Why Does Facebook Keep Logging Me Out?

Getting repeatedly logged out of Facebook can be endlessly frustrating, especially if you use the platform to keep up with friends and family. But before you throw your hands up in despair, know that there are concrete steps you can take to troubleshoot and solve this annoying problem.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the top reasons why Facebook keeps logging you out, along with actionable advice to get your account working properly again.

You Have an Outdated Facebook App

One of the most common culprits behind getting logged out of Facebook is having an outdated version of the mobile app installed on your device.

Facebook rolls out new app versions frequently — fixing bugs, adding new features, and making security enhancements along the way. But if you haven’t updated recently, you may be running a version of the app with known issues that disrupt normal functioning.

Getting unexpectedly logged out is one manifestation of those issues. The good news is this problem is easy to remedy:

On iPhone:

1. Open the App Store
2. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner
3. Scroll down to see a list of apps needing updates
4. Tap “Update” next to the Facebook app

On Android:

1. Open the Play Store
2. Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner
3. Select “My Apps & Games”
4. Under “Updates,” tap “Update” next to the Facebook app

Give your device a few minutes to complete the update, then try accessing Facebook again. This should resolve any glitches caused by outdated software.

Your Browser Cache and Cookies Are Corrupted

Along with app issues, problems on the browser side can also cause Facebook to keep logging you out.

Browsers like Chrome and Firefox store website data like cookies and cache files to quickly load pages you frequent. However, over time this stored data can become bloated or corrupted.

When this happens, websites like Facebook may fail to load properly or frequently log you out due to difficulties accessing these corrupt files.

Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies resets this stored data, giving websites like Facebook a clean slate to work from again:

In Chrome:

1. Click the 3-dot menu button in the top right corner
2. Select Settings
3. Click Privacy and Security in the left sidebar
4. Click Clear Browsing Data
5. Select cookies, cache, and other site/app data to remove files from the last 4 weeks

In Firefox:

1. Click the 3-line “hamburger” menu button in the top right
2. Select Settings
3. Click Privacy & Security in the left sidebar
4. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data
5. Select the “Cookies and Site Data” and “Cached Web Content” checkboxes

After clearing this problem browser data, Facebook should run more smoothly without randomly signing you out.

You Have Third-Party App Access to Your Facebook Account

Have you ever been prompted to give a new app or website permission to access your Facebook account? You may not remember, but if you did grant access in the past, issues with those third-party services could be causing Facebook to boot you off periodically.

Here’s how to revoke permissions and see if that stops the repeated logouts:

1. Visit your Facebook Settings
2. Click on Apps and Websites in the left sidebar
3. Under “Active,” click Remove next to any app or service you don’t absolutely need interconnected with Facebook right now

Be sure to pay extra attention to unfamiliar services you don’t remember authorizing — disconnecting those should help shore up security and functionality.

Your Facebook Password Has Been Compromised

If you reuse the same password across many different accounts, and one of those accounts experienced a data breach exposing passwords, your Facebook login credentials could be compromised too. Hackers routinely take leaked username/password combos and test them out on major sites like Facebook.

If Facebook detects your account is being accessed from new devices or locations you don’t recognize, it will automatically log you out to protect security — stopping unauthorized access before it leads to bigger problems.

To lock things down again, start by changing your Facebook password to something completely new that you don’t use on any other service.

Next, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced protection:

1. Visit your Facebook Settings
2. Click on Security and Login
3. Under Use Two-Factor Authentication, click Edit
4. Select Get Started to enable 2FA

With a fresh, unique password and two-factor authentication enabled, your account should once again resist unauthorized access attempts that automatically log you out.

You Have Device or Browser Incompatibility Issues

Hardware and software that hasn’t kept up with the latest updates can also disrupt Facebook functionality and cause repeat logouts.

For example, Facebook may tweak features in ways older web browsers have difficulties displaying properly. Running outdated operating systems missing important security patches could also leave you vulnerable to technical issues.

Here are a few troubleshooting steps depending on your tech setup:

Mobile:
If experiencing problems on your smartphone, make sure you’ve installed the latest iOS and Android updates available to you. Consider upgrading your device if no more software updates are available — newer phones have hardware capable of better supporting apps like Facebook.

Desktop:
On your home computer, update your operating system along with your chosen web browser. Chrome, Firefox, Safari and others all push regular fixes you need to keep Facebook running smoothly.

