
Your Facebook it does not work and you can no longer use it? The problem may come from the social network's servers. But, if you want more information, we suggest you explore our article where you will find the causes that may be affecting your profile, find out what is the origin of the problem with solutions, even if you can no longer restore your access. After a change of phone number.
In this guide, you will also find other alternatives If you are having trouble accessing Facebook: Simply follow the checkpoints in the order described in this tutorial.
Facebook not working. Causes and possible solutions
As we mentioned at the beginning of the post, here we will show you the causes and possible solutions when Facebook does not work. We invite you to try each of these methods.
Here you can learn about: How to log out of Facebook Messenger
Cause 1 when Facebook is not working (Test your internet connection)
The first thing you should do when Facebook is not working and you cannot access your profile is to check that your Internet connection is working properly. Therefore, you should do the following:
- Step 1:: Open a web page on your computer or smartphone and try to go to another site such as
- Step 2: If you are on a PC or Mac, you can also try opening a command window Cmd (o Powershell) or Bus Terminal and run the command ping www.facebook.com; If nothing happens, there is a problem with your Internet connection, since if El ping necesario will list Server responses with times in milliseconds as in the following screenshot:
Here is the response to a facebook.com ping when everything is working normally
If there is a problem with your Internet connection when Facebook is not working we suggest you do the following:
- Wait ten seconds in airplane mode before turning it off.
- Try using your mobile data instead of WiFi or vice versa
- restart your router
- Contact your ISP or carrier if the problem persists.
Cause 2 when Facebook is not working. (Verify that the problem is not with the social network)
Since you've established that your Internet connection is working, how can you tell if the problem isn't a direct glitch on Facebook's part?
Fortunately, there are several ways to tell if everything is okay on the social network's servers; although outages are rare, they do occur regularly, which usually generates a lot of conversation since Facebook is used by more than 2 billion people:
- Check the status of Facebook servers through the tool Platform status
- Check the status of Facebook servers through the site DownDetector
Two tools for the same purposeThe first link takes you to Facebook's official tool to check the status of their servers.
Problems are not always easy to read there, but in many cases it is on this resource that you will discover the first clues that something is going on on the side of the social network's servers.
DownDetector It is a much more popular tool, but you have to be careful, because it is based on the collective supply of failure reports. This means that you will find false positives or on the contrary negatives in some cases. However, you yourself can improve the accuracy of DownDetector participating in it and reporting your bug, if it is found to be coming from Facebook servers.
Cause 3 when Facebook is not working. (Check that the application is updated on Android / iOs
En general, Facebook works even if your app is Android o iOS It is long outdated. However, we do not take into account the details of the release notes and it is sufficient that the version installed on your smartphone and now Facebook has changed something related to security, encryption or access routes so that this “breaks” the normal operation of the application.
In this case, you will be able to access Facebook on your smartphone, but one, several or all of its features will no longer be available. Updating your app is very easy:
Android
- Opens Google Play Store.
- go to icon ≡ (commonly called "Hamburger") and then in My applications
- Toca Updates and after Update all
IPhone
- Open the App Store
- Tap on their avatar in the tab Today
- Scroll down to your list of apps and tap Update all
Cause 4 when Facebook is not working. (Restart, reset or completely reinstall the app
You've updated everything, checked your internet connection is fine, and now you think something is corrupting your Facebook app? Try restarting it or even reinstalling it. Follow these steps:
Android
To restart the Facebook app:
- Step 1:: Go to
- Step 2: Press the right button (Launched applications) or perform the corresponding gesture.
- Step 3: Swipe Facebook up to close the app
- Step 4: Facebook relaunches
To force close if Facebook is not working:
- Step 1:: Go to Settings > Apps > Applications > Facebook.
- Step 2: Toca Force stop
To reset Facebook:
- Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps > Applications > Facebook
- Step 2: go to Storage
- Step 3: Toca Clear data and after Clear cache
To reinstall Facebook:
- Step 1:: Press and hold your finger on the app Facebook
- Step 2:: Swipe the app up or tap the button X
- Step 3: Reinstall Facebook from Google Play Store
IPhone
To restart the Facebook app:
- Step 1:: Swipe from the bottom of the screen to the center and hold (iPhone X and later) or double-click the Home button (iPhone with Home button)
- Step 2:: Swipe up the app Facebook to close it.
