help identify and resolve the problem.

Check Your Internet Connection

The first thing to check is whether your iPhone is connected to the internet. Open the Settings app and go to Wi-Fi to confirm you are connected to a wireless network. Alternatively, toggle on Cellular Data to use your mobile data plan. Without an internet connection, you won’t be able to access or post anything on Facebook.

Some things to try:

Toggle Airplane Mode off and reconnect to Wi-Fi or Cellular Data.
Reconnect to the Wi-Fi router by toggling Wi-Fi off and on again.
Restart your iPhone to refresh all network connections.

Make sure you have a strong signal for your mobile or Wi-Fi network.
Connect to a different Wi-Fi network if your current one is unstable.
Disable Wi-Fi Assist which can cause connection issues.

If you have internet access on other apps and web pages, then your iPhone is connected but the issue likely lies with Facebook.

Check Facebook App and Services

With a solid internet connection, next verify Facebook services are up and running. Log out of the Facebook app completely, close it from the app switcher, then launch it again and log back in. This refreshes the app and re-establishes the connection to Facebook’s servers.

Also try:

Updating to the latest version of the Facebook app in case a bug is causing problems.
Deleting and reinstalling the Facebook app to clear out any corrupt files.
Checking Facebook’s status page for any known technical issues.

Accessing Facebook from a web browser instead of the app.

If Facebook works fine on your computer or other device on the same network, then the issue is isolated to your iPhone.

Toggle Facebook Privacy and Posting Settings

Facebook and iPhone privacy settings could be blocking your ability to post photos. Log in to Facebook from a web browser and check that the following options are enabled:

Photo and media permissions are set to “Friends” or “Public” under Facebook app settings.
Review post audience selector is set to “Friends” or “Public” rather than “Only Me”.
Timeline review is off under Facebook privacy settings.

Facebook access in iPhone Photos is enabled under Facebook app iOS settings.

Also verify that iOS privacy settings are configured correctly:

Facebook has permissions to access your photos in iPhone Settings > Privacy > Photos.

Facebook has permission to use cellular data in iPhone Settings > Facebook.
Facebook restrictions are not blocking interaction under iPhone Settings > ScreenTime > Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Tweaking these settings may resolve any permission issues that prevent posting.

Check Image File Size and Type

Facebook places limits on the size and file types of images that can be uploaded:

Photo uploads are restricted to 25 MB max file size.
Image formats allowed include JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF.

Very large, high-resolution photos from your iPhone’s camera may exceed the 25 MB cap. Use an app like Image Size to check the file size of the image you want to upload. For large files, use an editing app to reduce the photo size before posting.

Facebook also does not support RAW camera image formats or HEIC/HEIF types used by newer iPhones. Convert or export the image as JPG or PNG first before uploading.

Clear Cache and Free Up Space

If your iPhone is low on storage space or has corrupt temporary app files, this can sometimes disrupt Facebook functionalities like posting photos. Some troubleshooting tips:

Offload unused apps in iPhone Settings to free up space.
Delete old photos and videos from your Camera Roll.
Check for and remove any corrupt or oversized files through iTunes.

Clear website data and caches in Safari Settings > Advanced.
Reset all settings on your iPhone to clear out any problematic files.

After freeing up gigabytes of space, restart your iPhone and try posting again. Clearing out excess cached and temporary data can get Facebook working smoothly again.

Update iOS Software

Buggy iOS software or an outdated version of the operating system may prevent Facebook from working properly. Apple periodically releases software updates to fix bugs and improve performance.

To update iOS on your iPhone:

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Download and install any available updates.
Restart your device after updating.

Updating to the latest iOS version fixes many known issues, and may resolve problems uploading photos to Facebook.

Reinstall or Replace Facebook App

If all else fails, uninstalling then reinstalling the Facebook app is worth trying to fix stubborn connection issues:

Delete Facebook from your Home screen.
Go to the App Store and re-download the latest version.

