Facebook Gaming not working can be frustrating, but there are some quick troubleshooting steps you can try to get it back up and running. In this article, we’ll go over the most common reasons why Facebook Gaming may not be working and how to fix them.
Check Your Internet Connection
The first thing to check is your internet connection. Facebook Gaming requires a stable internet connection to stream and watch gameplay. Make sure you are connected to a strong WiFi network or have a solid mobile data connection.
Run a speed test to check your download and upload speeds – you’ll typically need at least 5Mbps download and 1Mbps upload for smooth streaming. If your speeds are lower than that or appear unstable, try moving closer to your router or turning off other devices using your connection.
Restarting your router can also help resolve any temporary connection issues. Unplug your router for 30 seconds, then plug back in and let it reboot fully. Test your speeds again after this.
If you are on mobile data, make sure you have a strong 4G LTE or 5G signal. Weak mobile signals can disrupt streaming, so move closer to a window or outside if possible. You may want to connect to WiFi instead for more reliable speeds.
Update Your Apps
Outdated apps can sometimes cause technical issues with Facebook Gaming. Make sure you are running the latest version of the Facebook app and Facebook Gaming app (if using a standalone app).
On your phone, open the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) and check if there are any pending updates for Facebook. Install any updates available.
You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Facebook app completely – this will give you a fresh install of the latest version.
Check Your Privacy and Security Settings
Your Facebook privacy and security settings can block your ability to go live or watch gaming streams if they are too restrictive.
Go to the Settings menu on Facebook and check the following:
- Make sure viewing restrictions are not blocking gaming videos in your Privacy settings
- Confirm you have posting/sharing abilities enabled in your Security settings
- Double check any age restrictions or parental controls you may have set
Adjust these settings as needed to ensure Facebook Gaming has the required access.
Log Out and Back In
Sometimes simply logging out of Facebook and logging back in can solve glitches with Facebook Gaming.
Fully log out of the Facebook app on your phone or computer. Force quit the app as well if you’re on mobile. Then launch the app again and sign back into your account.
This refresh can clear any cached data that may be causing conflicts and give you a clean slate.
Check Your Facebook Block Settings
If someone has blocked you on Facebook, it can prevent you from viewing their gaming live streams or prevent them from seeing yours.
To see if someone has blocked you, try visiting their Facebook profile. If the page says “content unavailable” or you can’t find their profile at all, they may have blocked you.
You will need to contact the person who blocked you and ask them to unblock you. Once they do, you should be able to view each other’s gaming streams again.
Allow Notifications
Enabling notifications for Facebook Gaming can help ensure you don’t miss when friends go live or when streams you follow begin.
On Facebook, go to Settings > Notifications and turn on notifications for the Facebook Gaming section. This will send you alerts when applicable games-related activity happens.
You can also enable notifications within the Facebook Gaming app by going to your profile, choosing Notifications and toggling alerts on for “Go Live” and other preferences.
Update Your Graphics Drivers
If Facebook Gaming isn’t working on your computer, outdated graphics drivers could be the culprit.
Open your computer’s Device Manager, then expand the Display Adapters section. Right click on your video card driver and choose Update Driver. This will automatically search for an updated driver from the manufacturer.
You can also visit the website for your graphics card manufacturer (Nvidia, AMD, Intel etc.) and manually download the latest driver for your model. Install the updated driver after downloading.
With fresh drivers installed, reboot your PC and try Facebook Gaming again.
Allow Camera and Microphone Access
Facebook Gaming requires access to your webcam and microphone to stream gameplay or participate in live streams.
Make sure browser settings are not blocking camera/mic access for Facebook:
- In Chrome, click the lock icon and make sure Camera and Microphone access is allowed
- In Firefox, go to Preferences > Privacy & Security and set permissions
- In Safari, go to Preferences > Websites and check camera/mic settings
On mobile, you may need to enable camera and microphone access in your device settings for the Facebook app.
Allow Flash
Facebook Gaming uses Flash for certain gameplay functionality. If you have Flash disabled, it can prevent games from loading properly.
In your browser settings, make sure Flash is enabled and not blocked for the Facebook website:
- In Chrome, go to Settings > Site Settings > Flash and allow Facebook
- In Firefox, go to Add-ons > Plugins and enable Flash
Just enabling Flash for Facebook should allow the necessary components to run while keeping it disabled for other sites.
Clear Your Browser Cache
Too much cached data in your browser can sometimes interfere with Facebook Gaming functionality.
Try clearing your browser cache and cookies to see if that resolves the issue:
- In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data
- In Firefox, go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data
- In Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All
Make sure to clear cookies and cached images/files when clearing the data. After your cache is wiped, reload Facebook and try using Gaming again.
Allow Third-Party Cookies
Facebook Gaming relies on third-party cookies for certain interactive features.
If you have third-party cookies disabled, it can break some gaming functionality. Make sure you allow third-party cookies:
- In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy > Cookies and other site data > Allow all cookies
- In Firefox, go to Preferences > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Accept third-party cookies
- In Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data > Allow from websites I visit
Whitelist Facebook
If you use an ad blocker or firewall that restricts web traffic, you may need to whitelist Facebook’s gaming domains.
Consult your ad blocker or firewall’s documentation on how to whitelist specific sites. Add the following Facebook domains:
- fbcdn.net
- facebook.com
- fbgaming.com
This will allow unfiltered access to Facebook Gaming resources so everything can load properly.
Disable VPN/Proxy
Using a VPN or proxy service can interfere with Facebook Gaming in some cases. Try disabling any VPN or proxy you may have enabled.
On mobile, go to your device network settings and make sure you are not connected through a VPN app. Disable or delete any unneeded VPN apps.
On desktop, turn off or disconnect from any active VPN software you have running. Proxies and VPNs can route your traffic in a way that hampers real-time gaming streams.
Update Windows
For Facebook Gaming issues on Windows, make sure your Windows version is up to date. Older Windows versions may not fully support Facebook Gaming.
Go to Windows Update and install the latest patches and upgrades available. Reboot once installed.
Updating to the most recent Windows 10 version provides the best compatibility. If you are on an older OS like Windows 7, upgrading to 10 may be required.
Re-install Facebook App
As a last resort, you can try uninstalling and re-installing the Facebook app completely. This wipes the slate clean.
On an iPhone, delete the Facebook app then go to the App Store and re-download it. On Android, uninstall Facebook from Settings or the app drawer, then install it again from the Play Store.
When you open the freshly installed app, make sure to enable notifications again and grant the required permissions like camera, microphone, contacts etc. Log into your account and then try Facebook Gaming.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still cannot get Facebook Gaming working after trying these troubleshooting tips, you may need to contact Facebook support for further help.
Go to the Facebook Help Center and submit a report about the specific Facebook Gaming issue you are encountering. Include details like:
- What device are you using?
- What steps have you tried already?
- Are you getting any error messages?
- Did it ever work before?
The Facebook team can then investigate your issue and hopefully provide a solution to get Facebook Gaming up and running again.
Conclusion
Facebook Gaming not working can be a headache, but in most cases the problem can be resolved through troubleshooting. Start with the basics like checking your internet connection, app updates and general settings. If those don’t work, look at more technical fixes like drivers, cookies, caches and domains. With a structured approach, you should be able to get Facebook Gaming streaming again.