Fixed: This Person Is Unavailable on Messenger but Not Blocked

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You message a friend on messenger only for you to receive a ‘this person is unavailable on messenger” response? It gets even more puzzling because you probably didn’t block the person.

Or could it mean the person has blocked you? Whichever the case may be, this article will help you find out what the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error means when you have not blocked the person.

What “this person is unavailable on messenger but not blocked” means

When you see the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error, it simply means one thing; The person you are trying to chat with is unavailable for you to message for some reason.

But what could be the reason if you did not block the person? Let’s take a look at some of them:

1: The person may have blocked you

You may get the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error if the person you are trying to message has blocked you.

Often, it’s either they’ve blocked you on just Messenger or Facebook as a whole.

Here’s how to know if someone has blocked you on their Facebook.

  • You won’t be able to see their posts or their profile picture.
  • You won’t be able to message them.
  • When you search for their Facebook profile, it won’t appear in your search result field.
  • You won’t be able to invite them to a group.
  • They will no longer be on your friend’s list.

2: You may have blocked the person by mistake

Though instances like this are very rare, you may also have blocked the person mistakenly.

You can follow this process to confirm if you have not blocked them:

  • STEP 1: Go to your Facebook Menu page by clicking on the menu icon on the home page.
  • STEP 2: Go to the “Settings and Privacy” section.
  • STEP 3: Click on “Settings.”
  • STEP 4: Go to your Blocked users’ section to see the list of people you have blocked.

3: The person may have deleted their Facebook or Messenger account:

If the person has deleted their Facebook account, there is no way you will be able to send a message to them

You will always get the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error.

4: The person’s account is temporarily unavailable:

If the person has violated the Facebook Terms of Service, Facebook may have temporarily banned their account.

If Facebook bans an account, you won’t be able to send or receive messages from them.

5: You may be messaging a private profile

If you are trying to message someone you are not friends with, you may get the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error.

They likely have set their profile to “Private” because they don’t want random strangers to message them. In this type of situation, you would have to wait for the person to accept your message request before you can begin to talk to them.

How to Fix “this person is unavailable on messenger but not blocked.”

Sadly, fixing the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error isn’t easy because a few things would need to be crossed off the checklist before finding the fix. What makes it worse is that this doesn’t have any official fixes.

Regardless, here are some fixes you can try out:

Fix 1: Update Your Facebook Messenger Application

You need to confirm if you are using the latest messenger version because the issue may be software related. Install the latest messenger version if that’s not what you currently use.

Try sending the message again and see if you don’t get the error message this time. If you’re still getting the error message, you need to consider other options.

Fix 2: Make sure you are not messaging a suspended account

You need to check to ensure you are not messaging an account Facebook has blocked. These things usually happen when an account violates Facebook’s terms of use.

If you are messaging such an account, you need to find another way to reach them.

Fix 3: Check your internet connection

Try to connect to a network with a strong internet signal because Facebook is unlikely to function properly if you use a weak internet connection.

Fix 4: Clear Your Browsing Data

You could also get the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error due to technical issues. One of the best ways to fix this is by clearing your browsing data.

Here are the steps you can follow if you want to clear your browsing data

  • STEP 1: Go to your phone’s “Settings.”
  • STEP 2: Tap on “Apps & notifications.”
  • STEP 3: Find and select “Facebook Messenger.”
  • STEP 4: Click on “Storage & cache.”
  • STEP 5: Tap on “Clear cache.”

Fix 5: Use the web version of messenger

Try switching to the web version of messenger because the app may have a bug that’s making it malfunction.

Fix 6: Check Facebook Memories

You can check the status of somebody’s account through Facebook memories. The Facebook memories will allow you to see the likes and comment someone makes with their account.

Search for the person through Facebook memories. If you search for the person’s account and their username is blue and clickable, it means they haven’t blocked you.

However, if their username is black and you can’t click on their profile, the person has blocked you or deleted their account.

Here is how you can check your Facebook memories:

  • STEP 1: Open your Facebook.
  • STEP 2: Search for memories through Facebook search.
  • STEP 3: Tap memories and search for the person.

Fix 7: You can use an alternative app – Facebook Lite

If you have issues with your regular Facebook messenger, you can download Facebook Lite instead. Facebook Lite offers all the essential features that allow you to enjoy Facebook, including the messenger.

Fix 8: Contact the Facebook Support team

If you have tried everything above and can’t still fix the issue, your last resort is to contact the Facebook Support team. Create a complaint and wait for them to respond to you.

Once they do, follow the guidelines they provide for you to fix the issue.

Read also: If I Unblock Someone On iMessage, What Happens?

How to Be Unavailable on Messenger

If you don’t want people disturbing you with messages on Facebook, you can make yourself unavailable from receiving messages. Follow the set of steps below to do that:

  • STEP 1: Open your Facebook account.
  • STEP 2: Click the chat options button at the lower-right corner of your page.
  • STEP 3: Click the “Turn OFF Chat” option to make yourself appear unavailable to other Facebook accounts.

If you want access to more visibility control settings, click the “Advanced Settings” option. You can use a dialogue box to adjust your visibility based on individual accounts.

You can enter the names of the friends you want to remain visible and those you don’t want to be visible.

Conclusion

If you keep getting the “this person is unavailable on messenger” error, but you have not blocked the person, we hope you now understand what it means. We hope you also now know some of the things you can do to fix the issue.