Alexis Kestler
Dealing with Facebook Messenger stories not showing up? We feel your pain. As avid Messenger users ourselves, we know how frustrating it can be when this key feature stops working properly.
Not being able to view friends‘ stories or post your own definitely takes the fun out of Messenger. But don‘t worry – we‘ve got you covered. We‘ll walk you step-by-step through why your Messenger stories may not be showing and how to fix the issue for good.
As experts on social media and messaging apps, we‘ve helped countless users troubleshoot problems with Messenger stories. We‘ll draw on our extensive knowledge to help you get your stories back up and running, so you can enjoy Messenger to the fullest.
Let‘s First Understand Why Your Messenger Stories Aren‘t Showing
Before we can fix the problem, we need to understand why it‘s happening in the first place. Based on our experience, there are some common culprits behind Messenger stories not showing:
You‘re Logged Into a Facebook Page Instead of Your Personal Profile
This is one of the most common reasons your Messenger stories aren‘t accessible. See, Facebook Pages are for businesses and public figures to interact with their audience. Personal profiles are for you as an individual to connect with friends and share personal content.
One key difference is that Facebook Pages don‘t have access to the stories feature – only personal profiles can view and share stories on Messenger.
So if you‘re currently logged into a Page rather than your personal profile, you won‘t see the stories option within Messenger. Pretty straightforward fix though – we‘ll just need to switch you over to your personal account.
Your Messenger App is Outdated
Facebook is constantly improving Messenger with new updates. Sometimes these updates add helpful new features…other times they fix annoying bugs.
If your Messenger app is outdated, you might be missing out on key upgrades that optimize stories. The latest version likely has under-the-hood fixes that resolve problems the older release still suffers from.
Updating to the newest version of the Messenger app could potentially get your stories working again. We‘ll show you how to check for and install any available updates.
Your App is Glitching Out
Even the best apps glitch out once in a while. Messenger stories heavily rely on the app smoothly fetching data and content from Facebook‘s servers. But sometimes the app ends up crashing, freezing, or having other technical hiccups.
App glitches can temporarily prevent Messenger from displaying stories properly. The good news is that just restarting and resetting the app typically clears out any glitches.
Your Internet Connection is Unstable
Since Messenger is an online-based app, you need a solid internet connection for it to work properly. Slow speeds, frequent dropping, or other connection issues can disrupt the app‘s ability to load data from Facebook‘s servers – including your stories.
If your internet is shaky or keeps cutting out, it‘s likely the culprit behind your missing Messenger stories. We‘ll show you how to diagnose your connection and improve any issues.
You Have App Permissions Turned Off
For privacy reasons, both iOS and Android allow you to selectively disable certain app permissions. However, Messenger needs access to things like your photos, media, location, and contacts to display stories.
If you‘ve restricted its permissions, that could interfere with Messenger‘s functionality and prevent your stories from loading. We‘ll help you double check that all necessary permissions are enabled.
Your Account is Temporarily Restricted
In some cases, Facebook will temporarily restrict accounts for violations of their policies around things like harassment, ban evasion, threats, hate speech, and so on. These restrictions can block access to certain features, like posting stories.
If your account was limited due to a policy violation, it may explain why your Messenger stories aren‘t accessible. Switching to another account could help isolate whether this is the cause.
Actionable Solutions to Fix Your Messenger Stories
Alright, now that we understand the likely reasons your stories aren‘t showing, let‘s walk through practical fixes to get them up and running again:
Switch to Your Personal Facebook Profile
If you‘re currently logged into a Page, you won‘t have stories access. Let‘s switch you over to your personal profile:
- Open Messenger and tap your profile picture in the top left corner
- Select "Log Into Another Account" from the menu
- Choose your personal Facebook profile to log into
- Tap "Log In" to switch over to your personal account
- You should now see the stories option at the bottom of the app
If you don‘t already have your personal profile connected in Messenger, tap "Add Account" and follow the prompts to add it.