- Step 3:: Reopen Facebook from the home screen (or ask Siri to do it for you)
To reinstall the Facebook app
- Step 1:: Press and hold the app for a few seconds
- Step 2:: Press the button X to uninstall Facebook
- Step 3: Reinstall Facebook from the App Store
NOTE: : iOS does not allow you to force stop an app, or at least force close the app normally, which forces it to close in all cases. It is also not possible to reset an app without completely uninstalling it.
Cause 5 when Facebook is not working. (Restart your smartphone, computer and internet router)
Often, Even the toughest problems disappear after restarting the deviceRestarting your computer is pretty self-explanatory, but there are a few things you should know if you have an Android smartphone or iPhone, as well as a router.
Android
- Step 1:: Press the power button for a few seconds
- Step 2:: Touch Reiniciar
IPhone
iPhone X, XS, 11 and 12
- Step 1:: Press simultaneously the power button and a button costumes for a few seconds
- Step 2:: Touch Delete and wait a few seconds.
- Step 3:: Press and hold the button de on to turn on the smartphone
iPhone SE 2020, 8 and older models
- Step 1:: Press the power button for a few seconds
- Step 2:: Touch Delete and wait a few seconds.
- Step 3:: Press and hold the button ignition to turn on the smartphone
router
Remember that your router is a small computer and needs a little understanding and love when it comes to rebooting it. This is because simply unplugging it and plugging it back in immediately can cause errors like when Facebook doesn't work. There is a soft reset protocol that works regardless of your model, follow these steps:
- Step 1:: Unplug your router
- Step 2:: Wait at least 30 seconds, There necessary for all network equipment to realize that the router is no longer there while giving it time to empty some of its capacitors.
- Step 3:: Check that the switch on the back of the device, if it has one, is open (i.e. OFF) – to avoid arcing when reconnecting the device
- Step 4:: Reconnect your router and if necessary press the button (ON position)
Cause 6: (Other problems that may prevent you from accessing your profile such as (vpn, error in the hosts file…)
Here we suggest you that Check your computer's network settings, this way you can detect when Facebook is not working and resolve the access error.
VPN
Are you using a VPN service? This could be the cause of your Facebook not working issue, or it could help you figure out if there is a network configuration issue on your end.
- If a VPN is active, turn it off.
- If you don't have a VPN connected but you do have access to a service, turn on the VPN connection and try accessing Facebook again - VPN services can sometimes help bypass bad network configurations on a machine.
Hosts File (Windows and Mac)
Your operating system's Hosts file It allows, among other things, to configure local addresses in their entirety instead of IP addresses, either to simplify your network or to configure an easily accessible service, such as a NAS, for example, a printer, or any other server.
Errors in this file can, in some cases, block access and cause sites like Facebook to not work.. So here we explain how to reset it, that is, put it back to the state it was in right after installing Windows or macOS:
Windows 10
- Step 1:: Open the Memo pad(type Notepad in the search field in the bottom bar and then click the first result which may be labeled Notepad in the French version of Windows)
- Step 2:: Paste the following text into the file:
# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp. # # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. # # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one # space. # # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. # # For example: # # 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server # 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host # localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself. # 127.0.0.1 localhost # ::1 localhost
- Step 3:: Save the file to the desktop by entering «hosts» (with quotes and without capital letters) in the field Filename (this is to save the hosts file without extensions.
- Step 4:: Open a window of the File Browser.
- Step 5:: Go to the folder: %WinDir%\System32\ Drivers \ Etc (paste this address into your browser's address bar)
- Step 6:: Rename the file hosts in this folder hosts.old ; this allows you to save a copy of your original file just in case.
- Step 7:: Copy or move the hosts file you created in %WinDir%\System32\Drivers\Etc.
- Step 8:: Restart the PC
MAC OS
- Step 1:: Select the icon of the Finder in the Dock
- Step 2:: Press the keys ⇧ + ⌘ + G
- Step 3:: Escribe /private/etc/hosts and validate by pressing Ir
- Step 4: Drag the file to your desktop
- Step 5: Open the file with TextEdit
- Step 6: Delete everything inside
- Step 7: Copy the following code into it:
##
# Host Database
#
# localhost is used to configure the loopback interface
# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.
##
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
:: 1 localhost
- Step 8:: Save the file
- Step 9:: Return to /private/etc/hosts
- Step 10: Rename hosts bak
- Step 11: Drag the file from hosts from your desk to /private/etc/hosts
- Step 12: Enter your administrator password
- Step 13: Restart the Mac
Cause 7: (Recover access to your account if you lost your password, changed your phone number and can't reset anything)
Usually, if you've lost your password, Facebook makes it fairly easy to change it. However, in some cases, it's difficult, if not impossible. In particular, if your security questions haven't been answered seriously, if you've activated two-factor authentication with the code received by SMS, you've changed your phone number in the meantime and haven't defined your email address, your password has been reset, or it's been hacked.
