When Facebook won’t scroll, refresh the page or app, clear cache, update the app or browser, and remove extensions; these steps fix most feed hangups.
Fast Clues: Symptoms, Causes, And Fixes
Your feed freezes, jumps back to the top, or stops loading new posts. The root can be a stale cache, a buggy build, a heavy extension, low storage, or a network hiccup. Use this chart as a starting point.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Feed stops after a few posts | Cached data or weak signal | Toggle airplane mode, then clear cache |
| Page jumps to top when scrolling | Browser extension or auto refresh | Try Incognito; disable extensions |
| Infinite spinner | Outdated app or cookies conflict | Update app; clear cookies |
| Only loads on Wi-Fi | Data saver or carrier limits | Turn off data saver; test mobile data |
| Stutter on videos | Hardware acceleration or codec issue | Toggle hardware acceleration |
| Works on one device only | Profile cache or local storage | Sign out and back in on that device |
Why Facebook Stops Scrolling
Facebook loads fresh cards as you swipe. If cached scripts or cookies go stale, the stream can stall. Add in low storage, outdated builds, or a fussy extension and the scroll loop breaks. Power saving modes can throttle background fetches. Accessibility and motion settings can change gesture behavior. Any one of these can freeze your timeline.
Fix “Facebook Won’t Scroll” On Phone And PC
Start With Quick Checks
- Force close the app or tab, then reopen.
- Toggle airplane mode for ten seconds, then reconnect.
- Reboot the phone or computer to clear stuck processes.
- Make sure storage has at least 1–2 GB free.
Refresh The App Or Tab
On iOS or Android, drag down until you see the refresh spinner, then release. On a browser, press Ctrl+R or Command+R. If the feed recovers only for a moment, move to cache and cookies.
Clear Cache And Cookies In Your Browser
Old cookies or cached files can block new feed code. Clear them, then sign in again. Google’s help article explains how to do this in Chrome on desktop and mobile; the same idea applies to other browsers. Open the menu, find Privacy and security, then clear cache and cookies. See Google’s step-by-step guide.
Clear The Facebook In-App Browser Cache
In the Facebook app, open Menu → Settings & privacy → Settings → Browser → Clear. This removes stored pages the app’s internal browser saved. It won’t delete your posts or messages. After clearing, force close the app and relaunch.
Update Or Reinstall The App
Open the App Store or Play Store and install updates. If the feed still sticks, uninstall Facebook, restart the phone, then install a fresh copy. This swaps out broken files and refreshes app permissions.
Disable Extensions, Add-ons, And Toolbars
Ad blockers, script injectors, and shopping helpers can hijack scroll handlers. Open an Incognito or Private window with extensions off. If scrolling works, turn add-ons back on one by one until you find the culprit. Keep the blocker, but whitelist facebook.com.
Check Hardware Acceleration And Smooth Scrolling
In Chrome or Edge settings, search for “hardware acceleration” and switch it off, then on. Test both ways. Some GPUs stutter on video or canvas layers, which can freeze the feed. Restart the browser after each change.
Turn Off Data Saver And Power Saving
On Android, open Settings → Network & Internet → Data Saver and disable it. In the Facebook app, visit Settings → Media to reduce autoplay and preloading. On iOS, disable Low Data Mode and Low Power Mode while testing.
Review Motion And Accessibility Gestures
Reduced motion and special touch settings can change gesture timing. On iPhone, open Settings → Accessibility → Motion and try re-enabling standard motion. On Android, open Accessibility and review interaction controls. Reset to defaults if scroll feels sticky.
Adjust Feed Preferences
Tap your profile photo → Settings & privacy → Feed to manage Favorites and snoozed sources. Switch between Home and Most Recent to force a fresh fetch. Remove heavy keyword filters while testing.
Report The Bug To Meta
If nothing helps, send a report from within the app: Menu → Help → Report a problem. You can also use the web form to flag broken scrolling. Attach a screen recording and note your device, OS, app version, and steps to reproduce. Then try again. Report something that isn’t working.
Platform-Specific Steps That Work
Android Steps
Open Settings → Apps → Facebook → Storage and cache → Clear cache. If needed, tap Clear storage, then sign in again. Long press the app icon, choose App info, then Force stop. Reboot the phone.