Web Browser Extensions:
If other troubleshooting hasn’t helped, try disabling any browser extensions you have installed one-by-one to see if that stops Facebook from repeatedly dropping you. Some extensions can conflict with website functionality when permissions aren’t properly configured.

Multiple People Are Logging Into Your Account

Is your Facebook account a shared login used by multiple people simultaneously across different devices? Doing so is technically against Facebook’s terms of service — and can easily get all users abruptly logged out.

Facebook understandably limits one account login per person. So if different people in your family or workplace are constantly accessing the same account, Facebook may have difficulty keeping users straight. Too many concurrent logins can trigger automated protections.

The fix here is as simple as creating separate Facebook accounts so each person has their own login credentials. Personal accounts are free and easy to establish.

If you do need to collaboratively manage something like a business Page, you can invite other users as Editors rather than sharing the same account login.

Your Internet Connection Is Unstable

You can troubleshoot account problems all day long, but an unreliable internet connection itself can undermine access and repeatedly interrupt your Facebook sessions.

If your home WiFi network is temperamental with a weak signal, or you primarily access Facebook on the go with spotty mobile data — dropped connections mean dropped logins. Facebook needs to continually communicate with its servers to keep you logged in.

Start troubleshooting connectivity issues by moving closer to your router or modem. Disable background data usage and apps that soak up bandwidth. Switch between WiFi and mobile data to determine which provides the most stable connection.

As a last resort, contact your internet service provider and inquire about equipment upgrades or service improvements. Unreliable internet underlies many connectivity problems across the web — not just Facebook.

You Recently Changed Your Password

Here’s a straightforward problem that often catches people by surprise after it happens. If you recently reset your Facebook password either proactively or because you forgot the old one, that instantly logs you out everywhere until you re-enter the new login credentials.

Your new password doesn’t automatically sync across all your logged in devices and sessions. That means you need to manually enter the updated password on your phone app, iPad, laptop web browser, etc. Otherwise, Facebook boots you off when the old saved password fails authentication.

The solution is as simple as logging in again with your new details. But knowing that a password change triggers a fresh login requirement on all devices can prevent frustration down the road.

You’re Using a VPN or Proxy Service

For enhanced internet privacy and security, more people are turning to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or proxy services that mask your IP address and encrypt traffic. However, that extra layer of networking can confuse Facebook.

Facebook’s automated systems strive to ensure one real person equals one account. So if you normally login from North Carolina, and then suddenly try accessing your account through a VPN exit node in Australia — Facebook interprets that as someone trying to improperly access the account from an unrecognized location.

You get logged out automatically as a security precaution. Similarly, multiple people routing through the same VPN server IP address may look to Facebook like duplicate account access attempts.

Try whitelisting Facebook in your VPN or proxy app settings so traffic bypasses the anonymizing service. Alternatively, access Facebook normally without the VPN active. This typically resolves issues if private networking functionality is interfering with Facebook logins.

Reset Your Facebook Advertising ID

Here’s one last troubleshooting step if all else fails and Facebook keeps booting you off repeatedly.

Facebook maintains an advertising ID tied to your account — used internally to track activity insights and serve up relevant ads. But rarely, this unique advertising ID can become corrupted and disrupt Facebook functionality.

Resetting the number provides Facebook with a clean slate to reconnect your account properly:

1. Visit your Facebook Settings
2. Select Advertising Preferences
3. Next to Advertising ID, click Reset
4. Confirm the reset in the popup notification

With any luck, a fresh ad ID helps resolve the technical issues causing Facebook to keep dropping your login. It’s a simple fix worth trying if no other advice solves the vexing problem.

When to Contact Facebook Support

We’ve covered all the most common solutions for troubleshooting Facebook login issues on your own. But if you still keep getting repeatedly logged out even after trying all fixes — it may be time to bring in reinforcements.

Tap the Help Center link at the bottom of Facebook, and fill out the request form for personalized help getting back into your account. Provide as much helpful context around when issues started, where you experience problems, exact error messages, and troubleshooting attempts.

With more details, Facebook support reps can better diagnose any outlier technical glitches and help restore full access to your account.

Stay Logged In to Facebook With Confidence

Eventually getting forced off Facebook can drive even the calmest person mad. But by methodically working through possible fixes above, you should be able to resolve pesky login disruptions for good.

Pay special attention to keeping software updated across devices, maintaining secure passwords, and not overloading account access limits. A little proactive troubleshooting goes a long way to help Facebook finally stop dropping your login.