If you are seeing a message saying “Facebook is down for maintenance” or “Sorry, something went wrong. We’re working on getting this fixed as soon as we can,” it likely means Facebook is experiencing a technical issue. There are a few common reasons why Facebook may show these error messages:
Facebook is down for some users
The most common reason for the “technical issues” message is that Facebook is experiencing an outage or technical problem that is making the site unavailable for some users. Facebook has billions of users across the world, so even small issues can impact wide groups of people.
Like any major website or online platform, Facebook occasionally experiences downtime for maintenance, server issues or glitches, cyber attacks, or other technical problems. When this happens, users trying to access Facebook may see error messages, inability to load pages, or a message that Facebook is down for maintenance.
In most cases, these issues are temporary and fixed relatively quickly by Facebook engineers. However, for affected users, it can be frustrating when Facebook goes down and prevents access. All you can really do is wait for Facebook’s developers to resolve the problem on their end.
Your account or connection issues
While less common, it is also possible that the “technical issues” message is appearing for you due to an account or connection problem on your end. For example:
- Your internet connection is down or very slow. This could cause issues loading and displaying Facebook correctly.
- There is a configuration issue with your account or device settings that is interfering with connecting to Facebook properly.
- Your account may have been temporarily locked or restricted for security reasons.
- The Facebook app or mobile browser version you are using has a bug producing the error message.
If you are getting the “technical issues” message when Facebook seems to be up and running normally for other users, it points to something related specifically to your account, device, or connection that is causing the problem. Troubleshooting steps like reinstalling the Facebook app, restarting your device, checking account settings, or using a different browser or internet connection can help pinpoint if the issue is on your end.
How to tell if Facebook is down
Here are some ways to check if the “technical issues” message is due to a larger Facebook outage:
- Check Facebook’s own status page at https://www.facebook.com/business/status. This page provides updates on any issues Facebook is experiencing.
- Go to downdetector.com and search for Facebook. Spikes in reported issues there indicate broader problems.
- Check other social media sites like Twitter for posts about Facebook being down. When service is disrupted, many users take to Twitter to complain.
- Try accessing Facebook from multiple devices and connections. If it fails across all of them, that likely signals an issue on Facebook’s end.
- See if friends/family are also having issues with Facebook. Widespread problems will affect many users.
If these checks confirm Facebook itself if facing downtime or technical issues, usually the only solution is to wait it out until Facebook’s engineers can stabilize the systems again.
Troubleshooting tips if the issue seems isolated to you
In cases where the problem seems specific to your account or device, here are some steps to try:
- Force close and restart the Facebook app or refresh the browser page. This may clear out any temporary glitches.
- Check your internet connection and try again with stable WiFi or mobile data.
- Update your Facebook app in your phone’s app store.
- Clear the Facebook app cache and data on your mobile device.
- Try accessing Facebook from another web browser or device.
- Log out of Facebook and log back in.
- Check for any account restrictions Facebook may have placed. You will receive an email about this.
- Change your Facebook password in case your account security was compromised.
- Contact Facebook support if issues persist for help resolving account or device issues.
Persistent technical issues that only seem to affect your access to Facebook likely require troubleshooting your account and connectivity. Contact Facebook support if they remain unresolved after trying the steps above.
When the issues will be resolved
How long Facebook technical issues last depends greatly on what is causing them in the first place. Here is how long you can expect resolution for some common scenarios:
Widespread Facebook outages
- Less than 1 hour – For minor glitches and hiccups
- 1-2 hours – If engineers need to restart servers or roll back updates
- 2-6 hours – For complex issues like database failures or cyber attacks
- 8+ hours – In rare cases of extended platform infrastructure failure
Individual account and device issues
- 5-30 minutes – After basic troubleshooting like reinstalls and restarts
- 1-8 hours – If advanced troubleshooting is needed, like contacting Facebook support
- 1-3 days – For complex account security or integrity issues
- 1 week+ – In extreme cases like regaining access to a hacked account
The average Facebook disruption tends to last 1-3 hours before service is restored for the majority of users. Individual issues depend greatly on circumstances but most can be resolved the same day with persistence and patience.
Preventing technical issues in the future
Here are some tips to avoid Facebook technical issues going forward:
- Keep your Facebook app and mobile browser updated to the current version.
- Maintain a fast, stable internet connection on your primary devices.
- Don’t click suspicious links that could compromise your account.
- Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
- Avoid installing sketchy third-party apps that access your Facebook data.
- Periodically clear the app cache and browser cookies for Facebook to prevent bugs.
- Make sure you have access to account recovery options in case you get locked out.
While most technical issues are outside of your control, following best practices for your account, connections, and device can reduce general problems accessing Facebook. But some downtime is inevitable for any online platform the size of Facebook, so patience is key when sporadic issues arise.
Conclusion
Facebook displaying “technical issues” errors can be caused by temporary outages or glitches affecting wide groups of users, or isolated problems with individual accounts and devices. Checking if Facebook itself is down, troubleshooting connectivity and account settings, resetting the Facebook app, and contacting Facebook support if issues persist are ways to get back online. While disruptions are frustrating, most Facebook technical problems are resolved relatively quickly within a few hours. Remaining patient and addressing any issues on your end can help restore access.