Update Android System WebView
Open the Play Store, search Android System WebView, and update. This component powers in-app pages that Facebook opens.
iPhone And iPad Steps
Open Settings → General → iPhone Storage → Facebook → Offload App, then Reinstall App. If you browse Facebook in Safari, clear website data. Apple explains the method for current iOS and iPadOS builds. See Apple’s Safari data guide.
Windows And macOS Browser Steps
Create a fresh browser profile and sign in. If scrolling works, your old profile has a conflict. In Settings, use Reset settings to restore defaults, then test again with all extensions off and hardware acceleration toggled.
When Facebook Itself Has An Outage
Some days the problem is upstream. Large outages can break login sessions and feeds for many people at once. If multiple devices and networks fail at the same time, wait and try later. During a broad outage, reports surface on news sites and Meta channels. When service returns, you may need to sign in again.
Settings That Affect Scrolling
These toggles change how fast the feed fetches data and how touch input behaves. Use this table to review the common hotspots across devices.
| Setting | Where To Find It | What To Try |
|---|---|---|
| Autoplay videos | Facebook app → Settings → Media | Set to Wi-Fi only or never |
| Data saver | Android system settings | Turn off while testing |
| Low Power Mode | iOS battery settings | Disable during scrolling tests |
| Hardware acceleration | Browser settings | Toggle and restart browser |
| Motion reduction | iOS Accessibility → Motion | Return to standard motion |
| Touch accommodation | Accessibility settings | Reset touch timing to default |
Network Fixes That Help
Switch Networks And DNS
Move from Wi-Fi to mobile data or the other way around. If pages load only on one path, reboot the router. Try a trusted DNS like your ISP’s default, then switch back from any custom DNS during tests.
Clear HSTS Or Site Data For Facebook Only
In your browser’s site settings, remove cookies and cached files for facebook.com. This is lighter than a full wipe yet clears broken sessions. Close the browser, reopen, and sign in fresh.
Deep Clean Steps If Problems Return
Reset Browser Flags
Chrome flags or experimental features can change scroll behavior. Visit chrome://flags or edge://flags and reset all. Restart the browser twice.
Strip Problem Profiles And Sync
If you sync extensions and settings across devices, a bad item can follow you. Turn off sync, test, then re-enable after you remove the item that breaks scrolling.
Rebuild Fonts And Media Codecs
On desktop, corrupt font caches and codecs can stall render layers. Install system updates, then restart. On Windows, update the HEVC and AV1 codecs from the Microsoft Store if installed.
Prevention: Keep Scrolling Smooth
- Keep the Facebook app and your browser current.
- Limit extensions to the few you trust, and review them monthly.
- Use Facebook Lite on older Android phones for a lighter feed.
- Leave 10% free storage on phones and laptops.
- Set media to play on tap, not auto, to reduce sudden loads.
- When the feed stalls again, run through the quick checks at the top.
Edge Cases Worth Checking
Some blockers live outside the app or browser. A VPN can route traffic through a loaded path and slow down fetches. Corporate firewalls may rate limit social sites. Screen Time, Focus, or Digital Wellbeing can mute background refresh. Captive portals on public Wi-Fi can drop sessions after a few minutes. Each of these looks like a scrolling bug while the page code is fine.
- Turn off VPN and retry. If scrolling returns, switch to a faster region.
- On work gear, test on a personal device or a guest network.
- On hotel or café Wi-Fi, open a new tab and accept the portal terms again.
Step-By-Step Reset Order
Use a short ladder. First, refresh the feed. Second, kill and relaunch the app or tab. Third, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data. Fourth, clear cache and cookies. Fifth, disable extensions. Sixth, update or reinstall your app or browser. Seventh, reset motion, data saver, and accessibility toggles. Eighth, try a fresh browser profile or a second device. If the issue remains, report it to Meta with a screen recording. This order preserves your login until a deeper reset is needed.
When To Contact Facebook
Reach out when the bug repeats on clean networks and fresh profiles. Include your device model, OS build, app version, browser version, steps, and a short video. Note whether the stall appears on tap, during scroll, or while loading media. Add timestamps and time zone. Precise reports help triage teams reproduce the stall and ship a patch.
Keep Your Feed Lean
Heavy autoplay, long comment threads, and many background tabs raise memory use. Trim the open tabs, set videos to play on tap, and mute autoplaying stories. On low-RAM phones, use Facebook Lite or the mobile site. Close other social apps before opening Facebook to free memory. Keep widgets closed during scroll. A lean setup scrolls smoothly and stays that way.