Messenger is a great app to chat with friends and family, especially since you can enable end-to-end encryption for additional security. However, sometimes you may see a “this person is unavailable on Messenger” notice and won’t be able to send any messages.
If you are having such issues, there are many reasons behind them. For example, if someone blocks you if that person’s account is suspended, deactivated, deleted, etc. Whatever the reasons, once you identify it, it is pretty easy to fix it after.
Remember, the person being unavailable doesn’t always mean Facebook Messenger has some problems. It can also mean the account is unavailable, and you can do nothing in such a case.
Anyway, this article will explain everything you need to know if you encounter this issue. And if there is any solution, we will tell you so you can message your friends or relatives again. If interested, you can also learn about the meaning of bump on FB Messenger.
Meaning of the “This Person is Unavailable on Messenger” Error
Before we look for why someone is unavailable on Messenger, let’s first talk about what “this person is unavailable on Messenger” means.
If we say straight, you can’t send a message because the account is currently not active. However, everyone knows that.
So, it means that the account you’re using to send messages can’t access your friend’s account for various reasons.
Such reasons can be because your friend blocked you on Messenger, deactivated or deleted their Facebook account, Facebook banned or suspended their account, and so on.
Hence, depending on the reasons behind the error, you must apply different fixes, and not all conditions are solvable. For example, if someone blocks you, you can do nothing to send a message unless you create a new account.
However, if the problem is due to an internet or server issue, you can use some solutions to fix this error.
Reason for the “This Person is Unavailable on Messenger” Error
As we said before, not all problems have a direct fix. However, there is still something you can do to make the issue not bother you.
That’s why, here, we will discuss various reasons and the fixes that you can apply in case you encounter this error. It will also answer your query, “why does it say this person is unavailable on Messenger” as well as how to fix it.
Here are some reasons and fixes you can apply if you encounter this issue on your Messenger account.
Note: Before making any decisions, it is always best to be sure. Because there is no direct way to determine the cause of this error, a hasty conclusion may result in misunderstanding.
1. User has Deactivated or Deleted their FB Messenger Account
The most likely reason for someone’s absence from Messenger is that the account has been removed from the server.
If your friend has temporarily deactivated their Facebook account or deleted their account permanently, then you won’t be able to send any messages to that friend. You will also face this issue if the user deactivates the Messenger account.
In such situations, if the account is deactivated, you can wait for them to reactivate their account before sending a message.
However, if they deleted their account, try contacting your friend through other platforms. It is best to call your friend or visit him directly to avoid misunderstanding.
Additionally, if your friend has another account, you can send messages to that account instead.
Also, try to send messages to that person’s account through another account or your friend’s account.
If you cannot send the message, the account has been deleted or deactivated. However, if you can quickly contact that person from another account, that person has blocked you on Messenger.
2. The User has Blocked you on Messenger
Another reason for the error “this person is unavailable on Messenger” is that someone has blocked you on their account.
Again, for privacy and security reasons, there is no direct way to know if someone blocked you. However, you can still look at the signs to see if someone has blocked you on Facebook Messenger.
For this, first, try sending a message to the person. If you get an error, search for that friend’s username in your Facebook account.
If you can’t find that person’s FB Profile, either they have blocked you or removed their Facebook account.
So, note down the username and search for the same account from another one. You can use your friend’s or relatives’ accounts to search for it.
If you can find that person’s profile and can interact normally, then that person has blocked you.
In such situations, there isn’t anything you can do, and you will be unable to send messages. We suggest you try to call or text that friend from another platform if you think it is a misunderstanding.
And, if it is not your fault, you can block that person on your Facebook account too. There is no need to waste your precious time with useless people on social media.
Remember that sometimes you may see Facebook Profile but can’t text that person. In such a case, they may have only blocked you on FB Messenger.
So, send a message from another account to find out if you are blocked on Messenger to solve this case.
3. Facebook Server or a Technical Issue
Though it happens rarely, there is still a chance that you can’t send a message due to the problem in the app or server itself.
You can use a computer or laptop to find out if there are any problems with the Messenger application.
Open Facebook.com on your desktop web browser and log in to your account. Now, send a message to that same person from here.
If you can send messages normally from your PC (Windows or Mac), this issue may be due to the app. Try clearing your app cache or reinstalling the app from Play Store (Android) or Apple Store ( iOS) to solve this issue.
However, if you can’t send a message even from Facebook web, then it may be due to server issues.
You can look at the Facebook Twitter account to see if other people are also facing the same issues. Facebook will also notify its users if the server is down. All you can do in such situations is wait for Facebook to fix this issue.
Generally, it won’t take long for Facebook to solve the server problems, and you can message your friend on Messenger normally.
4. Facebook has Banned or Suspended the User’s Account
Another possible reason you can’t message someone on Messenger is that the user’s account is closed by Facebook.
If your friend has violated the terms and policies, then Facebook may ban their account temporarily. In such cases, all you can do is wait for the ban to lift, and you can message that person normally again.
However, in some drastic situations, FB can permanently ban an account. And you can’t message such users on Messenger from both a Smartphone and a PC.
So, it is better to ask your friend why their account is currently unavailable and why you can’t message them.
Some Easy Fixes for the “This Person is Unavailable on Messenger” Error
If you are sure that your friend has nothing to do with the error and you think the problem is with Messenger or your device, then there are some solutions you can apply to resolve this issue.
First, once you encounter this issue, we suggest updating your application (Messenger or Messenger lite) on your mobile phone. Most of the time, Messenger publishes bug fix updates to resolve such issues on time.
You can also log out and log in again to your Messenger account from your Android or iOS (iPhone or iPad) devices.
Sometimes, you may encounter this issue because of a poor internet connection. So, try to restart your router or call your data provider if this is the problem.
If you are still facing this issue, you can contact Facebook support to solve it. Sometimes, problems with your app or the regional server may prevent you from messaging your friend or causing your friend to be unavailable.
FAQs
If you are facing an issue sending messages to someone on Messenger, try calling them instead.
However, if you find out that someone has blocked you or their account has been deleted, then you can do nothing to contact that person using Messenger. Hence, we suggest you try another platform like Viber or Whatsapp or call them directly.
If you can find a Facebook Profile of someone but can’t message them, then you are probably blocked on Messenger only.
To confirm your suspicion, you can send a message using another account. If you can send it normally from that account, then that person has blocked your account on Messenger but not on Facebook.
No, once you block someone on Facebook, you block them both on FB and Messenger. But it is possible to block them on Messenger only.
To do so, go to the chat box on Messenger and tap and hold the username of the person you want to block. Select “Block” and then choose the “Block messages and calls” option to block that user in Messenger only.
Final Thought
In conclusion, there can be various reasons behind the “this person is unavailable on Messenger” error. Most of the time, you will face this issue because someone has blocked you or they have deactivated or deleted your Facebook account.
However, sometimes you may see this error due to internet problems, app glitches, technical issues, or server problems.
Whatever the reason is, you can apply the fixes according to the need. And in case you can do nothing on your part, then there is no need to waste your time unnecessarily. Additionally, while you are at it, let’s also learn to find someone on Messenger without Facebook.
