Last updated on January 31st, 2023 at 07:28 am
Messenger is one of the most popular chatting applications in the world. Everyone loves using the app to connect with family and friends.
But users get frustrated when they receive a “this person is unavailable” notification.
Whenever this occurs, users will have no option but to quit the app or return to the home page.
Another worrying scenario is when you interact or message your friend on Messenger, and unexpectedly you receive a “person is unavailable” glitch.
This can be a source of frustration, and you might worry if the other party has deleted the app or blacklisted you or you have been shadowbanned for some violations. You might even begin to worry that it is your fault.
This article will aim to analyse the reasons for the “person is unavailable” error and how to solve it.
“This person is unavailable on Messenger” Simply indicates that you can’t access the other party’s messenger account. With this Messenger error, you cannot DM the person.
You might be wondering why this notification is being displayed. It might be due to a myriad of reasons.
They are explained below.
See Also: Fix Sorry, This Content Isn’t Available Right Now on Facebook
The Other Party Might have Blocked You
This is one of the most common reasons. The user has blocked you. Users have discretion and liberty to block anyone.
Most Messenger users use the block option when they no longer desire to interact or converse with a certain account.
When this happens, our suggestion is to allow that user to have his or her peace. You can terminate the chat via the delete option found on the messenger account.
If you need to reach out to the user due to some urgent concerns, you can email him or her and communicate via that channel.
You Erroneously Blocked the User
Although it’s quite unlikely, it is still within the realm of possibility. You can block the other party unknowingly. If this happens, you have to unblock the other user.
Unblocking can be effected via the account settings located at the Facebook or Messenger app.
The good thing is that your chat history will not be erased after unblocking.
The Account is Currently Inaccessible
A possible reason for the notification is that Facebook may have temporarily restricted or deactivated the other party’s account.
Once an account has been deactivated by Facebook, it will be restricted in its ability to use the chat feature on Messenger.
There’s a difference between a temporary and permanently banned account. The latter will still remain on your friend list, while the former will no longer exist on Facebook.
If you no longer want to receive messages from the user, there are better alternatives to blocking; for instance, you can use the mute button to restrict message alerts from a user.
See Also: How to Get Verified on Facebook
User Deactivated or Disabled their Facebook or Messenger Account
Another reason for the “This person is unavailable on messenger” glitch is that the other user’s account may have been disabled or deactivated.
When this happens, you will observe that the user’s Messenger account is inaccessible. This implies that it will be impossible to chat with that user.
This situation is not uncommon because Facebook has a very fragile security architecture.
The truth is that finding solutions to the “this person is unavailable” issue on Messenger is not as difficult as you might think.
Don’t be discouraged by the complicated nature of Facebook apps (particularly on matters of troubleshooting and fixing errors) and the non-responsive nature of their support team.
Here are some possible solutions to the problem:
Ensure you have the latest version of the Messenger App
First, make sure that your messenger app is updated. The fact is that updating an app will instantly eliminate several bugs or glitches.
This will save you plenty of time and energy if the problem is rectified in a short time.
Navigate to the Google Play Store or App store platform and find out if there’s an entirely new version you haven’t installed yet. If so, update your app immediately.
Don’t forget to wipe away your app’s cached files and data.
Input your login details into the messenger app and check if the problem has been rectified.
Remember to approve all the important permissions required for your app to work optimally.
Find out if you Have Been Blocked on Messenger or Facebook
As previously explained, a good way to check if you have been blocked on Facebook is when you receive a “content not found” notification.
But what about Messenger?
When you have been blocked deliberately on Facebook, there’s nothing you can do from your end. If it is an unintentional block, you can proceed to contact the user to kindly unblock you.
Here’s how blocking on Facebook can affect you on both Facebook and Messenger.
On Messenger
- You will still be on the other party’s Facebook friend list.
- Since you are still friends, you can still like, share and comment on each other’s Facebook posts.
- You can still access the other party’s Facebook posts.
- The key difference is that you will find it impossible to initiate a message or even chat with the user. It might not be easy to check if you have been blocked or not in this instance.
On Facebook
- It will be impossible to access the user’s Facebook profile; you’ll only receive an error message stating “content not found”.
- You will be banned from adding the user as a friend.
- You can access old messages, but sending a new one will be impossible. Instead, you will see a “this person is unavailable” text at the lower part of the message panel.
- To find out if the user has blocked you, you can tap the information option in the upper right area of the messenger app. Access the user profile and tap on the profile symbol. The text “Content not found” will be displayed if the user has blocked you.
Check to See if the User’s Account has Been Disabled or Revoked
In this era, it is not uncommon to find accounts being suspended or deactivated because they were fake or engaged in impersonation.
There is a likelihood that the user has gone against Facebook’s terms of service. It could be that the user has been involved in spam activities, may have posted pornographic or sexually explicit video clips.
It could be that Facebook took down the user’s account because other users have filed complaints against it.
Your aim will be to confirm if the account is still functional or if it has been deactivated. To do that, go through your friend’s list.
You can search for this user’s profile via name or email address. If you have access to the account, it has not been revoked; it is still functional.
But you might not be successful in your attempt if the account has blocked you. An alternative is to go through your friend’s account and check that user’s profile.
Consider inquiring directly from the user (if you know him personally) to find out about the status of his account.
Another viable option is to find out from a mutual friend whether the user’s account appears on his or her list.
This will give you insight into two conditions – if they can access the user’s account, it means you have been blocked by the user. But if no one can access the account, it could be that Facebook must have revoked or suspended it.
See Also: How to Recover a Hacked Facebook Account
You May Have Accidentally Blocked the User
While blocking is an easy-to-use feature, it has certain implications for you and the person you’ve blocked.
It could turn out that you are getting the ‘this person is unavailable’ error because you may have unintentionally blocked the user.
We suggest that you confirm that you have not blocked them by accident.
To do this;
- Launch the Messenger app. Navigate to the chat list.
- Proceed to tap on the chat name, and you’ll be routed to the user’s chat settings panel.
- Head to the lower part and locate the privacy and support page.
- Seeing the unblock button implies that the user is blocked.
- But if the reverse is the case, you don’t need to do anything else.
Make Sure your Internet Connection Signal is Great
Ensure your network connection is running optimally and solid. There’s a chance that poor network connection can impede the functionality of the app, ruining the user experience.
See if you can send messages or initiate a chat with multiple users to find out if the problem still exists.
If other users receive your messages, you can be sure that Facebook Messenger has no network connection issue.
See Also: How to Fix Facebook Messenger Video Call Not Working
Send Messages Via Facebook Web
The “this person is unavailable on messenger” is the resultant effect of a bug or glitch in the Messenger App. Alternatively, you can sign in to your account on the main Facebook website.
Then, see if you can send a message to the user.
This is a common scenario many users experience. They can chat without hassle on the Facebook web but encounter numerous glitches on Messenger.
Conclusion
The “this person is unavailable on Messenger” issue can be a source of frustration for users.
Especially in situations where you need to connect with someone pretty quick. We have analysed how to fix this issue in this article and, hopefully, it will rectify the problem.
Also Read: