Facebook won't load because of a connection problem, browser cache issue, or a problem on Facebook's servers

When Facebook stops loading, the cause is usually one of three things: your internet connection dropped, your browser is holding onto old data that's now broken, or Facebook's servers are temporarily down. Most of the time you can fix it yourself in under five minutes by refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache. If that doesn't work, the steps below will help you narrow down what's actually wrong.

Start by checking whether the problem is only Facebook or your whole internet. Open a new tab and go to a different website — Google, YouTube, or your email. If that site loads fine, the problem is specific to Facebook. If nothing loads, your internet connection is the issue, and you should restart your router before trying anything else.

Key Takeaways

  • Refresh the page first by pressing Ctrl+R (Windows) or Command+R (Mac), which often fixes temporary glitches without clearing any of your data.
  • Clear your browser cache if Facebook loads but looks broken or won't let you log in, because old cached files can conflict with the current version.
  • Disable browser extensions one at a time, because ad blockers and privacy tools sometimes block parts of Facebook that it needs to work.
  • Check whether Facebook's servers are down by visiting a status page like DownDetector, which shows real-time reports from other users.
  • If you're on mobile, uninstall and reinstall the Facebook app, because corrupted app files cause loading failures that a simple refresh won't fix.

Refresh the page and restart your router first

The fastest fix is to refresh the page. Press Ctrl+R on Windows or Command+R on Mac. Wait ten seconds for the page to reload completely. If Facebook loads, you're done — it was a temporary glitch.

If refreshing doesn't work, restart your router. Unplug it from power, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. While it's restarting, close your browser completely and open it again. This clears out temporary connection problems that a simple refresh won't touch. Give the router two minutes to fully restart before you try Facebook again.

Clear your browser cache if Facebook loads but looks broken

If Facebook loads but the page looks wrong — buttons are missing, text is jumbled, or you can't log in — your browser cache is holding onto old files that don't match the current version. Clearing the cache tells your browser to download fresh copies of everything.

In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac). Select "All time" from the dropdown, check the boxes for "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files", and click "Clear data". In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), make sure "Everything" is selected, and click "Clear Now". In Safari, go to Safari menu → Settings → Privacy, click "Manage Website Data", search for "facebook", select it, and click "Remove".

After clearing the cache, close your browser completely and open it again. Go back to Facebook and refresh the page. The browser will download fresh files, and the page should look correct now.

Disable browser extensions that block Facebook

Ad blockers, privacy extensions, and script blockers sometimes prevent Facebook from loading because they block scripts or resources the site needs to run. The easiest way to test this is to open Facebook in an incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome, Ctrl+Shift+P in Firefox, Command+Shift+N in Safari), where extensions are usually disabled by default.

If Facebook loads in incognito but not in your normal window, an extension is the problem. Go to your extensions menu and disable them one at a time, refreshing Facebook after each one. When Facebook loads, you've found the culprit. You can then either remove that extension or add Facebook to its whitelist so it doesn't block the site anymore.

Common extensions that cause this are uBlock Origin, Adblock Plus, Privacy Badger, and Ghostery. Check each one's settings to see if there's an option to allow Facebook.

Check whether Facebook's servers are down

Sometimes Facebook itself is having problems, not your connection or browser. Visit DownDetector.com and search for "Facebook" to see whether other people are reporting outages right now. If the graph shows a spike in reports in the last hour, Facebook's servers are likely down and you just have to wait.

You can also check Facebook's official status page at status.fb.com, though it sometimes lags behind what users are actually experiencing. If servers are down, there's nothing you can do except wait — these outages usually last between 30 minutes and a few hours.

Reinstall the Facebook app on mobile devices

If you're using the Facebook app on your phone or tablet and it won't load, the app files may be corrupted. Uninstall the app completely: on Android, go to Settings → Apps → Facebook → Uninstall. On iPhone, press and hold the Facebook icon on your home screen and select "Remove App" → "Delete App".

After uninstalling, restart your phone completely by turning it off and back on. Then go to the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) and reinstall Facebook. This downloads a fresh copy of the app and usually fixes loading problems that a simple refresh won't solve.

While you're at it, check whether you have enough storage space on your phone. If your phone is almost full, apps can't download updates or cache data properly, which causes loading failures. Delete old photos, videos, or unused apps to free up space.

Check your internet speed and try a different network

Facebook doesn't require much bandwidth, but if your connection is extremely slow or unstable, pages may time out before they finish loading. Open a speed test site like Speedtest.net and run a test. You should see at least 1 Mbps download speed for Facebook to work reliably.

If your speed is very low, try connecting to a different network. If you're on WiFi, move closer to the router or try connecting to your mobile hotspot instead. If you're on mobile data, try switching to WiFi. This tells you whether the problem is your specific network or your device. If Facebook loads on a different network, the problem is with your home WiFi or mobile provider, not Facebook or your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Facebook load on my phone but not my computer?

The problem is almost always your browser or a browser extension, not your internet connection. Try opening Facebook in a different browser (Chrome instead of Firefox, for example) or in incognito mode. If it works there, clear your cache and disable extensions in your main browser. If it still doesn't work, uninstall and reinstall your browser.

Facebook loads but I can't log in — what's wrong?

Clear your browser cache and cookies, because old login data can conflict with the current version. If you still can't log in, try resetting your password on a different device or browser. If that works, the problem was your cached login data. If you can't reset your password, Facebook's account recovery system may be temporarily down.

Does clearing my cache delete my passwords or photos?

Clearing the cache only removes temporary files your browser downloaded — it doesn't touch your Facebook account, photos, or messages. Your passwords may be deleted from your browser if you check that box, so uncheck "Passwords and other sign-in data" if you want to keep them saved.

How long do Facebook outages usually last?

Most outages last between 30 minutes and two hours. Major outages affecting millions of users can last longer, but Facebook's engineering team usually fixes them within a few hours. Check DownDetector to see whether the outage is still ongoing before you keep troubleshooting.

Should I try a VPN if Facebook won't load?

Only if you're in a country where Facebook is blocked by your government or internet provider. If you're in the US, Europe, or most other countries, a VPN won't help and may actually slow your connection down. Try the steps above first — they fix the vast majority of loading problems.