There are a few potential reasons why your Facebook may be showing a blank screen:
You are not connected to the internet
The most likely reason your Facebook screen is blank is because you have lost your internet connection. Facebook is a website that requires an internet connection to load properly. If your wifi or cellular data connection drops, Facebook will be unable to load any content and will appear blank.
Try refreshing the page or checking if other websites will load. If you are on a phone or laptop, try toggling your wifi off and back on again. If no websites are loading, you likely have a temporary internet outage and will need to wait until your connection is restored before Facebook will work again.
Your browser cache or cookies need to be cleared
Over time, your browser can accumulate corrupt data that interferes with websites loading properly. Try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies to see if that resolves the issue:
- On Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data. Select the time range to clear data from (e.g. last hour, last day, etc) and check the boxes for “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files.” Click Clear Data.
- On Firefox, go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data. Click “Clear Data.”
- On Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy. Click “Manage Website Data” and then click “Remove All.”
Once your browser data is cleared, try reloading the Facebook page.
You need to log out and back into Facebook
If clearing your browser data does not work, try logging completely out of Facebook and then logging back in. Sometimes your account can get stuck in a bad state that only a fresh login will clear.
To log out of Facebook:
- Click the down arrow in the top right corner
- Select “Log Out” from the dropdown menu
- Stay logged out for few minutes before logging back in with your username and password.
Hopefully after logging out and back in, Facebook will load properly again.
Facebook could be down or having server issues
In some cases, a blank Facebook screen could indicate wider technical problems on Facebook’s end. Server outages or other technical issues can sometimes break parts or all of the site.
Check Downdetector to see if other users are reporting problems with Facebook. If there is a spike in reported issues, that suggests a larger outage is occurring.
The Facebook Status Twitter account (@fbstatus) is also a good resource to check. They will often post updates if any service disruptions are occurring.
If Facebook is experiencing downtime, usually the best option is to wait until they resolve the issue. The outage may last a few minutes, hours, or in rare cases even a day or more. All you can do is wait patiently for service to be restored.
Your Facebook account could be temporarily suspended
In some cases, your Facebook screen goes blank because your account has been temporarily suspended. This can happen if you violated Facebook’s terms of service agreement. Some common reasons accounts get suspended include:
- Sharing spam or running spam campaigns
- Harassing other users or bullying
- Posting hate speech, threats of violence or nudity
- Creating fake or duplicate accounts
- Accessing a compromised account
If your account has been suspended, you would have received an email from Facebook letting you know. You can appeal the decision if you think the suspension was a mistake. But depending on the severity, suspensions can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, weeks or permanently.
Your Facebook account could be hacked
A sudden blank screen can also be a sign your Facebook account has been hacked. If a hacker takes over your account, they may change the password locking you out. Or they may enable extra security like two-factor authentication to keep you from regaining access.
Try resetting your password from the Facebook login screen. If you are able to reset the password but your account remains blank, that indicates it may be hacked.
To recover a hacked Facebook account you will need to submit proof of identity to Facebook. This usually involves providing documents like drivers license or passport. The review process can take up to a few weeks during which your access will be limited, which may be why your screen is blank.
Your browser or Facebook app needs to be updated
Using outdated software can also cause Facebook glitches like blank pages. Facebook regularly releases updates to their mobile apps and makes changes to the web platform. Older browser or app versions may have compatibility issues loading the newer Facebook code.
Make sure you are running the latest versions of:
- Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari or whichever browser you use to access Facebook
- The official Facebook app for iOS or Android
Check for any available updates and install the newest versions. If you cannot update the Facebook app directly, you may need to update your device’s iOS or Android version first.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook app
If the Facebook app is showing a blank page, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app:
- Open your device’s Settings app
- Go to Apps (or Applications)
- Find and select Facebook
- Tap Uninstall
- Restart your device
- Reinstall Facebook from the app store
- Log into the newly installed app
This will clear out any corrupt app data that could be preventing Facebook from loading correctly. Just make sure your device is running the latest iOS/Android OS version first.
Disable browser extensions that may conflict
Some browser extensions like ad blockers, privacy extensions, or VPNs can sometimes interfere with Facebook’s functionality. Try temporarily disabling any extensions and reloading Facebook to see if that fixes it.
On Chrome you can disable extensions by:
- Clicking the 3 dot menu > More tools > Extensions
- Toggling off any extensions that could impact Facebook
- Reloading Facebook to test
You can reenable extensions one-by-one until you identify the problematic one. The extension may need to be removed or updated if the conflict persists.
Try using Facebook in a different browser
If you cannot resolve the blank screen in your normal browser, try loading Facebook in a different browser as a comparison.
For example, if Chrome shows a blank page, try loading Facebook in Firefox or Safari. If Facebook loads fine in the other browser, it indicates an issue with your normal browser’s data. You may need to uninstall/reinstall the browser or create a new user profile to clear out problematic data.
Contact Facebook support
If you still cannot get Facebook working properly after trying all troubleshooting steps, you may need to contact Facebook support directly to resolve the issue.
Some ways to contact Facebook support include:
- Requesting live chat support through Facebook’s Help Center
- Filing a bug report from Facebook’s Help Center
- Posting on Facebook’s Help Community forum
Be prepared to provide detailed information to the support reps including:
- What device and browser you are using
- When the blank screen issue started
- Steps you’ve already tried to resolve the problem
- Any error messages you are seeing
Facebook’s troubleshooting team can dig deeper into your specific account issue and work to restore proper access and functionality.
Conclusion
A blank Facebook screen can be caused by minor technical glitches or more serious account issues. Try the troubleshooting suggestions of checking internet connection, clearing browser data, updating software, and disabling extensions. If the problem persists across devices, contact Facebook support for further help getting your account restored.