The “Watch” option not showing on Facebook can be caused by a few different issues. Here are some potential reasons and fixes for the Watch tab not appearing on Facebook:
You Don’t Have Access to Facebook Watch
The most likely reason the Watch tab is missing is because you don’t have access to Facebook Watch. Facebook has rolled out the Watch platform gradually over time, so not all users have it available yet. Here are some things to check:
- Make sure your Facebook app is updated to the latest version. Watch debuted in August 2017, so you need a recent version of the app.
- Watch may only be available on mobile right now. Make sure you’re looking for the Watch tab on the Facebook app for iPhone or Android.
- Watch is slowly rolling out to more regions. It’s currently available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. If you’re outside these areas, you may not have Watch yet.
- Not all devices support Watch. You’ll need an iPhone or Android phone from the last couple years at least.
If the conditions above don’t apply and you still can’t access Watch, you may need to wait until Facebook finishes rolling it out in your country and for your account. Be patient as they continue expanding availability.
The Watch Tab is Disabled or Hidden
Another possibility is that you have (or had) access to Facebook Watch, but the tab is currently disabled or hidden from view. Here are some things to check:
- Make sure Watch hasn’t been disabled in your News Feed preferences. Go to the News Feed Preferences page and make sure “Facebook Watch” is checked on.
- See if the Watch tab is just hidden from your shortcuts bar. Tap the “More” tab on the shortcuts bar and make sure “Watch” is enabled.
- Check your Facebook app settings to see if Watch was disabled. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings and check if Watch is toggled off.
- Reinstall the Facebook app and see if that brings the Watch tab back.
Toggling the settings back on or doing a reinstall should restore the Watch tab if it was just hidden or disabled.
Your Account or Region is Blocked
In rare cases, access to Facebook Watch may be blocked for your account or region. This can happen if:
- Your account has restrictions in place by Facebook for violations or spam activity. Watch may be disabled.
- You tried accessing Watch from a restricted country or region outside where it’s available.
- Facebook temporarily banned video abilities if you violated their policies.
If you think your account or location may be blocked, you’ll need to check with Facebook Support directly to resolve the issue. Access restrictions are uncommon but can explain the missing Watch tab in some cases.
Browser or App Issues
Problems with your browser or Facebook app could also cause trouble accessing Watch. Some things to check:
- Make sure you’re using an up-to-date browser if trying to access Watch on a computer. Watch requires a recent version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
- If using the Facebook app, try reinstalling it or updating to the latest version in case of corruption.
- Clear browser cookies and cache in case of corrupted Facebook data getting stuck.
- Try watching Facebook video on a different device or internet browser as a test.
If Watch works normally on other devices, clearing your browser data or reinstalling the app should resolve any software issues.
Facebook Site Outage
Like any website, Facebook can experience intermittent outages that affect certain features. It’s possible the Watch platform could be down temporarily. Here are some steps to check:
- See if you can access Watch on multiple devices/networks. If it’s down everywhere, an outage may be occurring.
- Check the Facebook Platform Status page to see if any known issues with Video or Watch are occurring.
- See if other Facebook features like news feed or videos are working normally. A wider outage likely is happening if other features don’t work.
- Try watching Facebook videos from pages you follow to see if that works. The Watch tab may be having problems even if general video viewing is fine.
Outages are usually resolved within hours, so try again later if a wider malfunction seems to be occurring on Facebook’s end. Check their platform status page for updates.
How to Troubleshoot Facebook Watch Issues
To summarize, here are some steps to troubleshoot Facebook Watch not showing up or working properly:
- Update the Facebook app to the latest version
- Make sure your account meets eligibility requirements for Watch access
- Check Watch settings and make sure it’s enabled
- Toggle Watch back on in News Feed Preferences
- Reinstall the Facebook app if needed
- Try different devices and browsers for access
- Check for Facebook platform outages
- Contact Facebook support if restrictions seem likely
Going through these troubleshooting steps should help identify and resolve the most common reasons you may not be seeing the Watch tab. If the issue persists after trying these fixes, reach out to Facebook Support for help accessing Watch.
Why Facebook Watch is an Important Feature
Now that you know how to get Facebook’s Watch platform back up and running, understanding what makes Watch worthwhile can help you take advantage of its features:
- Exclusive video content – Facebook has spent over $1 billion creating exclusive episodic shows and content for Watch tailor-made for social media.
- Personalized recommendations – Watch uses advanced algorithms to recommend shows and episodes you’ll like based on your interests.
- Interaction features – You can comment on videos, see where friends commented, and easily share videos out to friends.
- Creators and publishers – Watch allows video creators and publishers to build followings and engage communities directly.
- Video formats – Watch supports different video styles including short-form, long-form, and live streaming video.
Facebook is making a major investment into Watch as a premium video platform for social interaction. Troubleshooting access issues is worthwhile to unlock this expanding source of entertainment.
Common Facebook Watch Problems
Once you have Watch up and running, there are a few occasional issues that can still crop up:
- Buffering/Lagging – This is likely due to your own internet connection. Make sure you have a strong WiFi or LTE signal when trying to stream videos.
- Missing videos – Creators sometimes delete or restrict videos, which makes them unavailable to watch later.
- CONTENT_NOT_YET_AVAILABLE – This error means the video is region restricted or hasn’t been approved for watch yet.
- Can’t find certain shows – Not all shows are available worldwide. The availability depends on licensing restrictions.
- Limit reached – Watch limits video consumption from restricted regions. Use a VPN if you keep getting cut off.
Troubleshooting your internet connection, restarting your device, and trying a VPN service can help resolve most playback issues if they occur.
Tips for Using Facebook Watch
Once you have full access to Facebook Watch, here are some tips to get the most out of it:
- Follow your favorite creators and publishers to always get notified of new videos from them.
- Use the Discover tab to find recommended shows and episodes to watch.
- Click the Watch bookmark icon to save shows and videos to easily find them later.
- Interact with videos by liking, commenting, and sharing to engage with creators.
- Create your own Watch show by becoming a creator and building a following.
- Use Lists to organize saved videos into themed collections.
- Take advantage of Facebook’s personalized recommendations to discover new videos and channels you’ll like.
- Share videos to your News Feed to let friends know about shows you enjoy.
Leveraging these best practices can help you become a Facebook Watch power user once you have it set up correctly.
Conclusion
Facebook Watch brings an exciting new social video experience, but access issues can prevent seeing the tab. Updating Facebook, checking your account status, troubleshooting software problems, and contacting support if needed can help resolve most Watch accessibility issues. Follow creators, find personalized recommendations, and engage with the community to have the full Watch experience.