Staying connected with friends, family, and the rest of the world has become an important part of our lives in today’s digital age, and Facebook has unquestionably been at the forefront of this social revolution.
However, we’ve all had the frustrating experience of attempting to log in only to be greeted with dreadful messages such as “Facebook Account Temporarily Unavailable.”
In this blog, we look at the reasons behind this short downtime and how you can get around it to keep your online social life uninterrupted. You can follow our provided solutions to fix your related issues and have a smooth experience on Facebook.
What Does It Mean When Your Facebook Account Is Unavailable?
When you receive an annoying notification that your Facebook account is temporarily unavailable, it indicates that you are unable to access or interact with its features for a couple of reasons.
There are many potential causes for this issue:
- Routine Maintenance:
From time to time, Facebook will temporarily suspend service while it performs maintenance on its servers and systems to enhance performance and roll out new features.
- Technical Glitches:
There can be times when you are unable to access your account due to technical difficulties such as server downtime, software defects, or network congestion.
- Security Concerns:
In order to protect your information, Facebook can temporarily disable your account if it detects any suspicious activity, such as attempted hacking or a security breach.
- Community Guidelines Violation:
Your account can temporarily be suspended if you have been reported for breaking Facebook’s community standards or rules.
Facebook Account going temporarily unavailable has similarity to the person unavailable on messenger. The reasons for this issue can be closely related to what causes a person not to be available on Messenger.
It could be anything from a server error, the person has deactivated their account, Facebook banned their account or the user has blocked you on Facebook. Let’s take a look at the most prominent reasons why you encounter a Facebook account gone temporarily unavailable.
Reasons Behind A FaceBook Account Gone Temporarily Unavailable & Relevant Solutions
As much as annoying to deal with a momentarily downed Facebook account, there are a couple of steps you can try to check whether it’s a technical issue on your side or the account has encountered some changes that you can’t resolve.
#1. Fix Cookies or Cache Issues
Cookie files contain data related to websites you visit, including login credentials, preferences, and page elements, allowing the sites to load faster upon revisits.
Corrupted cookies can trigger unexpected behavior on the browser, that might be responsible for displaying an account that is not available on Facebook. You will need to clear the cookies and cache from your browser:
- Launch the internet browser you usually use to access websites. This can be Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other popular browser.
- In most browsers, you can find the settings by clicking on the three vertical dots (Chrome) or three horizontal lines (Firefox) in the top-right corner of the window. This will open a dropdown menu where you can find the “Settings” or “Options” option.
- Look for a section in the settings that are related to privacy, security, or browsing data. The location of this section might vary depending on the browser you are using.
- Once you are in the appropriate section, you should see an option to “Clear browsing data” or similar wording. Click on this option to proceed.
- A new window or tab will appear, allowing you to select the types of data you want to delete. Typically, you’ll want to clear cookies and cache, but you may also have the option to clear browsing history and other temporary files. Ensure that the relevant options are selected.
- Some browsers provide the option to choose a specific time range for clearing the data. You can select “All time” to remove all temporary files from the beginning of your browser’s history until now.
- Once you’ve made your selections, click the “Clear data” or “Clear browsing data” button (the wording may differ slightly based on the browser) to initiate the cleaning process.
- Depending on the amount of data to be cleared, it may take a few seconds to a minute for the process to finish.
- After the clearing process is complete, close and restart your browser. This will ensure that all changes take effect.
#2. Look for Server Issues with Facebook
It’s crucial to ensure that the platform itself isn’t experiencing server issues. To do this, head over to Facebook’s official social media channels or their website to check for any updates on outages or maintenance.
If there’s a known issue, the best course of action is to be patient and allow Facebook’s technical team to work on resolving it.
Rushing into troubleshooting on your end may not be necessary if the problem is on Facebook’s side, so it’s essential to stay informed and wait for any updates from the platform itself.
- Head to Facebook’s official social media channels, such as their Twitter or Facebook page. Look for any recent posts or updates from Facebook about server issues, outages, or maintenance.
- Go to Facebook’s main website (www.facebook.com) and see if they have posted any notifications or alerts regarding service interruptions or maintenance. Look for any banners or messages at the top of the page that may indicate an ongoing issue.
