7 common Facebook Messenger problems, and how to fix them if the app's not working on mobile or desktop

• If Facebook Messenger is not working for you, you should restart the app, toggle the Wi-Fi, and try the service on another device.
• You can also check to see if the Messenger service is offline using Downdetector.
• Here are the top seven ways to troubleshoot a problem with the Messenger platform.

Messenger, formerly known as Facebook Messenger, is a popular messaging app that you may use to stay in touch with many of your friends, family, and coworkers. So if Messenger isn't working, that can bring your communication to a screeching halt. Here are seven of the most common ways to troubleshoot and fix your connection to Messenger.

Restart the Messenger app

For some people, the Messenger app has a habit of slowing down or behaving erratically if it's not restarted occasionally. The remedy is simple: Force the app to close and then restart it. Here is how to close an app on Android and how to close an app on iPhone.

Turn off Wi-Fi

The Messenger app can run into trouble if it's trying to communicate over a poor-quality Wi-Fi connection. If you're in doubt about how well your Wi-Fi is working (perhaps you're using a public Wi-Fi network), turn it off and rely on your cellular connection instead. Swipe down from the top of the screen to see the iPhone Control Center or your Android phone's shortcut panel and tap the Wi-Fi icon to temporarily disable it. Then try using the app again.

See if Messenger works on another device

Because Messenger is cross-platform and works almost anywhere (there are apps for iPhone and Android, and you can use it in a browser for Windows, Mac, and even Chrome) you can easily see if the problem also occurs on another device. If you're using your iPhone, for example, try logging into Messenger in a browser on your laptop. If it works, great; you can keep using that second device. And that'll help you troubleshoot the problem as well, since you narrowed the glitch down to your device.

Restart your phone

If you suspect the problem is related to your phone, restart it and see if that solves the problem. You can turn off most Android phones by holding the power button for several seconds, or you can swipe down from the top of the screen to see the shortcuts panel and tap the power icon. Here's how to restart your iPhone, regardless of which model you own.

See if Messenger is down

Messenger relies on an online service to communicate. If that network is down, Messenger won't work. To see if the problem resides with Facebook rather than your app, check the Facebook Messenger status page on Downdetector. You can also search "is Facebook Messenger down" in your web browser.

Clear your data cache

Messenger stores temporary data in a cache, and if that cache gets corrupted, the app will often not work properly. It's relatively easy to clear the cache, but the process varies depending upon whether you're using an iPhone or Android. To clear the cache on an iPhone, you need to uninstall the app and then reinstall it from the App Store. If you have an Android phone, you can clear the app's cache without removing the app:

1. Start the Settings app and tap Apps.

2. If necessary, tap See all apps and then tap Messenger.

3. Tap Storage & cache.

4. Tap Clear storage.

Reinstall Messenger

If you've tried all the other troubleshooting steps in this article and Messenger is still not working, you might want to uninstall and then reinstall the app. This resets the app back to its "factory conditions" and can solve some problems with the app and its data. Here is how to uninstall an app on an iPhone, and here's what you need to know to uninstall apps on Android.