Facebook is the largest social media network, with billions of people using it daily. But that doesn’t mean it has no issues. Millions of messages are sent through Facebook Messenger each hour, and some glitches are bound to happen. One of the most common complaints is that Facebook messages are sent but not delivered.

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

Why Is My Message Not Delivered?

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

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

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

1. The Receiver Is Ignoring Your Message

Sometimes people are not 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 will change to delivered when the recipient opens FB Messenger.

2. The Receiver Deleted the Message

If the recipient saw your message through the notification system or status bar, he might have decided to delete it without actually opening it. Deleting the message without even reading it could be an accident or a sign that the recipient is not interested in chatting with you. This might be why you see the message as sent, but it never got delivered.

3. Your Message Was Marked as Spam

Just as your friend might have accidentally deleted your message, they could have unwillingly marked it as spam. If this happens, your message will remain in sent status and will never be marked as delivered.

4. The Receiver Is Not Logged into Messenger

The recipient simply might be logged out of their Facebook account and Messenger app. If you send him a message that’s not delivered, it might mean he is offline. Have patience and see if the message changes to the delivered status once the recipient logs in.

5. The Message Went to the Message Request Folder

If you are trying to message a person not on your Facebook friend list, he will receive your message in a special Message Request folder. You won’t be able to see the message as delivered unless the recipient accepts it.

How to Fix Facebook Message Sent But Not Delivered

Facebook may not deliver a message due to a glitch. When this happens, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take.

Typically, the message doesn’t get delivered instantly due to some delay in the network and issues with connection requests. It could be a poor internet connection, a Messenger server problem, or a recipient’s connection and lack of data storage space.

Try doing these things to resolve the issue of Messages sent but not delivered:

1. Log in Via 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 get you insight into whether the issue lies with the Facebook app. The issue is probably on the recipient’s side if the problem persists even when sending messages through a web browser.

2. Restart Your Phone

If you prefer a Samsung or iPhone, sometimes a glitch happens with the device. Try to restart it. Rebooting your phone or iPad can solve some of the network issues. See if the problem with Facebook message status continues.

3. Message other People on Your Friend List

Try sending messages to other friends, and see if those messages get delivered. This will tell you if there is a glitch with Facebook servers, network, or the main recipient is ignoring your messages. If other friends receive their messages without problems, you will know the issue is not on your end. Maybe you need to ask someone to unblock you.

4. Restart Your Facebook or Messenger App

If you notice that there could be an issue with the app you are using to send a message, simply try restarting it. Sometimes this is enough to get rid of basic glitches and errors. You can also check the settings and clear the cache folder and the app’s data to free up space on your phone and resolve the issue.

5. Update or Reinstall the App

Update the app first. If this doesn’t help, you should uninstall the app and download it again from the Apple or Google Play app store. You can also opt for installing messenger lite instead of the full version. The lite version will relieve your phone of unnecessary data and might even work better.

6. Contact Facebook Support

If you tried all the above and your messages are still not delivered, you might have to contact the Facebook team. But first, use the alternative method of contacting your friend, such as WhatsApp or email, to confirm that they are not ignoring your messages intentionally.

If your only option is to contact support, do it through your Facebook account. Go to Help & support, click on Report a problem, and select the Something went wrong option.

Write the details of the issue you are having, and even include a screenshot of your messages not being delivered, and send them. Note that it will take the Facebook Team up to 15 days to reply to your report.

Be Patient and Try Again

There are many reasons your Facebook messages are sent but not delivered, and the solution to this problem might be as simple as giving it some time. It can be anything from your friend ignoring your message to the Wi-Fi connection problems. Whether you are using an iOS or Android device, the message status issue is common.