- If you don’t find any official announcements from Facebook, you can search on social media platforms like Twitter for “Facebook outage” or “Facebook login issues.” This can help you see if other users are experiencing similar problems, indicating that the issue may be widespread.
- If you can’t find any information about ongoing issues on Facebook’s official channels and believe the problem is not on their end, you can still try reaching out to their support team to report the problem you’re facing. They might be able to provide further assistance or insights into the issue.
#3. Check for Blocked User
There are situations where someone you know might have blocked you, either intentionally or unintentionally.
If you suspect this might be the case, there are a couple of steps you can take. First, try logging in from a different device to see if there are any changes in your account’s accessibility.
Additionally, you can ask a friend to search for your account on your behalf to confirm whether you’ve been blocked. If your friend is unable to find your account, it might indicate that you have indeed been blocked by the user in question.
#4. Disabled Account
Facebook can temporarily block user accounts because of suspicious activity or a breach of their community standards, Each user must follow Facebook’s rules to get it back up and running.
In most cases, you or the user whose account is disabled can dispute Facebook’s decision by providing further information or contacting customer service.
The Facebook team will further investigate the situation and restore your access if they find your reasons to be legit.
#5. Temporary Error
Temporary errors like server issues, network connectivity, and account security measures might lead to you not being able to access your Facebook account. If you run into this kind of problem, the best thing is to wait it out for a while before attempting to log in again.
This could be your internet strength, connection issue, or application bug.
Ideally, all you can do is run an internet speed test, restart your device, and look for an app update on the play store or app store based on mobile device type. If you encounter that in your PC, most likely it’s browser or internet connection related. So the solution would be there.
How Do You Unlock Your Facebook Account?
If your Facebook account is locked, regaining access can be a simple task. Sometimes you might get logged out of the application when you cleared app data or have not been logged in for long.
The other times when you forgot your account credentials and try to log in many times Facebook may lock the account temporarily.
Here’s how to unlock your Facebook account in such cases:
#1. You’ve Forgotten the Email or Password
If you are unable to log in because you have forgotten your email address or password, you can utilize Facebook’s account recovery process.
On the login screen, click the “Forgotten Account?” option.
After that, you’ll be asked to enter your account’s email address or phone number.
A verification code will be sent to the email address or phone number you provided when creating your Facebook account.
If you’ve forgotten your account’s password, you can use the code to create a new one. Keep your account details up-to-date at all times so that you can easily restore your account in the future.
#2. Suspicious Activity Was Detected
If Facebook detects suspicious activity on your account, such as multiple failed login attempts or logins from unexpected locations, it can temporarily lock your account.
If this happens, you’ll get a warning about the potential danger and be asked to take precautions to keep your account safe. Facebook may request further information or a security check to confirm your identity.
Follow the on-screen instructions to recover secure access to your account. Your Facebook account will be enabled once you’ve finished the verification process.
To avoid future lockouts, use two-factor authentication, which requires a code given to your phone or email for login verification.
Can You Get Permanently Locked Out of Facebook?
Yes, under certain conditions, you can be permanently locked out of Facebook. While the majority of Facebook account lockouts are temporary and can be resolved through traditional account recovery processes, there can be times when Facebook decides to permanently disable or delete a user’s account.
One typical reason for permanent lockout is a violation of Facebook’s Community Standards or Terms of Service. If your account is discovered to have committed serious or repeated violations, such as posting harmful content, harassing, spamming, or engaging in fraudulent activities, Facebook can take harsh action to preserve the community and the platform’s integrity. In certain circumstances, the lockout is permanent, and the account can be impossible to recover.
Furthermore, if an account is determined to be phony, utilizing a false name, or impersonating someone else, it can be permanently deactivated. Facebook has strict restrictions against the creation of fake profiles, and such accounts risk being permanently locked out of the platform.
While Facebook aims to create a safe and secure environment for its users, faults sometimes arise, and legitimate accounts may also experience permanent lockouts due to misunderstandings or errors in its processes. If you believe your account was permanently disabled due to a misunderstanding, you can appeal the decision through Facebook’s support channels, giving the necessary information and documentation to prove your identity and claim.