There are a few possible reasons why you may not be able to react to messages on Facebook Messenger:
You have reactions turned off
The most likely reason is that you have reactions turned off in your Messenger settings. To turn reactions on:
- Open the Messenger app
- Tap on your profile picture in the top left
- Tap on Settings
- Scroll down and tap on Reactions
- Toggle “Show Reactions” on
This will allow you to react to messages with emojis again. Make sure it is switched on.
The other person has reactions turned off
If reactions are on for you but you still can’t react to a specific person’s messages, it may be because they have reactions turned off on their end. There’s no way for you to turn them on for that person unfortunately. You’ll have to ask them to check their settings.
It’s a group conversation
Reacting is disabled in group conversations on Messenger. You can only react to messages in one-on-one chats. So if you’re trying to react in a group, it won’t work.
It’s an old conversation
If the conversation you’re trying to react in is from a long time ago, you may not be able to react. Reactions only work on recent messages in Messenger.
A bug or glitch
Sometimes just a simple bug or glitch in the app can cause reactions to not work properly. Try closing the app and restarting it, or updating to the latest version of Messenger. That may fix any temporary issues.
When did Facebook introduce reactions?
Facebook first introduced the reactions feature back in 2016. This allowed users to react to posts and comments with emoji reactions, rather than just liking something.
Some key dates for Facebook reactions:
- February 24, 2016 – Facebook begins testing reactions with a limited number of users.
- May 5, 2016 – After months of testing, Facebook officially launches reactions, allowing all users to react to posts with love, haha, wow, sad, or angry emoji.
- December 14, 2016 – Facebook Messenger gets reactions, allowing users to react to messages using the same emojis.
Since their initial launch, Facebook has expanded the reaction options available to users. There are now over 15 different reactions to choose from when reacting to a post or comment.
How do I turn reactions back on in Messenger?
If you have reactions turned off in Messenger, here are the steps to turn them back on:
- Open the Messenger app
- Tap on your profile picture in the top left
- Tap on “Settings”
- Scroll down and tap on “Reactions”
- Toggle “Show Reactions” on
Once you toggle the “Show Reactions” setting on, you should immediately be able to start reacting to messages with emoji again.
You can also turn reactions on or off for specific conversations:
- Open the conversation
- Tap on the name at the top
- Toggle “Show Reactions” on or off
This will override your global reactions setting for just that one conversation.
Why can I only see some reactions on Messenger?
If you notice that you can only see a few reactions being used in Messenger, like thumbs up and heart, even though more emojis are available, there are a couple possible reasons for this:
You have an older version of Messenger
If you have an older version of Messenger installed, you may only be able to see a limited number of reactions. Make sure you update to the latest version of Messenger to unlock more reactions.
The other person has an older version of Messenger
Similarly, if the person you’re messaging has an older version of Messenger, you’ll only be able to see older reactions when they react to your messages. They need to update their app to unlock more recent reactions.
You both have older devices
The number of reactions available can also be limited by how new your device (and the other person’s device) is. On very old phones or operating system versions, only a few reaction emojis may be available. Updating your device’s OS or getting a newer phone can unlock more reactions.
So in summary, limited reactions are usually due to someone in the conversation using an outdated device or app version. Everyone needs to keep Messenger updated to see the full range of reactions.
Why can I only react with a thumbs up?
A common frustration with Facebook Messenger is only being able to react with a thumbs up emoji. If that’s all you see, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you have reactions enabled in your Messenger settings. Go to your settings, scroll down to Reactions, and make sure “Show Reactions” is toggled on.
- Double check that the conversation you’re trying to react in is a 1-on-1 chat, not a group. Reactions don’t work in Messenger group chats.
- Update the Messenger app to the latest version. Older versions may limit you to a thumbs up.
- Update your phone’s operating system if it’s outdated. Older OS versions limit reaction options.
- Ask the other person to update their Messenger app as well. If they are on an old version, it limits your reactions.
Following these troubleshooting steps should hopefully fix the issue and open up more emoji reactions for you to use in Messenger.
Should I turn off reactions in Messenger?
The reactions feature in Messenger is useful for quickly responding to messages, but some users may prefer to disable it. Here are some pros and cons of turning off reactions:
Pros of Turning Off Reactions
- Gets rid of emoji clutter if you find reactions annoying
- Prevents “low effort” replies with just an emoji
- May encourage more textual conversations
- Good for serious or professional conversations
Cons of Turning Off Reactions
- Makes it harder to quickly acknowledge messages
- Loses nuance of quickly conveying emotion
- Recipient may wonder why you aren’t reacting
- Disables reactions for all your conversations
In general, it comes down to personal preference. If you find reactions harmful to your messaging experience, turning them off can be beneficial. But losing the nuance of emoji reactions may frustrate some users. Try it out yourself and see if disabling reactions improves your Messenger experience or not.
Should Messenger get rid of reactions?
There’s an argument that Messenger should get rid of message reactions entirely. Here are some viewpoints on both sides of the debate:
Arguments for Removing Reactions
- Reactions reinforce lazy communication
- They clutter up conversations
- Some users consider them rude or low effort
- Too easy to misinterpret intent of an emoji reaction
Arguments for Keeping Reactions
- Reactions are now a standard messaging feature users expect
- They allow efficient emotional expression
- Majority of users like and actively use reactions
- Completely removing them would frustrate many people
Given how widely used and liked reactions seem to be on Messenger and other messaging apps, it’s unlikely Facebook will remove them anytime soon.
Perhaps continuing to improve the feature with more inclusive emojis and easier ways to interpret intent could make reactions less polarizing over time. But they seem here to stay on Messenger.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few common reasons why you may be unable to react to messages on Messenger:
- You have reactions disabled in your settings
- The other person has reactions disabled
- It’s a group chat rather than a 1-on-1
- Older app or device limiting available reactions
- A bug or temporary issue
Checking your Messenger and device settings, making sure apps are updated, and troubleshooting any glitches can help restore your ability to react. Reactions remain a popular feature on Messenger that are unlikely to be removed anytime soon, despite criticisms from some users. Toggling them on or off per conversation provides flexibility to use reactions when helpful and disable when distracting. With proper use, reactions can provide an efficient way to convey emotions and acknowledge messages on Messenger.