Fix: Messenger messages not delivered

There are so many good alternatives for the most popular instant messengers on Android, but it’s hard to persuade your friends and family to switch to something like Signal or Telegram over Facebook-owned Messenger or WhatsApp. And, chances are that most people are using those two. This makes Facebook Messenger rather useful, even for those who are not Facebook fans. But, although brushed out, this app still has its share of issues. Many users reported that Messenger messages are not being delivered.

If you are affected by this, make sure to check the steps we listed below. Hopefully, by following them, you’ll resolve the issue at hand.

Table of contents:

1. Make sure that the recipient is your Facebook friend/Messenger contact
2. Check the Network connection
3. Make sure that your recipient reads the message and is using Messenger
4. Re-send media files
5. Clear the app’s data
6. Use Messenger on your PC

Why is my message not delivering on Messenger?

There are a few reasons your messages are not being delivered on Facebook Messenger. Making sure that you are not blocked or muted (on the ignore list) definitely lowers the possibilities. Also, ensure that your network connection is stable and that Facebook Messenger is not down.

• Fix: Facebook Messenger Waiting for Network on Android

Finally, there are some more tweaks you can try but, more times than not, the problem is on Facebook’s side. And, based on reports, it gets fixed after some time on its own.

1. Make sure that the recipient is your Facebook friend/Messenger contact

Let’s start with the fundamental Messenger rules. If a message recipient isn’t on your friend list or among accepted Messenger contacts, they need to accept the Message request. Unless they do, messages won’t come through even when they are delivered. Of course, you need to be sure that the recipient hasn’t put you on the Ignore list or blocked you.

Also, an important thing to know is what Messenger chat icons refer to. For that, check the image below.

2. Check the Network connection

The next thing to check is the network connection. The problem might also be on the server side, as Facebook Messenger can hang sometimes which will result in temporary outages. But, just for the sake of troubleshooting, ensure that you are connected to a stable Wi-Fi or Mobile data network. The best way to test this is to try with other connection-dependent apps.

• Fix: Mobile data not working on Android

If other apps work as intended, the only thing to check is Messenger’s Mobile data & Wi-Fi permission. In order to do so, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps & notifications (Apps).
3. Expand All apps.
4. Open Messenger.
5. Tap on Mobile data & Wi-Fi.
6. Ensure that Messenger has permission to access all networks, as well as background network access and network access over VPN.

On the other hand, if you are experiencing system-wide network issues, here are some tips to fix them:

• Restart your device.
• Restart your Wi-Fi router.
• Forget the network and connect again.
• If you run a VPN or proxy, disable them. This applies to DNS system-wide ad blockers, too.
• Reset Network Settings.

3. Make sure that your recipient read the message and it’s using Messenger

There are so many platforms that you can utilize to access Facebook chat but only the official ones that include Facebook Messenger as a separate tool are reliable. If your recipient is not using Messenger but rather has access to Facebook chat via a wrapper app or from an Android browser, chances are the messages will get delivered but you won’t see the Seen status.

Of course, that doesn’t have to be the case and the Messanger message might not get delivered. Either way, before you move to additional steps, make sure that your recipient indeed has the Messanger installed on their Android or uses the web platform/app on their PC.

4. Re-send media files

If you are experiencing issues while sending pictures, audio recordings, or videos over Facebook Messenger, try resending them. Many users report that multimedia messages are not coming through but, eventually, they get delivered after another try.

If this isn’t an issue on your side, network-wise, we can surely say that Facebook Messenger servers are overrun and thus the messages are not coming through.

5. Clear the app’s data

Another thing you can try if Facebook Messenger messages are not delivered is to clear the app’s local data. This is a long-shot solution, but there’s only so much you can do on your side. By clearing the data, you’ll reset the app and, after the sign-in, we can only hope that the problem is addressed.

• Fix: Facebook Messenger won’t send messages

Alternatively, you can also reinstall the app but there’s not a big difference between clearing the data and cleaning reinstall. Here’s how to clear data from Facebook Messenger:

1. Again, navigate to Settings > Apps & notifications (Apps) > All apps > Messenger.
2. Tap on Storage.
3. Tap Clear Data and confirm.
4. Restart your device, open Messenger, and sign in.
5. Look for improvements.

6. Use Messenger on your PC

Again, the multi-platform nature of Facebook is great but it does cause issues from time to time. So, make sure to enable Active Status on both your mobile device (in Facebook and Messenger) and PC. In addition, if you are seeing a notification badge on Messenger for Android but no new unread messages appear, make sure to access it on your PC (or mobile browser with a desktop mode). Open recent messages and they should disappear.

Besides Facebook Messenger for PC, you can use alternative apps (wrappers like Facebook Messenger Lite) or use the aforementioned browser desktop mode on your Android to sign in to Facebook and send and receive messages.

Finally, you can send a bug report to Facebook Support and ask for a resolution. The more users report it, the bigger chance that the resolution will come swiftly.