How To Get The New Messenger Update On Iphone

Messenger won't load on your iPhone and you don't know why. Over a billion people use Facebook's messaging app every month, so when something goes wrong, it's a major inconvenience. In this article, I'll explain why Messenger is not working on your iPhone and show you how to fix the problem for good.

Restart Your iPhone

When Messenger is not working on your iPhone, the first and simplest troubleshooting step is to turn your iPhone off and back on. This will occasionally fix minor software bugs and glitches that could be causing the Messenger app to malfunction.

To turn your iPhone off, press and hold theSleep / Wake button (the power button) until "slide to power off" appears on your iPhone's display. Using a finger, swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.

If you have an iPhone or newer, press and hold the side button and either volume button until "slide to power off" appears on the screen. Swipe the power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone.

turn off your iphone

To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the power button (iPhone 8 and older) or the side button (iPhone X and newer) until the Apple logo appears in the center of your iPhone's display.

Close Out Of The Messenger App

Similar to restarting your iPhone, closing and reopening Messenger can give the app a fresh start if the app crashed or experience a software issue.

To close out of Messenger on iPhones with a Home button, double-press the Home button to open up app switcher on your iPhone. Then, swipe Messenger up and off the screen. You'll know the app is closed when it no longer appears in the app switcher.

If you have an iPhone without a Home button, swipe up from the very bottom of the screen to the center of the screen. Hold your finger in the center of the screen until the app switcher opens. Swipe any apps up and off the top of the screen to close them.

Check For A Messenger App Update

Periodically, developers will release updates to their to patch up any software glitches and bugs. If Messenger is not working on your iPhone, you may be using an outdated version of the app.

Open the App Store and tap on Account Icon located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Then, scroll down to the Updates section.

You can either update apps individually by tappingUpdate next to an app, or update them all at once by tappingUpdate All.

check for updates to apps

Delete And Reinstall Messenger

Sometimes, app files become corrupted which may cause them to malfunction. Individual files can be difficult to track down, so we'll just delete the app entirely, then reinstall it like new. When you delete Messenger, your accountwill not be deleted, but you may need to reenter your login information.

To delete Messenger, press and hold on the app icon until the menu appears. Then, tapRemove -> Delete App -> Delete.

delete messenger on iphone

To reinstall Messenger, open the App Store and tap the Search tab in the lower right hand corner. Type in "Messenger", then tap the cloud icon with an arrow point down to reinstall the app.

Check To See If Messenger Is Down

Occasionally, apps like Messenger will undergo routine server maintenance in order to keep up with a growing user base. When this happens, you're usually unable to use the app for a short period of time.

Check Messenger's server status and see if many other users are reporting an issue. If an abnormally high number of people have reported a problem, Messenger is probably down for everyone.

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do in this case is wait it out. Messenger won't be down for too long!

Do You Use Messenger When Connected To Wi-Fi?

Many iPhone owners use the Messenger app when connected to a Wi-Fi network. If Messenger is not working on your iPhone while connected to Wi-Fi, follow the two steps below to troubleshoot your Wi-Fi connection.

Turn Wi-Fi Off And Back On

Turning Wi-Fi off and back on gives your iPhone a second chance to make a clean connection your Wi-Fi network. If your iPhone didn't connect to Wi-Fi correctly, you may not be able to use apps like Messenger via Wi-Fi.

To turn Wi-Fi off, open up the Settings app, then tap Wi-Fi. Tap the switch next to Wi-Fi to turn Wi-Fi off. You'll know it's off when the switch is grayish white and positioned to the left. To turn Wi-Fi back on, simply tap the switch again! You'll know Wi-Fi is on when the switch is green and positioned to the right.

make sure wifi is on

Forget Your Wi-Fi Network

If Wi-Fi isn't working on your iPhone, there may be an issue with how your iPhone connects to your Wi-Fi router. When your iPhone connects to a Wi-Fi network for the first time, it saves data onhow to connect to that Wi-Fi network. If that process changes in any way, your iPhone may not be able to connect to the Wi-Fi network.

To forget the Wi-Fi network, open the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi. Then, tap the information button (look for the blue i) next to the Wi-Fi network you want to forget. TapForget This Network to forget the network.

forget wifi network on your iphone

Reset All Settings

Our final software troubleshooting step for when Messenger is not working on your iPhone is to reset all settings. When you reset all settings, all of the saved data in the Settings app of your iPhone will be erased. As I mentioned earlier, tracking down a specific software issue can be difficult, so we'll reset all settings as a "catch all" fix.

To reset all settings, open the Settings app and tap Settings -> General -> Transfer Or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings. Enter your passcode, then tapReset All Settings when the confirmation alter pops up at the bottom of the screen. The settings will reset and your iPhone will restart.

reset all settings ios 15

Contact Facebook Support

If the problem with Messenger persists, it's time to get in touch with Facebook support. Messenger may be experiencing an issue only a high-level customer support representative can resolve. You can get in touch with customer support online, or you can report a problem directly within the app.

Start Messaging!

You've fixed Facebook's messaging app on your iPhone and you can start getting back in touch with your friends and family. Make sure to message this article to your friends on social media so they know what to do when Messenger is not working on their iPhones!