Facebook Messenger (officially known as just “Messenger”) is an excellent app for instant messaging, sharing images, videos, audio clips, and group chats. Initially, the app was only available for Android and iOS, but now it can be used on Windows as well by downloading it from the Microsoft Store. However, sometimes you may run into issues with the app working on Windows PC.

In this case, you can try the solution listed below to fix the Facebook Messenger app.

Why Is Facebook Messenger Not Working on My Windows PC?

There can be multiple reasons why Facebook Messenger is not working on a Windows PC. But among all, the corrupt cache data is often found to be the primary culprit behind the issue. The problem can also appear due to outdated Windows OS.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to troubleshoot the problem. Below are all the effective fixes you can try if Messenger is not working on your computer.

1. Completely Close Facebook Messenger Using the Task Manager

Messenger services running in the background of your Windows PC might interfere when you try to open the application from scratch. To avoid that, consider using the Task Manager to close Messenger completely. Here are the steps to do it.

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc hotkeys to open the Task Manager.
2. Find all the Messenger-related services, right-click on them and choose End task from the context menu.

Now, check if Messenger is working or not.

2. Download All Pending Windows Updates

As usual with Windows oddities, updating the operating system to the latest build can fix./ As such, it’s worth a try if Facebook Messenger isn’t working or opening.

You download the latest Windows update by following the below steps:

1. Open the Settings menu using Win + I hotkeys.
2. Choose Windows Update from the left pane.
3. Click the Check for updates button.

Windows will now look for and install all the available updates.

3. Use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

The Windows Store Apps troubleshooter is a built-in utility that scans your system and detects any issues preventing them from working correctly. As such, it could fix Facebook Messenger all by itself without you needing to perform any complicated repairs.

To use the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, follow the below steps:

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. In the System tab, choose the Troubleshoot option.
3. Click on Other troubleshooters.
4. Click Run next to Windows Store Apps.

A troubleshooter window will open and start detecting problems. The process is not going to take more than a minute.

If any issue is found, the troubleshooter will try to fix it. Alternatively, it might also suggest steps on how you can do it yourself.

Sometimes the troubleshooter may not be able to resolve the issue, or it might not even detect any problem in the first place, but it’s worth considering anyway.

4. Check the System Date and Time

This might sound odd, but Facebook Messenger might not work if the system is set to an incorrect date and time. This is because Messenger checks if its own time and date are in sync with Window’s own. If there’s any difference, it’ll refuse to work.

You can change the system time and date by following the below steps:

1. Open the Settings menu and choose Time & language from the left pane.
2. Choose Date & Time.

3. Disable the toggle next to Set time zone automatically.

4. Make sure your Time zone is correct and change it if not.
5. Enable the toggle next to Set time zone automatically.
6. Click the Sync now button under the Additional settings.

5. Repair and Reset the Facebook Messenger App

One effective way to fix any UWP app, including Facebook Messenger, is to use the repair feature. You can repair the Messenger by performing the following:

1. Open Settings and choose Apps from the left pane.
2. Choose Installed apps.
3. Locate and click on three dots next to Messenger.
4. Choose Advanced options from the context menu.

5. Click on the Repair button.

Next, launch the Messenger app and check whether it is working. If not, you will have to reset the application.

Resetting the app will clear the stored data and set them back to default. Below are steps on how to reset the Facebook Messenger App.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Click on the three dots next to Messenger and choose Advanced options.
3. Click the Reset button.

6. Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

Clearing the Windows Store cache is another effective solution you can try if Facebook Messenger is not working on Windows PC. In fact, removing the Store cache can eliminate many other Windows issues as well. It’s very simple to clear the Store cache and will take less than a minute.

Open the Run dialog box, type wsreset.exe and press Enter. A black Command Prompt window will pop up, indicating that the cache is being cleared. After a few seconds, the window will close, and Microsoft Store will open automatically.

7. Reset the Windows Update Components

If any UWP is not opening or working, try resetting the Windows Update components. You can do it with the help of the Windows Reset Update tool.

Here’s how to use the tool:

1. Download the executable and open it to install the program.
2. After the installation is complete, launch the program as an administrator.
3. Type Y and press Enter.
4. Type 2 and press Enter to reset the Windows Update components.

Wait for the process to complete. Once done, reboot the system and check whether Messenger is working or not.

8. Reinstall Facebook Messenger

If none of the solutions were helpful, you are left with no option other than reinstalling Facebook Messenger. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the Start Menu, type Messenger, and choose Uninstall from the right pane.

2. Confirm your selection by choosing Uninstall from the prompt that appears.
3. Now, open the Microsoft Store, type Messenger, and press Enter.

4. Click on Install to begin the installation process.

Connect With Friends Again on Messenger

Hopefully, the above solutions helped fix Facebook Messenger, and now you are able to use it without any problem. But if the problem persists, connect with the Messenger support team for more advice.