9 Best Ways to Fix Facebook Messenger Keeps Crashing on Android and iPhone

Facebook Messenger has recently improved, offering features like screen sharing and multiplayer games during video calls. It has become a comprehensive communication solution. However, these rapid changes have also revealed some flaws, such as Messenger crashing on Android or iPhone.

If you have experienced a similar issue yourself, this guide has all the answers you need. Below, we’ve compiled a list of solutions that should help get Messenger working again on your Android or iPhone. But before we get there, let’s first explore the reasons behind this issue.

Why Does Facebook Messenger Keep Crashing

Facebook Messenger may unexpectedly close if one of its app processes has issues. This can also happen if the Messenger app on your phone is outdated or buggy. Additionally, issues with your phone, such as a lack of storage space or malfunctioning system services, can also contribute to the problem.

What to Do if Messenger Keeps Stopping or Closing on Android or iPhone

Now that you’re aware of the common causes of this issue, here are some effective ways to resolve it:

1. Restart the App

Messenger can sometimes crash while opening due to issues. If it’s a minor glitch, restarting the app should solve the problem.

To close Messenger on Android, long press its app icon, tap the info icon from the resulting menu, and then tap Force stop at the bottom.

To close Messenger on your iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-tap the Home Screen button) to bring up the app switcher. Find the Messenger card and swipe up to close the app.

Reopen Messenger on your phone to see if it works.

2. Allow the Necessary Permissions

Messenger, like any app, requires permission to access your phone’s camera, data, storage, and more. Denying these permissions may cause the app to malfunction or crash. Here’s how to fix it.

Android

To make the content more concise and impactful, we can eliminate redundant words and phrases. Here is the edited version of the text:

“Tap and hold the Messenger app icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu. Then, tap on Permissions.”

Step 2: Go through each permission and allow it.

iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Messenger. Then, enable all the necessary permissions using the toggles.

3. Clear App Cache (Android)

Cache data is temporary files Messenger stores on your phone to reduce loading times and improve performance. Clearing the cache is an effective solution for any app that struggles to function properly on Android.

Step 1: Long press the Messenger app icon and tap the info icon.

Step 2: Go to Storage and tap Clear cache at the bottom.

4. Update the App

Using an outdated app version can cause compatibility issues and make the app behave strangely. To avoid this, make sure you have the latest version of Messenger by checking the Play Store or App Store.

5. Disable Battery Restrictions for App (Android)

Applying battery restrictions to the Messenger app can cause problems. To fix this, allow unrestricted battery usage for Messenger by following these steps:

Step 1: Long press on the Messenger app icon and tap the info icon from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Battery and select Unrestricted from the menu.

6. Free Up Storage Space

Apps like Messenger may freeze or crash due to insufficient storage space, especially on low-end devices. To avoid this, ensure that your Android or iPhone has enough free space.

Android

Step 1: Open the Settings app and go to Battery and device care.

Step 2: Tap Storage to view your phone’s storage status.

iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap General.

Step 2: Tap on iPhone Storage and check the available storage space in the menu.

If your phone is nearly full, delete unused apps or transfer files to the cloud to free up space.

7. Reset Google Play Services (Android)

Google Play Services connects apps, Google services, and Android. If there’s an issue, it can cause app freezing or crashing. Resetting Google Play Services on Android may help.

Step 1: Open Settings, go to Apps. Find and tap Google Play services.

Step 2: Go to Storage and tap Manage storage at the bottom.

Step 3: Tap the Clear All Data button.

Wait for the process to finish and see if Messenger works fine now.

8. Reinstall Facebook Messenger

If Messenger keeps crashing, you can reinstall the app on your iPhone or Android. This will delete all app data and fix any issues caused by corrupted files.

9. Try Messenger Lite (Android)

If previous solutions don’t work, you can switch to Messenger Lite, especially if you have an old or low-end device. Messenger Lite is a simplified version of the Messenger app that uses less memory and has almost every important feature.

FAQs on Messenger Crashing on Android and iPhone

1. Messenger may lag on Android if you’ve enabled battery saver mode or if the app’s cache data is corrupted.

2. There is no option to clear the cache for the Messenger app on iPhone.

Avoid Crashing

Experiencing Messenger app crashes on your Android or iPhone can be frustrating, especially if it’s your preferred app for communicating with friends and family. We hope that one of the above tips has helped you fix the issue, and Messenger is now working smoothly.

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Pankil Shah is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer from Ahmedabad, India. Since joining Twothirds.Us in 2021, he explores how-tos and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, and the Web. He also contributes to MakeUseOf and Techwiser. When he isn’t writing, Pankil enjoys mechanical keyboards and traveling internationally with his wife.