Why Facebook Messages Are Sent but Not Delivered (And How to Fix)

Facebook is the largest social network and is used by billions of people every day. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems. Millions of messages are sent through Facebook Messenger every hour, and some disruptions are bound to happen. One of the most common complaints is that Facebook messages are sent but not delivered.

In this day and age when we expect our instant messaging with our family and friends to be “instant,” this is a problem. However, there are many reasons why Facebook messages are not delivered. So read on to find out what’s causing the problem and what you can do to fix it.

Why isn’t my message delivered?

Before we list all the reasons why a message was sent but not delivered, let’s make sure you understand the message statuses and icons used by the Facebook messaging app to display them. There are four message statuses you should be aware of:

• A single circle means your message is in the sending status.
• A circle with a blue tick means your message has been sent.
• A blue shaded circle with a white tick means your message has been delivered.
• The recipient’s profile picture shows that they have read the message you sent.

Now that you understand message statuses, let’s look at what are the most common reasons for messages not being delivered:

1. The recipient ignores your message

Sometimes people aren’t in the mood to chat. For example, your friend might have seen your message through the notification and decided not to open it. The message status changes to delivered when the recipient opens FB Messenger.

2. The recipient deleted the message

If the recipient saw your message through the notification system or status bar, they may have chosen to delete it without actually opening it. Deleting the message without even reading it could be an accident or a sign that the recipient isn’t interested in chatting with you. This could be the reason why the message shows as sent but was never delivered.

3. Your message has been marked as spam

Just as your friend might have accidentally deleted your message, they might have inadvertently marked it as spam. In this case, your message will remain in sent status and will never be marked as delivered.

4. The recipient is not signed in to Messenger

The recipient may simply be signed out of their Facebook account and Messenger app. If you send him a message that wasn’t delivered, it may mean he’s offline. Be patient and see if the message changes to Delivered status once the recipient logs in.

5. The message has been moved to the message requests folder

If you try to send a message to someone who is not on your Facebook friends list, they will receive your message in a special message requests folder. You cannot see the message as delivered unless the recipient accepts it.

How to fix a sent but not delivered Facebook message

Facebook can’t deliver a message due to an error. In this case, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take.

Usually, due to some delays in the network and problems with connection requests, the message is not delivered immediately. It could be a bad internet connection, a problem with the Messenger server, or a recipient’s connection and lack of data storage space.

Try the following to solve the problem Messages sent but not delivered:

1. Sign in using the web browser

Opt for a web browser instead of a Facebook or Messenger app. You can use any web browser, Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Microsoft Edge. This will give you an insight as to whether the problem is with the Facebook app. The problem is probably on the recipient’s end if the problem persists even when sending messages through a web browser.

2. Reboot your phone

If you prefer a Samsung or iPhone, sometimes an error occurs with the device. Try restarting it. Restarting your phone or iPad can solve some of the network issues. Check if the Facebook message status issue still persists.

3. Message other people on your friends list

Try sending messages to other friends and see if those messages are delivered. This will tell you if there is an error with the Facebook servers or network, or if the main recipient is ignoring your messages. When other friends get their messages with no problems, you know the problem isn’t on your side. Maybe you need to ask someone to unlock you.

4. Restart your Facebook or Messenger app

If you notice that there might be a problem with the app you’re using to send a message, just try restarting it. Sometimes this is enough to get rid of basic glitches and bugs. You can also check the settings and clear the app’s cache folder and data to free up space on your phone and solve the problem.

5. Update or reinstall the app

First update the app. If that doesn’t help, you should uninstall the app and download it again from Apple’s App Store or Google Play. You can also choose to install Messenger Lite instead of the full version. The Lite version frees your phone from unnecessary data and might even work better.

6. Contact Facebook support

If you have tried all the methods above and your messages are still not being delivered, you may need to contact the Facebook team. However, first use the alternative method of contacting your friend, e.g. B. WhatsApp or email to confirm that he is not intentionally ignoring your messages.

If you can only contact support, do so through your Facebook account. Go to Help Supportclick on To report a problem, and select the Something went wrong Possibility.

Write down the details of the problem you are having and even attach a screenshot of your messages that were not delivered and send them. Note that the Facebook team may take up to 15 days to respond to your report.

Be patient and try again

There are many reasons why your Facebook messages are being sent but not delivered, and solving this problem could be as simple as taking some time. It can be anything from your friend ignoring your message to Wi-Fi connection issues. Regardless of whether you are using an iOS or Android device, the message status issue is common.