Liking and reacting to posts is a core part of the Facebook experience, so it can be frustrating when the Like button stops working properly. There are a few potential reasons why you may be unable to like Facebook posts and some troubleshooting steps you can try to get the Like button working again.
Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to common questions about Facebook’s Like button not working:
Why can’t I like Facebook posts?
Some common reasons you may not be able to like Facebook posts include:
- Your account is restricted from liking posts
- The post you’re trying to like is too old
- There’s a technical issue or bug preventing the Like button from working
- You’ve hit your daily limit for post reactions
How do I fix Facebook not letting me like posts?
To fix issues with the Like button, try:
- Checking your account restrictions in Settings
- Logging out and back into Facebook
- Clearing your browser cookies and cache
- Trying to like the post from a different device
- Reporting the issue to Facebook
Why can’t I react to Facebook posts?
If you can’t react to posts with emoji such as Love, Haha, Wow, etc., some potential reasons include:
- Reacting is disabled for that post
- Your account doesn’t have permission to react
- The post author has limited who can react
- There’s a technical issue preventing reactions
Troubleshooting Steps for a Non-Working Like Button
If you’re having issues liking content on Facebook, here are some detailed troubleshooting steps to try:
Check Your Account Restrictions
The first thing to check is whether your account has been restricted from liking posts. Facebook may impose restrictions if you violate their terms of service, such as repeatedly liking spam posts or inauthentic content.
To check for restrictions:
- Go to your Facebook Settings
- Click on the tab labeled “Blocking”
- View the section called “Restrictions”
- Check if any restrictions have been placed on your ability to “Like and React to Posts”
If restrictions have been enabled, you’ll need to wait for them to expire or appeal to Facebook customer support.
Try Logging Out and Back In
Logging out of Facebook and then logging back in can sometimes resolve temporary glitches with the Like button not working properly.
To log out and back in:
- Click the arrow in the top right corner
- Choose “Log Out” from the drop down menu
- Exit out of the Facebook app or website
- Reopen Facebook and log back into your account
- Try liking a post – this resets your session which may fix Like issues
Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies
Clearing your browser’s cookies and cached files for Facebook can help resolve issues with the Like button not working.
On Chrome:
- Open Chrome and click the 3 dots in the top right corner
- Go to More Tools > Clear Browsing Data
- Select “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files”
- Clear data for the last 24 hours
- Restart Chrome and try liking a post on Facebook
On Safari:
- Go to Safari > Clear History and Website Data
- Select “Cookies and other website data”
- Clear data from the last day
- Restart Safari and check if liking works on Facebook
Try Liking From a Different Device
Determine if the issue is device-specific by trying to like a post from a different device, such as your phone if the Like button isn’t working on your computer.
- Log into Facebook on another device like your mobile phone
- Navigate to a post and try liking it
- See if you have difficulties liking posts on other devices
If liking works on other devices, then the issue is isolated to your computer. You may need to troubleshoot further or reset your browser settings.
Check If You’ve Hit the Daily Limits for Liking
Facebook limits the number of posts any user can like within a 24 hour period as an anti-spam measure. The exact limits are not publicly disclosed, but it may be in the range of 500 likes per day.
If you receive an error message about hitting the reaction limit when trying to like a post, you’ll have to wait 24 hours before the counter resets.
Report the Problem to Facebook
If you still can’t get the Like button working after trying these troubleshooting tips, you can report the problem directly to Facebook:
- Go to the Facebook Help Community
- Click the option for “Something’s Not Working”
- Select the issue as “Like Button”
- Choose “Liking posts” as the specific problem
- Explain the issue and steps you’ve tried in as much detail as possible
- Click submit – this will send the issue report to Facebook for additional troubleshooting
Facebook may be able to provide specialized troubleshooting tips or determine if there are technical issues on their end preventing the Like button from working properly on your account.
Why You May Be Unable to React to Facebook Posts
In addition to liking, Facebook also lets you react to posts with emoji such as Love, Haha, Sad, Angry and more. If you’re unable to react to posts, here are some potential reasons:
Reacting is Disabled for That Post
The author of the Facebook post can disable reactions, which limits everyone to only liking the post. You won’t see reaction emoji as an option if reacting has been turned off.
Your Account Lacks Permission to React
Similar to liking, Facebook may restrict your account from reacting to posts if you have violated their policies. Check for any reaction restrictions under the “Blocking” tab in your account Settings.
The Post Author Has Limited Reactions
The author of a post can limit which react emoji are available. For example, they may only enable Like and Love reactions. If the emoji you want is disabled, you won’t be able to use it on that post.
Technical Issues With Reactions
Bugs with Facebook can also prevent reacting from working properly. Trying the troubleshooting steps for liking issues above, such as logging out and back in or clearing your browser cache, can also get reactions working again.
