Restricting background data for apps is a means of cutting down mobile data usage on Android. If you don’t receive notifications after switching from Messenger to another app – or when you’re on the screen – background data might be turned off for Messenger. If you're on a mobile network, turn off and on your data connection instead. Just swipe down your quick settings panel and turn off Wi-Fi, wait for a few seconds, and turn it on again. A simple network restart could help you fix that. If Messenger launches successfully on your phone but you can't send/receive messages, it might be a network problem. Restart Messenger and try using it to see if it works. Hit Clear Storage to wipe away the stored cache.On the App info interface, click on Storage & Cache.(Note: some phones require you to first tap an option to view all apps). Find the Messenger on the list and open it.Launch your phone Settings and open the Apps & Notifications.Though, the cache allows your apps to store some data temporarily, which makes them run faster and use few resources you should clear it when it's causing the Messenger app to malfunction. The “Facebook Messenger down” issue might happen if the cache file is corrupted or getting out of hand. Relaunch it after that to see if it works, or keep going.

Finally, hit Force Stop to exit the Messenger app.

View all apps and select Messenger on the list.

Open the Settings app on your phone and click Apps & Notifications.

If rebooting your phone doesn't fix the messenger not working problem, you can try forcing it to stop. Some devices require you to swipe one way or the other to restart your phone. Tap on Restart and wait for your phone to reboot.

Better still, you can make use of the traditional Android method long-press the Power key until you see the power menu.

In case you're not familiar with this, you can restart your phone by long-pressing the power key for about 8-10 seconds. Just as sleeping or taking a nap resets your brain, restarting your phone resets the phone memory and can fix some problems along with it. Restarting your phone has been trusted for years as a remedy to many problems on a smartphone. Make a Reservation 10 Ways to Fix Messenger Not Working 1.

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