Messenger microphone not working? Top 5 solutions

Instant messaging slowly shifted from typing to recording voice messages. For some, this is a much more convenient way of communicating and we can see why. Don’t forget about voice or video calls which are more popular than ever in these trying times of quarantines and isolation. Which makes the subject of this article all the more important. Namely, users around the world report that the Messenger microphone is not working for them.

If that’s also the case with you, make sure to check the steps we put together below and fix the problem in no time.

Table of contents:

1. Check for another global outage
2. Inspect permissions
3. Clear local data from Facebook Messenger
4. Reinstall Facebook Messenger
5. Rollback to an older version with an APK

Why is my microphone not working on Facebook Messenger?

There are multiple reasons for this occurrence but, considering the recent circumstances, we suspect another global outage. Nonetheless, if you determine that’s not the case, we suggest clearing the local data and inspecting permissions.

1. Check for another global outage

The Great Outage of 2021 caused Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp (all owned by Facebook) to crash and stop working for billions of users around the world for 6+ hours. So, the microphone issues in Facebook Messenger might as well be the aftermath of this major server-side crash. Or the problem might be on your side — an isolated case or bug in the current app version.

To determine if the problem is local or global, you should navigate to Down Detector, and see if Facebook Messenger is down. You can also check Facebook’s Twitter handle. If it is, wait for a couple of hours until everything is sorted out. And believe me when I say that large-scale issues are sorted out fast because Facebook is not interested in losing money.

On the other hand, if Facebook Messenger works for the majority of people and there are no reports of major outages, continue with the troubleshooting steps we listed below. But, beforehand, test the microphone in other apps. If the microphone is not working, consider resetting your device to factory settings.

2. Inspect permissions

The first thing to do when it comes to troubleshooting certain sensors on your device is to check permissions. In this case, Facebook Messenger needs permission to access your microphone.

You can check Facebook Messenger permissions by following these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Expand All Apps. You might need to select App manager or Manage apps on some Android skins.
4. Locate and open Facebook Messenger from the list of all installed apps.
5. Tap Permissions.
6. Grant Microphone access to Facebook Messenger.

3. Clear local data from Facebook Messenger

Facebook’s apps are well-known storage hoarders and including Facebook Messenger. The more data it stores locally, the bigger chance of data corruption. Especially if you haven’t reinstalled the app in a long time.

That’s why we suggest clearing local data whenever an app starts misbehaving. Don’t worry, everything you shared in chats is cloud-based so you can access all images and voice recordings as soon as you sign in.

Here’s how to clear local data from Facebook Messenger on Android:

1. Again, navigate to Settings > Apps > All apps > Messenger.
2. Open Storage.
3. Clear data and restart your smartphone.
4. Open Facebook Messenger, sign in, and grant permissions when asked. Test recording to see if the microphone is working.

4. Reinstall Facebook Messenger

If the Messenger microphone is not working after clearing data, reinstallation might help. There are multiple ways to reinstall apps on Android, but the simplest path is doing everything from Play Store.

Here’s how to reinstall Facebook Messenger on your Android:

1. Again navigate to the Play Store and open Facebook Messenger.
2. Tap Uninstall.
3. Restart your device, get back to Play Store, and install Facebook Messenger again.
4. Sign in with your credentials, start recording voice a test voice message, and grant permissions when prompted.

5. Rollback to an older version with an APK

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you and the Facebook Messenger mic is still not working solely in Facebook Messenger, try rolling back the app to an older version. This can be done by sideloading an APK instead of relying on Play Store.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Uninstall the Facebook Messenger app.
2. Navigate to APK Mirror.
3. Download an APK of Facebook Messenger. Focus on older versions but not too old.
4. Run the APK and, when prompted, allow installation from unknown sources.
5. Sign in, grant permissions, and try out the microphone by recording a test message in any chat.

Facebook Messenger crashes on iOS (FIX)

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in October 2021. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.