Fb messenger won’t load messages

I just had this same problem. Signing in and out didn't fix it. I deleted the app from the Applications folder, redownloaded it from the App Store, and now it's working.

Hi Jupkin,

The reason this is happening is likely because Messenger isn't compatible with macOS 10.9.5. It requires macOS 10.15 or later, as mentioned here: Mac App Store Preview.

If you have additional questions about the app, the app developers would be a great resource for guidance. Here's how to contact them: How to contact an app developer.

Contact the developer of a macOS app

1. Open the App Store on your Mac.

2. Click the sign-in button  or your photo. 

3. A list of apps appears. Click the app that you want. If you can't find the app, use the search bar.

4. The app's product page appears. Click Support or App Support. If you don't see Support or App Support, make sure that you're signed in with the correct Apple ID.

Regards.

Meta (FaceBook) recently released a Messenger update that broke the display of the chat history on Mac.

At this point there’s little to do but wait for another update to fix the damage.

Or, if you have a Time Machine backup, you might restore an earlier version of the Messenger app to your Applications folder.

Okay, weird...I could only download Version 184 from the Apple Store.

So I found this download for version 175 and downloaded it...and I now have Version 185 and the message history works!

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/62269/messenger

You're welcome, Nairobian.

For others who may not be having success with recovering a previous version from Time Machine backup:

1) Launch the broken Messenger app.

2) Go to Messenger > Check for Updates... and disable the automatic updates if listed as an option. This will set the app's preference file. If you don't do this, then as soon as you launch the app after recovery it will immediately update to the broken version again and you'll be right back where you started.

3) Quit the app and drag it to the trash and empty the Trash.

4) Launch the Time Machine app and recover your earlier working version of Messenger; pre-Feb 2023 (?).

When the earlier app is recovered your chats history list should display again.

Eventually Meta should release a newer version that fixes what they broke, hopefully soon.

Thank you! I was having that issue and noticed it happened right after an update. I assumed it was caused by the update but since I was able to search for a specific chat to pull it up, I ignored it for a bit. Then another update came but they didn't fix the display issue. Fortunately, I had a time machine backup prior to the first update. I restored my January snapshot and voila! I can see my chat list again! For reference, I am on macOS 10.15.7 (I can't go any higher. I have a Late 2013). The messenger app version I restored to (which works) is Version 171.0.0.29.105 (426844812)

The easiest way to fix this problem now is by just downloading the newest Version (185) from the messenger.com website! Works perfect! When it asks you to enter password for your login keychain, make sure you enter it and then click "Always Allow" Good to go now!

Hello, karasek.

I may not have to do that.

I just updated Messenger to this version and the chats list appears to have been fixed.

I have the latest mac0S update version and my facebook messenger still is not loading messages. It is just completely blank. I've signed out and signed back in. I've uninstalled and reinstalled app. I've outreached support and have not heard anything back...any other suggestions or ideas? Literally one day it was working on my mac and next it wasn't.

I have experienced the same issue, where for the past few weeks launching Messenger desktop app on my Macbook Pro results in no message history. For several seconds it will show a grayed out list of conversations and the round profile icons where they should appear, but then that area goes blank and it seems to default to "New message" on the left and "To: Type a name" on the right.

Names appear on the left if I search, but if I select one my message history with them appears on the right...but their icon on the left appears briefly and disappears. I can send messages but the person doesn't ever appear as a recent conversation on the left panel, as they once did.

I do not have this issue when I access my messages from my cell phone; in a browser window on Facebook or Meta the recent conversations list is intact and visible.

I have reinstalled several times, and just did so today (Easter Sunday...hope y'all had better luck finding your chocolate eggs than I have finding my recent messenger posts!).

I guess we keep reinstalling every few days until the problem goes away?

Same her. It's just empty. I have MacOs 10.15.7, so it should work. But it just got empty from one day to another:

I can find my message history if I search for it. It works fine on my work computer.

Can you please upload this version somewhere? I dont have Time Machine, so I cannot restore to the previous versions in any other way...

Thank you to Cathy. I have been trying new downloads from the app store for over a week and searching for someone else that had the same issue. I found a copy of the app off of a time machine back up and copied into the applications folder and my chat list re-appeared.

Me too!! I did all that I could but it is not fixed

That was brilliant. It worked for me. Thanks D.I.