Update Messenger to the Latest Version
Outdated apps cause all sorts of wonky issues, so let‘s make sure you‘re running the newest Messenger release:
On iPhone:
- Open the App Store and search for "Messenger"
- If an "Update" button is shown, tap it to update to the latest version
- If no update is available, you‘re already running the newest version
On Android:
- Open the Play Store and search for "Messenger"
- If you see an "Update" button, tap it to update
- If not, your app is already up-to-date
Force Stop and Restart the App
Glitchy apps just need a quick reset. Here‘s how to force stop and restart Messenger:
On iPhone:
- Double tap the Home button to open your recent apps
- Find Messenger in the list and swipe up on it to force close
- Then tap the Messenger icon to relaunch it
On Android:
- Open Settings > Apps > Messenger
- Tap "Force Stop" to force close the app
- Then open Messenger again to restart it
This refresh should clear out any glitches preventing stories from loading.
Check Your Internet Connection
Let‘s make sure your internet isn‘t the issue:
- Run a speed test on your wifi and/or cellular data connection
- If speeds are consistently low, contact your ISP or cell provider
- Try disabling wifi and using cellular data instead, or vice versa
- Move closer to your wifi router if the signal is weak
- Restart your phone or modem/router if needed
Solid internet is key for Messenger to function optimally. Contact your ISP or cell provider if you continue having connection issues.
Enable Necessary App Permissions
Messenger needs access to certain features, like:
- Photos/Media
- Camera
- Contacts
- Location
Enable them like so:
On iPhone:
- Open Settings > Messenger > tap each permission and select "Allow"
On Android:
- Open Settings > Apps > Messenger > Permissions
- Tap each permission and turn on the toggle
With key permissions enabled, your stories should start loading properly.
Log Into Another Facebook Account
If your main is restricted, try logging into another account:
- Open Messenger > tap your profile picture
- Tap "Log Out" to switch accounts
- Log into a different Facebook account
- Check if stories work properly in this other account
If they do work in the second account, it confirms your main is limited. You‘ll need to appeal to Facebook to get it restored.
Reset Your Advertising ID
Resetting your advertising ID can help clear up issues:
On iPhone:
- Open Settings > Privacy > Advertising
- Tap "Reset Advertising Identifier"
On Android:
- Open Google Settings > Ads
- Tap "Reset advertising ID"
Clear Messenger‘s Cache and Data
As a last resort, this forces Messenger to fully reset:
On iPhone:
- Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Find Messenger and tap it
- Tap "Offload App" and then reinstall Messenger
On Android:
- Open Settings > Apps > Messenger
- Tap "Storage" then tap "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data"
This will sign you out and delete local Messenger data, but often resolves stubborn issues.
Tips to Avoid Messenger Stories Problems
Here are some tips to help avoid issues with Messenger stories in the future:
- Keep Messenger updated to the latest version
- Maintain a fast, stable internet connection
- Don‘t limit app permissions unless absolutely necessary
- Watch for account restrictions and violations
- Periodically restart your phone and apps
- Also keep your Facebook app updated
Following tech best practices goes a long way in preventing problems!
Contact Facebook Support if Problems Persist
If you still can‘t get Messenger stories working after exhausting these troubleshooting steps, you should reach out to Facebook for further support:
- Open Facebook.com and click "Help" in the top right corner
- Select "Contact Us" and choose "Something‘s Not Working"
- Specify that you‘re having issues with "Stories" in Messenger
- Explain in detail the problems you‘re experiencing
- Include screenshots of the issue if possible
Facebook‘s own support team has additional tools to diagnose problems and get Messenger working properly again. Don‘t hesitate to tap their expertise if needed!
Now You‘re Ready to Fix Messenger Stories Issues
Well there you have it – a comprehensive walkthrough of why your Facebook Messenger stories may not be showing and actionable solutions to fix it.
We covered the most common culprits – from wrong accounts, glitchy apps and bad internet to disabled permissions and banned profiles. And provided detailed troubleshooting for iPhone and Android.
Armed with this guide, you can methodically address what‘s causing your missing Messenger stories. Just go step-by-step until the issue is resolved. Things should be up and running smoothly in no time.
Of course, feel free to reach out if you have any other questions! We‘re always happy to help fellow tech enthusiasts keep their apps in tip-top shape. Now get out there and start viewing those Messenger stories again!