In this case, everything seems lost, and yet Facebook offers a procedure to regain access to your account within a few days. That's why you should do the following:
- Step 1:: Go to Facebook account recovery page
- Step 2: follow the instructions
In the worst case, Facebook may initiate a procedure to verify your identityYou will then need to provide an old email address, a new email address, a copy of an official ID, a photo of you with this ID in hand, and your new phone number. Once the verifications are complete, you will have access to your Facebook account again, usually within 48 hours.
Other alternatives to choose when Facebook doesn't work and you decide to change social networks
The world's number 1 social network has been experiencing security and confidentiality issues for some time. Lack of respect for privacy and personal data, harassment and the emergence of fake accounts push its users to leave Facebook forever.
Its users turn to other alternatives that replace Facebook. Diaspora, Ello, Wiser and Vero are Facebook-like apps that are gaining more and more users. For more information on These alternative applications to FB, we invite you to read these options.
Why choose Facebook alternatives?
Facebook was originally intended to strengthen friendships with family, childhood friends, and colleagues and to establish new relationships. Previously, this free social network minimized ads.
However, with the arrival of games, new features, the sharing of information, videos and images, the interests of this network of Mark Zuckerberg have changed and have become oriented towards material gain and political interests.
We noticed more advertising suggestions, company videos, election campaigns, etc. In addition, confidentiality and data security were also the main themes of this social network. In fact, private conversations and personal information are no longer protected, and Facebook does not work clearly as it becomes a less social network.
Moreover, everything is allowed behind a screen. Fake accounts have fun giving their opinion on everything, harassing and denigrating the behavior of others. A virtual life that has nothing to do with real life.
These arguments among others have pushed its users to leave it permanently and look for Other sites that replace Facebook.
What are the best alternatives to Facebook?
The developers worked around FB's issues and designed sites and apps similar to its functionality while valuing privacy and data security. Here are the best alternatives you can get:
Diaspora: Facebook-like site
Diaspora has been able to welcome several users since its launch. Inspired by FB, on this platform you can post statuses, images or videos and interact with other people's posts through likes or comments.
By adding filters and restrictions, you can select which users can see your profile and posts. Hashtags allow you to access posts similar to yours. Also equipped with a private messaging system, this alternative is committed to protecting your conversations.
The strong point of this platform that sets it apart from Facebook is the Pods. In fact, it is about creating your own Pods, which allows you to have your own server. You collect your personal data yourself. In addition, the principle of confidentiality and security is guaranteed.
Also, for beginners and people who are not too technical, Diaspora helps them out by providing Open Pods. Finally, you will not find any advertising on this platform.
You can visit this website here
Hello:
Hello is another alternative to use when Facebook is not working. This network has been around since 2012, it is free, accessible to everyone and without advertising. This platform offers the same features as Mark Zuckerberg's social network. Hello, you do not need to use your name. You can register with a pseudo name.
When it was over, registration was by sponsorship. However, today you don't need to receive an invitation to register. The majority of the community are artists who offer high-quality content.
You can visit this website here
Wiser:
If you are looking for a community committed to ecology and climate change, you will surely find what you are looking for in the Wiser social networkIn fact, all you need to do is create an account to join an international network that brings together eco-fans.
To access this platform, you must fill out a personal form. Wiser filters and accepts people who find them suitable to their principles.
This Facebook alternative aims to involve all members in the change in various plans. On this social network you can share your story, take a look at your experience, make donations or join associations.
You can visit this website here
Real:
To this day, True It remains a free social network. However, its officials have announced that there will be a charge for future memberships. Vero, known for its huge success, offers quality content without advertising.
This platform is both a source of income and entertainment for its users. This Facebook-like app protects and secures personal data. In fact, this platform allows you to choose the users who can view your posts.
Additionally, every time you add a new contact, you can categorize it as follows: Followers, Acquaintances, Close Friends or FriendsThe whole point of this social network is that you cannot permanently unsubscribe from this platform.
You can visit this website here
You may also like: How to Hide Your Last Name on Facebook from Computer and Mobile
Conclusion
As you can see, these are the causes and solutions we offer when Facebook is not working. Each of these options has been tested by us to give you a more personal and satisfying experience. We hope it will be of great help to you.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.