How to Fix News Feed Not Loading

Facebook ranks as the most popular social media app in the world. The social media service boasts of a staggering 1.929 billion Daily Active Users. According to DigitalMarketing.org, there are 317,000 status updates, 400 new users, and 54,000 shared links on Facebook every 60 seconds.

Imagine just how many posts will appear daily on Facebook. That makes the News Feed section a sea of endless content from friends and the pages you follow, including news about current events.

If the News Feed doesn’t load, you won’t see updates from the people, pages, and groups you’re following. Whichever reason is causing the problem; our solutions will tackle and fix it in no time.

Interested read: How to post on Facebook

Reasons Why Your Facebook News Feed Isn’t Loading

This section addresses various possible reasons why the News Feed isn’t refreshing. Whatever issues you’re facing are caused by any of the reasons listed below: 

  1. Poor internet connection.
  2. Facebook servers may be down.
  3. You’re using an outdated version of Facebook.
  4. Uncleared cache and data on your phone, app, or browser.
  5. Wrong system configuration.
  6. Your VPN is malfunctioning.

14 Fixes for Facebook News Feed Not Loading

Let’s walk you through simple ways to fix the—Facebook news feed not loading—issue.

Take a deep breath and follow the steps below:

Refresh your News Feed

The amount of traffic on Facebook makes this sort of issue pretty much unavoidable. Try to manually refresh the app by swiping down on your phone screen.

Verify your Internet Connection

The News Feed won’t load if you have a poor internet connection. We recommend you:

  • Disconnect and reconnect your internet to refresh your connection to your ISP (internet service provider)
  • Check if you can browse other sites and apps
  • Switch from a cellular data connection to Wi-Fi or vice-versa
  • Reboot your device, computer, router, or modem, whichever the case may be
  • Run a speed test to check your internet speed

When you’re done, check for recent updates on your News Feed.

Turn Off VPN

VPNs secure your connection and keep your internet data private by redirecting your traffic to another server.

The frequent changes to your IP address are inevitable and may disturb your network settings. It causes Facebook to have a hard time maintaining a secure connection with your network.

If the News Feed is not loading, try turning off your VPN.

Check your News Feed Preferences

You can decide which kind of posts should appear on your news feed. Choose from the “Top Posts” or “Most Recent” option to choose how posts are displayed on the News Feed.

Follow the steps below to change your preferences:

  1. Log in to your Facebook account from the app or your browser.
  2. Facebook will direct you to the News Feed page, then select the More button. It’s the icon with three horizontal lines located at the top-right corner of the page.Tap More on Facebook
  3. A dropdown will appear. Scroll down and select Most Recent to get the most recent news feed.
Facebook News Feed Not Loading
  1. You can also switch back to Top Posts to view trending stories.

You can customize your preferences further:

  1. Select Settings & Privacy.Facebook Settings
  2. Next, tap on News Feed under Preferences.Preferences tab on Facebook
  3. You can choose to unfollow or reconnect with friends and groups you follow and decide which posts show up first on your timeline.

How to send a friend request on Facebook 

Check if Facebook is Down

If Facebook is down in your region, the News Feed will not load, and you will have to check the status of Facebook’s servers.

If Facebook’s servers are down, the only thing you can do is to wait it out. Consult Downdetector to check if Facebook is experiencing a problem from their end.

Please, try the following fixes if Facebook’s servers work fine.

Check your Time and Date Settings

Time-sensitive apps match information from your device with your location and won’t work if the date and time set on your device are incorrect. 

Go to your phone or browser settings and enter the correct settings. Log in to the Facebook app and try refreshing the News Feed when you’re done.

If none of the above fixes worked, go on to the following solutions.

Force Stop Facebook

Facebook, just like any other app, has its bad days. A troubleshooting fix as simple as restarting Facebook can fix the “news feed not loading” issue. Close Facebook by pressing the Home button and swiping down on the app.

You can also force quit Facebook to stop any background activity. Here’s how:

  1. Go to the apps list on your smartphone.
  2. Press and hold the Facebook app for a few seconds and tap Application details.
  3. Select the Force Stop option at the bottom right of the page.

Re-launch the app to see if the news feed has more recent posts.

Relog your Facebook Account

Check News Feed on Facebook through the web (if you can) and compare it with that of the app. If they’re different, sign out from Facebook and sign in again.

Here’s how to sign out of Facebook on a smartphone:

  1. Tap the Menu option.
  2. Next, navigate downwards and select the More option.
  3. Tap Log Out to exit your account.

If you use Facebook on your browser, go to the main page, select Accounts, then click on Log Out.