Reinstallation can clear out any corrupted files or cached data causing the uploading problem. As a last resort, switching to an alternative third party Facebook app may circumvent any issues with the official app.

Use Facebook From a Computer

While troubleshooting your iPhone, a workaround is to access Facebook from a computer to post your photos. Options include:

Uploading images directly through the Facebook website.
Emailing photos to yourself and adding them on Facebook via desktop.
Using Facebook mobile site m.facebook.com on a laptop or PC.

Installing the Facebook app for Mac or Windows.

This lets you post your pictures without having to rely on your iPhone. You can then take your time diagnosing and fixing the root cause of the mobile app issue.

Contact Facebook Support

If you still cannot identify the cause of the problem after exhaustive troubleshooting, reach out to Facebook support:

Submit a bug report through Facebook app settings about your issue.
Chat or email Facebook Support from the Help Center.
@mention Facebook on Twitter or post on their Facebook page about the uploading problem.

Providing details like your iPhone model, iOS version, Facebook app version, and any error messages can help Facebook resolve device-specific issues on their end.

Get Your iPhone Checked Out

In rare cases, an underlying hardware or software defect on your iPhone may be preventing Facebook from functioning normally. Symptoms beyond just Facebook problems point to a larger issue:

Frequent app crashes, freezes, or slow performance.

Camera and photos acting glitchy.
Connectivity problems like drops in Wi-Fi or Cellular Data.
Unrelated apps also unable to access the internet.

Schedule an appointment at an Apple Store or service provider to have your iPhone inspected. A hardware repair or full device restore may be required if there is an inherent problem.

Summary of Fixes

To recap, here are the top troubleshooting tips for getting photo uploads working again on Facebook for iPhone:

Check your internet connection and confirm Facebook is up and running.

Verify Facebook and iOS privacy settings allow photo access.
Make sure images are under 25MB and in a supported format.
Free up storage space and clear app caches/data.

Update your iPhone software and Facebook app.
Reinstall or replace the Facebook app as needed.
Use Facebook on a desktop computer as a temporary solution.

Contact Facebook support if the issue persists.
Get your iPhone serviced if you suspect a hardware issue.

With focused troubleshooting, you should be able to identify the cause and get photo posting working again. Let the Facebook photos flow from your iPhone!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about troubleshooting and resolving Facebook photo upload problems on iPhone:

Why does my iPhone say Facebook is temporarily unavailable when trying to post?

This error typically indicates a network connectivity issue or problem on Facebook’s end. Try toggling Airplane mode on/off to refresh the connection. If Facebook is down for maintenance or experiencing an outage, you will have to wait until services are restored.

How do I compress photos on iPhone before posting to Facebook?

Use apps like Image Size, Compressor, or Camera+ to resize, compress, or change the image format to reduce file size. Follow their instructions to export a smaller version of your photo to upload.

What is the best image format and size to use when posting on Facebook from iPhone?

JPG is the most widely compatible format. For resolution, 1080×1080 pixels or under 2 MB file size is recommended to ensure fast upload while retaining adequate photo quality.

Why are none of my Facebook photos posting even though I have a strong Wi-Fi signal?

This points to either a Facebook app issue or misconfigured privacy/permission settings. Try updating the app, reinstalling it, then double checking your iPhone and Facebook settings to confirm photo access is allowed.

How can I get help from Facebook if I can’t fix the photo upload problem myself?

Visit Facebook’s Help Center and select Contact Us to either chat with an agent, send an email, or submit your specific issue. Provide as many details as possible like error messages so they can troubleshoot.

Conclusion

Uploading pictures from an iPhone to Facebook should be seamless when both are configured correctly and functioning normally. Methodically ruling out connectivity problems, software bugs, privacy restrictions, storage limitations, and hardware faults allows you to get to the bottom of most uploading failures. Patience and a systematic approach to troubleshooting will ultimately get those iPhone photos out to your Facebook audience.