Having issues with the Facebook app on your iPhone is frustrating, but there are some troubleshooting steps you can try to get the app working again. In this article, we’ll go over the most common reasons why the Facebook app may not be working on your iPhone and provide solutions to fix it.
Your iPhone or Facebook App Needs an Update
One of the most common reasons the Facebook app stops working is because your iPhone or the Facebook app itself needs a software update. Apple and Facebook are constantly updating their software to fix bugs and improve performance. If your device or app is out of date, you may experience issues like the app crashing or features not working properly.
To update your iPhone software, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Your iPhone will automatically check for any available updates from Apple and prompt you to install them. It’s a good idea to keep your iPhone up-to-date to ensure compatibility with apps like Facebook.
For the Facebook app, open the App Store on your iPhone and go to the Updates tab. If the Facebook app needs an update, you’ll see a button to update it. Tap the Update button to download the latest version of the Facebook app.
Reinstall the Facebook App
If your Facebook app is still not working properly after updating, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Sometimes clearing out the app data and cache can resolve software issues that are preventing the app from working correctly.
To uninstall Facebook:
- Hold your finger down on the Facebook app icon until the icons start shaking.
- Tap the X icon on the Facebook app to delete it.
- Tap Delete to confirm.
Next, open the App Store and search for “Facebook” to reinstall the app fresh. Log in to Facebook as you normally would once the app finishes installing.
Check Your Internet Connection
Of course, in order for the Facebook app to work, you’ll need an internet connection. If you’re experiencing issues, first make sure that your iPhone is actually connected to WiFi or cellular data.
To check your connection:
- Open Settings and go to WiFi. Make sure WiFi is turned on and connected to a network.
- If not on WiFi, go to Settings > Cellular and make sure Cellular Data is also turned on.
- Run a speed test using a site like speedtest.net to verify your connection is working normally.
Switching between WiFi and cellular data can sometimes fix temporary network issues. Turn your phone’s Airplane mode on and off to reset the network connection.
Free Up Storage Space on Your iPhone
Having enough free storage space on your iPhone is important for apps to run smoothly. The Facebook app can malfunction or freeze if your phone’s storage is nearly full.
To see how much space you have available:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Review the breakdown of used and available space.
- If you’re getting low on space, tap Review Downloaded Videos to delete old videos you don’t need.
- Delete large files and offload unused apps to free up more space.
Aim to have at least 500MB of free space as a minimum for optimal iPhone performance.
Force Quit and Relaunch the Facebook App
If the Facebook app becomes totally unresponsive, you can force quit the app and relaunch it to resolve any software hangs or glitches.
To force quit Facebook:
- Double click the iPhone Home button to open the multitasking view.
- Swipe up on the Facebook app preview to force quit it.
- Tap the Facebook app icon to relaunch it.
Force quitting the app will completely shut it down and clear any temporary bugs that may be interfering with its normal functioning.
Log Out Then Log Back Into Facebook
Logging out of Facebook and logging back in can help reset any app issues that may be linked to your account.
To log out and back in:
- Open the Facebook app menu and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Scroll down and choose Log Out.
- Close the Facebook app from the multitasking view.
- Reopen Facebook and log back in with your username and password.
This should clear any corrupted Facebook app data associated with your account and give you a fresh start.
Check Facebook Service Status
There are times when Facebook itself suffers outages that could prevent the mobile app from functioning correctly. Before troubleshooting your iPhone, it’s worth checking if Facebook is having any widespread service issues.
You can view the current Facebook status here: https://www.facebook.com/business/status
If Facebook is reporting any outages or service disruptions, that is likely the cause of your mobile app problems. The only solution is to wait for Facebook’s engineers to resolve the outage.
Update Your iPhone Software
As mentioned earlier, keeping your iPhone’s operating system up to date is key to ensuring app compatibility. Software updates also frequently include bug fixes that can prevent problems like apps crashing.
To update your iPhone software:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Your iPhone will check for available updates. Follow the onscreen prompts to download and install any updates that are ready.
Updating to the latest iOS version could help resolve Facebook app crashes, freezes, or other glitches.
Restart Your iPhone
If you’ve tried the other troubleshooting steps without success, restarting your iPhone is an easy fix that can clear up underlying software issues.
To restart an iPhone 8 or earlier, hold down the Power button until the “slide to power off” prompt appears. Slide to turn your iPhone completely off. Then hold the Power button again to turn your iPhone back on and boot it up freshly.
For iPhone X and later, hold either volume button and the side button until the power off slider appears. Slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then hold the side button again to restart your iPhone.
Restarting your device resets the phone’s memory and cycles power to hardware components. This can resolve temporary glitches causing problems like the Facebook app crashing.
Update Your Facebook Password
If your Facebook app is having login or account issues, try changing your Facebook password. Update to a new, strong password that you’re not using on any other accounts.
To change your password:
- On a computer, go to www.facebook.com and click the down arrow at the top right.
- Choose Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click Security and Login in the left sidebar.
- Click Edit next to Change Password.
- Enter your current password, new password, confirm new password.
- Click Save Changes.
Changing your password will log out all other devices, after which you can log back into the mobile app with your new password.
Delete and Reinstall the Facebook App
If you’re still unable to get the Facebook app working correctly, a last resort is to delete the app and reinstall it from scratch. This completely erases the app data and cache and starts fresh.
To delete and reinstall the Facebook app:
- Hold your finger on the Facebook icon until the icons shake.
- Tap the X to delete the Facebook app from your home screen.
- Go to the App Store and search for Facebook. Tap Get to reinstall it.
- Log into Facebook with your username and password after installation completes.
Reinstalling the app may resolve any lingering corrupted files or software issues preventing the app from working properly on your iPhone.
Contact Facebook Support
If the Facebook app is still not functioning after trying all troubleshooting steps, you can reach out to Facebook Support for additional help.
To contact Facebook Support:
- Open Facebook in your mobile web browser.
- Tap the More tab (three horizontal lines).
- Tap Help & Support > Contact Us.
- Select the issue you’re having with the mobile app.
- Fill out the onscreen form to explain your problem.
The Facebook Support team may be able to provide specialized troubleshooting tips or investigate potential bugs specific to your account.
Conclusion
Issues with the Facebook app on iPhone are usually solvable with basic troubleshooting like updating software, checking connections, and reinstalling the app. For ongoing problems, changing your password or contacting Facebook Support can help identify any account-specific bugs.
With the right troubleshooting steps, you should be able to get the Facebook app working again quickly so you can get back to connecting with friends and family from your iPhone.