Follow the steps below to Re-Login your account on Facebook:

  1. Open the Facebook app from your homepage or apps list.
  2. Tap the Login button to re-access your account.
  3. Finally, enter your account details in the required space to log back into your account. 

Refresh your news feed and check if the problem has been solved.

Clear Facebook Cache and Data

Clearing cache on your apps helps them perform better. Deleting the app cache is vital because it gets rid of unnecessary information.

  1. Facebook may start lagging and slow down your device because it’s trying to process a bunch of rather useless information.

Here’s how to clear in-app Facebook data and cache:

  1. Open the Facebook app.
  2. Tap the Menu button.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Choose Account Settings.Account tab on Facebook
  5. Select Permissions and tap Browser.Facebook Permissions
  6. Select the Clear Data option.

You can also clean your device’s RAM and CPU or use a third-party cleaner to clear the cache. 

How to clear Facebook cache and data on your device:

  1. Open Files or File manager on your device.
  2. Tap on Apps.
  3. Next, select Installed Apps.
  4. Tap on Facebook from the list of apps.
  5. Tap Clear Data.
  6. Next, select the Clear all data and Clear cache option.
  7. Re-Launch Facebook and log back into your account.

Check for Updates

Using an outdated version of Facebook might cause the app to malfunction. You may want to check for updates as often as possible to eliminate bugs and glitches.

The steps below will guide you on how to update your Facebook app on your Android device:

  1. Launch Play Store on your device.
  2. Click on Menu.
  3. Select My Apps and Games from the side menu.
  4. Check for the search icon resembling a magnifying glass, type in Facebook, and press Search.
  5. You’ll see the update button right next to the Facebook icon if an update is available. Tap Update to download the latest version of Facebook.
  6. After reinstalling, sign in to your account.

iOS devices aren’t left out; follow the steps below to update Facebook:

  1. Open the App Store from your home screen.
  2. Tap the Updates tab to see all apps that need updating.
  3. Scroll downwards to Facebook and tap the Update button beside the app icon.

If the news feed still doesn’t load, you can also uninstall and reinstall Facebook.

Interesting read: How to send a friend request on Facebook 

Uninstall and Reinstall Facebook

Uninstalling Facebook would require you to re-enter your login details. But this is a surefire way to eliminate all bugs and get the latest version of the app.

  1. Open Play Store or App Store on your device.
  2. Tap the button that looks like a magnifying glass to search for Facebook. 
  3. Find Facebook using the search icon.
  4. Click on the Uninstall button beside the app.
  5. After uninstalling, click the Install button.
  6. Once completed, log back into Facebook.

You can also uninstall Facebook without opening either Store:

  1. Android users should press and hold the Facebook app, then tap Uninstall from the dropdown.
  2. iPhone users should press and hold the Facebook app until it shakes, then Click the “x” icon to delete the app. Next, tap Delete and confirm the action by pressing Done.

Restart your Mobile Device

Restarting your device refreshes it, resolves minor software issues, and gets rid of any issues.

Here’s how to restart your device:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for five seconds.
  2. The Power off and Reboot buttons will appear on your screen.
  3. It’s okay to choose any option, swipe left to right to power off and right to left to reboot your device.
  4. Switch on your device.
  5. Re-Launch Facebook and sign in to your account.

Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Who needs cache and cookies? As useless as they seem, they store data to help your browser work better by reducing the loading time of previously visited websites.

But, storing them for a long time can corrupt your browser and cause lag. Using Facebook on a lagging browser might cause the News Feed not to load.

Although the steps to clear cache and data vary for different browsers. A general method is navigating to the Cookies section on the History tab.

Report the Problem to Facebook

If none of the troubleshooting methods above helped fix your problem, the next thing to do is get personalized help. To get the best experience and fast, report the problem to Facebook and have them resolve it without delay.

  1. Tap the Menu button on the top right of your Facebook page.
  2. Tap on the Help and Support tab.Help and Support tab on Facebook
  3. Scroll downwards and tap Report a Problem.Report a Problem on Facebook
  4. Follow the onscreen prompt to Go Back To Where You Saw An Issue And Shake Your Phone.Fix News Feed not Loading on Facebook
  5. You may also choose to select the Continue to Report a Problem tab.Fix News Feed not Loading on Facebook
  6. Next, fill in the details of your report.Fix News Feed not Loading on Facebook
  7. Choose the malfunctioning Facebook product.Dalai Lama XIV
  8. Next, describe the issue briefly.
  9. Record a video or attach a screenshot.
  10. Finally, tap Submit.

Interesting read: How to add video on Facebook

Feel free to leave a question if you’re unsure of any steps. You’re welcome to drop a comment or two. You can also share your suggestions and experiences in the comments section below.

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