3 Fixes for Reactions Not Working in Facebook Messenger

Basic Fixes

• Log in again to your Facebook account: This will load all your chats and preferences again in the Facebook Messenger app.
• Force quit and relaunch: Depending on your device, we suggest force quitting and relaunching the app to give it a fresh start.
• Update Messenger app: Install the latest version of the app to get rid of bugs.

Fix 1: Check Privacy and Security Settings

You can first start by checking the account privacy settings in the Facebook Messenger app. You may have selected a preference that is leading to Messenger Reactions not working. Here’s how to check the same.

Open the Messenger app > Settings > Privacy and Security > check all settings for your account.

Fix 2: Reset Custom Emoji

Facebook Messenger lets you select your custom emoji for reacting to messages. You can reset your custom emoji.

Step 1: Open Facebook Messenger on your iPhone or Android.

Step 2: Open a chat with your friend and then long-press on any message to access message reactions.

Step 3: Tap the Plus icon next to the emoji reactions.

Step 4: Tap on Customize > Reset.

For Android, tap the Reset icon at the top.

Fix 3: Clear Facebook Messenger App Cache

You can clear the Facebook Messenger app cache that gets stored over some time to maximize your user experience. An outdated app cache can lead to such issues.

On iPhone

Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Messenger > Offload App > tap to confirm.

On Android

Open Messenger app info > Storage and cache > Clear cache.

Tip: The app also allows you to check Stories posted by your Facebook friends. But if that’s not the case, you can follow some troubleshooting methods to fix this issue.