Why Your Facebook Reactions Count is Wrong
Another common issue is the reaction count shown on a Facebook post being inaccurate or out-of-sync. This typically occurs when:
- You reacted from multiple accounts or devices
- Someone removed their reaction or changed it
- There’s a delay in Facebook updating the counts
- There’s a technical bug or cache issue
Here are some ways to fix inaccurate reaction counts:
- Wait a few hours – reaction counts eventually update accurately
- Refresh the page or app – this clears the cache
- Log out and back in – forces Facebook to sync latest data
The shown reaction totals should match the actual reactions left on a post after using these fixes. The counts get out of sync due to Facebook’s systems needing time to process all interactions in real-time.
Reasons You May Be Unable to Share Facebook Posts
Sharing posts helps spread content you find valuable, so not being able to share Facebook posts can be annoying. Some potential reasons you can’t share posts include:
- Your account is restricted from sharing
- The post is too old to share
- The author has disabled sharing
- There’s a technical issue or bug
- You don’t have permission to view the post
You can troubleshoot share issues using similar steps for liking problems, like logging out and back in, trying other devices, and reporting issues to Facebook.
Why You Keep Seeing Old Posts on Facebook
If you keep seeing outdated posts at the top of your News Feed, it’s likely due to:
- Facebook’s algorithm thinks you prefer older content
- You’ve interacted with old posts more than new ones
- There’s a glitch causing outdated posts to recirculate
- You have sorting set to show posts chronologically
To return your feed to recent posts, try:
- Liking and commenting on new posts more
- Changing sorting to “Latest Posts” instead of chronological
- Reporting outdated content using the menu
This teaches Facebook to prioritize timely, relevant posts over outdated content.
Troubleshooting Facebook Notification Issues
Facebook notifications alert you to new comments, likes, messages, and other activity. But sometimes notifications can malfunction and not show up properly. Fixes include:
- Checking notification settings and making sure none are disabled
- Updating to the latest version of the Facebook app
- Turning notifications off and back on again
- Checking whether notifications work on other devices
- Restarting your phone or computer
If notifications still don’t arrive after trying these steps, report the issue to Facebook for additional support.
How to See Older Posts on Facebook
Facebook only displays more recent posts in your News Feed by default. To see older posts from days or weeks past:
- Go to the top left menu on desktop or tap the 3 line menu on mobile
- Open the “See More” tab
- Click on the Posts subsection
- Adjust the date range to extend farther back
This shows you posts from the timeframe you select. However, Facebook limits how far back the feed goes, so very old posts may no longer be accessible.
How to Repost on Facebook
To re-share someone else’s Facebook post on your own profile or page:
- Click the arrow on the top right of the post
- Select “Share Now” from the dropdown menu
- Choose where you want to share – your timeline, a friend’s timeline, a Facebook page you manage, etc.
- Customize the message you want to include with the shared post
- Click the Share button to repost the content
The Share feature allows you to easily recirculate Facebook posts with your friends, followers and beyond.
How to See Who Views Your Facebook Profile
There is no way to directly see who visits your Facebook profile. This data is private and not tracked by Facebook. Some third-party apps claim they can show you profile visitors, but this is not actually possible. Don’t download any apps making this promise, as they can spread malware or spam.
While you can’t see exactly who views your profile, you can see summary analytics. On desktop, go to your profile and click “View As.” This shows you a summary of post reach, profile views, and demographic data about visitors like age, gender and location.
How to Change the Date on a Facebook Post
Facebook does not allow users to edit the date on posts. The date and time shown on all posts reflects when it was actually shared. There is no way to retrospectively change the date to make a post appear older or more recent than it is.
The only way to effectively change the date on a post is to delete the old post and share it again with new date and time. But this will not have the intended effect, since people may have already seen or interacted with the original dated post.
How to Save Facebook Videos
To save a video from Facebook:
- Click the arrow on the top right corner of the video
- Select “Save Video” from the dropdown menu
- The video file will download onto your computer or phone
You can also use a third party website or app to enter the video URL and download the file. Just be wary of downloading any software, as it may be unreliable or contain viruses.
How to Download Your Facebook Information
To download an archive of your Facebook data:
- Go to Settings and click “Your Facebook Information”
- Select “Download Your Information”
- Customize data types to include posts, photos, videos, comments, profile info, etc.
- Enter your password and click “Create File”
- Once ready, download your Facebook data archive
This gives you a copy of your Facebook activities and content for personal records or to transfer to another platform.
How to See Friends List on Facebook
To view your full friends list on Facebook:
- Click the Friend Requests icon in the top right
- In the dropdown menu, choose “Friends”
- This will display a list of all your added friends
On mobile, tap the hamburger menu and go to Friends > All Friends. You can search and browse your full friends list here.
How to Unsend a Message on Facebook
If you messaged someone on Facebook and want to revoke it:
- Tap and hold the message bubble
- Select “Remove for Everyone” from the popup menu
- The message will be replaced with: “This message was deleted”
However, you only have up to 10 minutes to delete a Facebook message after sending. After that window, there is no way to remove the message.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting Facebook Like and reaction issues involves steps like checking your account restrictions, logging out and back in, clearing browser data, trying other devices, and reporting problems directly to Facebook. Issues liking, reacting and sharing posts are commonly caused by restrictions, technical glitches or user error. Patience and methodically working through different fixes will usually resolve most problems with Facebook’s core interactive features not working.