Have you encountered the error message saying “There was an error fetching the data”, when trying to view some content on Facebook?
If you have had the experience, you may be wondering why it happens and how to resolve it.
The good news is that you can easily fix this by clearing the Facebook app data and cache.
But sometimes, you might have to do more than that. In this post, I’ll lay down what can cause this error, and a few different things you can do to fix it.
What Causes The “Error Fetching Data”?
There are a few possible reasons why you might have encountered this error on Facebook.
Some of the main ones seem to be:
- Bug or glitch
- Problems with the internet connection
- Corrupted cache or data files
- Outdated Facebook app or browser
- Issues with bowser extensions
Using an older version of the Facebook app or the browser could also be the culprit behind this Facebook error fetching data.
⚡Also Read: Why Am I Following Random Accounts on Facebook?
Plus, the cache files and data files your Facebook app or web browser generates and stores have the potential to get corrupted which could also cause this.
A slow or unstable connection will obviously cause errors when fetching data.
Sometimes add-ons and extensions active on your web browser can interfere with Facebook’s scripts and cause this as well.
How Fix Facebook “Error Fetching” Data Issue
Having gained a fair understanding of why you might encounter the Facebook error fetching data message, it’s time for us to move on to the solutions.
There some simple steps you can take that could resolve this:
Check Your Internet Connection
Double checking any issues with your internet connection is a good first step to take.
Check the speed and stability of the connection. You can use a free online tool to check the connection speed.
If the connection seems to be slow or keeps dropping, try restarting your router, turning mobile data off and back on if you use mobile internet.
You can also try using the ethernet cable to connect your device to the router instead of wifi.
⚡Also Read: Youtube Resource Has Been Exhausted
If doing so doesn’t seem to get the connection working as it should, contact your internet service provider and ask for help.
Relaunch Facebook Or Restart Device
If you find there is nothing wrong with your internet connection, try restarting the Facebook app. If you are on the browser, close the window and open a new tab.
Simple as it sounds, there is a chance it might fix the error.
If that doesn’t fix it, restart your computer or smartphone.
Restarting the device can fix a ton of issues and it could also fix this error on some occasions.
Clear Facebook Cache And Data
Another thing you can try to fix the data fetching error on Facebook is clearing the Facebook app’s cache files from your device.
To clear the Facebook cache on your Android device, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings on your Android device.
- Tap Apps
- Tap App management or similar to get the list of all apps.
- Scroll through the list of apps until you find Facebook.
- Tap on Facebook.
- Select Storage, Storage usage or Storage & cache.
- Tap Clear cache in the lower-right corner.
To clear the Facebook cache on your Apple device, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings app on your device .
- Select General.
- Tap on iPhone Storage.
- Scroll down to Facebook in the list of apps.
- Tap on Facebook.
- Tap Clear cache on the lower-right corner.
If you visit Facebook using a computer, clear your browser’s cookies and cache.
How you can exactly do it depends on the particular browser and the operating system it’s designed for. Use this link to see how to do it on your browser.
Update The Facebook App / Browser
This is probably a no brainer because we all know updates contain bug fixes.
If you have not run an update on your Facebook app for a while, go ahead and do so, and see if it fixes the error.
If you are on a browser, check and install new updates if there are any.
Updates can most definitely help fixing the data fetching error and other issues and bugs.
Reinstall Facebook
Another thing you can try to stop the Facebook error fetching data is to uninstall Facebook from your device and install it back on.
This will take care of corrupt files or data and give you a fresh start.
⚡Also Read: Why am i getting inappropriate ads on Facebook?
Disable Browser Extensions
Try disabling the extensions on the browser you use to access Facebook one by one and see if it solves the problem, there is a chance it might.
Extensions can mess with the functionality of a website.
Contact Facebook Support
If none of the solutions we have discussed here is successful in stopping the “There was an error fetching data” message, you should contact Facebook support and ask for their help.
There’s a chance they might reply or actually fix it if they get a lot of complaints from users.
Quick Recap
The reason behind the “error fetching data” message when you try to access some content on Facebook can be due to problems with your internet connection, corrupted Facebook cache or outdated apps.
Checking and fixing internet connection problems, restarting the Facebook app, restarting your device, clearing Facebook app cache or browser cache and cookies will often fix this.
You can also try installing new updates if there are any, reinstalling the Facebook app, and disabling browser extensions if you use a browser.
If nothing seems to fix it, your only option is to contact Facebook support. Hopefully, you might hear back from them.
