It can be frustrating when your Facebook home page keeps automatically refreshing. This issue could be caused by several factors, but the most likely culprits are problems with your browser, computer settings, or Facebook app.
Quick Answers
Here are some quick potential solutions if your Facebook home page keeps refreshing:
- Restart your computer and browser – This can clear any temporary glitches
- Update your browser – Make sure you have the latest browser version
- Clear your browser cache and cookies – This removes stored Facebook data that may be corrupted
- Disable browser extensions – Third party extensions could be interfering with Facebook
- Update or reinstall the Facebook app – If on mobile, ensure the app is up to date
- Check your internet connection – Weak or unstable connections can cause refreshing
- Turn off auto-refresh settings – Browsers or Facebook may have auto-refresh enabled
- Try accessing Facebook on a different device – Narrows down if it’s a device-specific problem
Trying these simple fixes takes just a few minutes and resolves the endless refreshing for most people. Read on for more detailed explanations and steps for each potential solution.
Browser Issues
Problems with your web browser are one of the most common reasons a Facebook page keeps refreshing. Here are some browser-related issues that could be causing it:
Outdated Browser
If you haven’t updated your browser in a while, you could be using an outdated version that has compatibility issues with Facebook. Facebook is continually updated, and older browsers eventually have trouble interfacing properly with new Facebook features and design changes.
Make sure you are using the latest version of your browser. On Chrome, head to Settings > Help > About Google Chrome to check your version and update if needed. Other browsers like Firefox and Safari have similar update mechanisms in their settings or help menus.
Corrupt Browser Cache
Your browser stores cached data and cookies from Facebook to load the site faster on future visits. Over time, this cached Facebook data can become corrupt or incompatible with updates to Facebook. Clearing your browser’s cache forces Facebook to freshly reload its data.
On Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Select cached images and files, as well as cookies and site data, for the time range you want. Safari, Firefox, and other browsers have similar cache clearing options.
Problematic Browser Extensions
Browser extensions add functionality to your browser, but they can sometimes interfere with websites like Facebook. An outdated or buggy extension could be causing the nonstop refreshing.
Try disabling all your extensions one by one to identify if one is clashing with Facebook. On Chrome, go to Settings > Extensions and turn them off individually or all together. Re-enable them after testing to see if the issue recurs.
Computer and Connection Issues
Aside from browser problems, other computer and internet connectivity issues could contribute to a constantly refreshing Facebook page:
Internet Connection Problems
If your internet connection is unstable, weak, or temporarily cutting in and out, this can cause pages to refresh erratically. Check if other websites are having trouble loading or staying connected.
Issues could be with your home WiFi network, ISP, router, modem or cable connections. Unplugging and reconnecting equipment can help. Switching from WiFi to wired ethernet may also resolve connection drops if on a laptop.
Outdated Graphics Drivers
Your computer’s graphics card and drivers power and render the images and video on Facebook. Old, corrupted, or incompatible graphics drivers can sometimes lead to display issues like endless refreshing.
Check for graphics driver updates from your computer manufacturer or graphics card maker (Nvidia, AMD, Intel). Updating to the latest drivers may fix glitches.
Hardware Acceleration Settings
Hardware acceleration uses your graphics card to improve browser performance. However, it can sometimes cause display issues with sites like Facebook.
Try turning off hardware acceleration in your browser’s settings to see if that stops the constant refreshing. On Chrome, go to Settings > Advanced > Use hardware acceleration when available.
Computer Restart
Temporarily glitchy software and strained memory from having too many tabs and programs open can also interfere with Facebook’s performance. Something as simple as restarting your computer freshens things up, closes background processes, and clears any software issues.
Make sure to fully restart and not just put your computer to sleep. Give your computer a few minutes after booting back up to settle before reloading Facebook.
Facebook App Issues
The Facebook mobile app for Android and iOS can also be the culprit behind a constantly refreshing News Feed. Here are some things to check in the app:
Update the App
Just like browsers, apps can become outdated. Newer versions of the Facebook app may have fixed refreshing issues present in older versions.
On an iPhone, go to the App Store > Updates to check for the Facebook app. On Android, go to Google Play Store > My Apps & Games > Updates.
Reinstall the App
If updating doesn’t work, the next step is to uninstall the Facebook app and reinstall a fresh copy from the app store. This will reset any app data that may be corrupted.
On an iPhone, touch and hold the Facebook icon until it starts jiggling, then tap the X to delete. On Android, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Facebook and choose Uninstall.
Limit Background Refresh
The Facebook app can refresh your feed and fetch new stories even when you aren’t using it. If it’s doing this too aggressively, it could be causing your feed to reload when you reopen the app.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and disable it for the Facebook app. On Android, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Facebook > Mobile data & WiFi and disable Background data.
Facebook Settings
A few settings directly within Facebook could also be linked to your feed constantly refreshing:
Auto-Refresh
Facebook has an auto-refresh option that automatically reloads your feed with new stories every few minutes. This is useful if you want to stay updated, but too short of an interval can make it seem like refreshing nonstop.
On desktop, click the down arrow at the top right and uncheck Auto-Refresh. On mobile, tap the three line Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Auto-Refresh and adjust the frequency or disable it.
Location Settings
Facebook uses your location to serve relevant nearby posts. But if your location is inaccurate or fluctuating a lot, this can sometimes lead to refresh issues as Facebook tries to load new location-based content.
Consider turning off location services for Facebook, at least temporarily. On desktop, click the down arrow > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Location. On mobile, go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Location Services.
Other Facebook Troubleshooting
If you’re still experiencing constant refreshing, here are a few other Facebook-specific things to try:
- Log Out and Back In – This resets your Facebook session
- Clear Facebook Cookies – Removes corrupted Facebook browser data
- Use Facebook Lite – Simplified version that may avoid glitches
- Report Bug to Facebook – They may further diagnose the issue
You can also try accessing Facebook through the desktop site if on mobile, or the mobile site if on desktop. Switching versions sometimes resolves app or browser-specific bugs.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting refreshing issues takes some trial and error, but usually one of these solutions does the trick:
- Update your browser and apps
- Clear browser caches and Facebook cookies
- Check for internet connection drops
- Disable browser extensions and hardware acceleration
- Adjust Facebook refresh settings
- Restart computer and mobile devices
Refreshing is always more frustrating on mobile due to smaller screens. Consider accessing Facebook through the desktop website if the app is problematic. And as always, make sure your software is updated across devices to prevent incompatibilities.
| Potential Cause | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Outdated browser | Update browser to latest version |
| Corrupt browser cache | Clear browser cache and cookies |
| Buggy browser extensions | Disable extensions one by one |
| Internet connection drops | Check WiFi and ethernet connections |
| Old graphics drivers | Update graphics drivers |
| Hardware acceleration issues | Turn off hardware acceleration |
| Outdated Facebook app | Update or reinstall the app |
| Aggressive background refreshing | Limit Facebook app background refresh |
| Facebook auto-refresh frequency | Adjust or disable auto-refresh |
| Unstable location services | Turn off Facebook location access |
With billions of users, bugs and quirks affecting some folks are inevitable on a site as complex and frequently updated as Facebook. But staying on top of software, browser, and app updates can prevent most issues. And taking the time to cleanly test each potential solution avoids hours of frustration!