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What Does “Call Failed” Mean On Messenger? (ANSWERED! 2024)

Apps like Facebook Messenger allow you to make voice and video calls to the people on your Contacts list.

These calls are routed through the internet network that you’re connected to, and not via the usual mobile carriers as standard phone calls do.

In fact, you don’t even need to know the other person’s mobile number to call them on Messenger!

However, the call doesn’t always go through smoothly.

One of the most common messages you’ll see is “Call Failed.”

If you’re wondering, “What does “Call Failed” mean on Messenger?” It means that the person you’re calling is not online at the moment.

Simply put, a failed call is one that didn’t reach the intended receiver. 

In other words, the person’s Messenger app isn’t connected to the internet at that point in time!

Getting a “Call Failed” notification could also mean there’s a glitch with your own internet connection.

What Is The Reason For “Call Failed” On Messenger?

woman calling someone while using her phone

Facebook Messenger is definitely a great app for communicating and staying in touch with people.

It’s certainly one of the most widely-used apps around the world for that very purpose!

With it, you have the ability to interact with the people on your Contacts list (assuming, of course, that they have the Messenger app installed and connected to their Facebook account).

You aren’t even required to be a ‘friend’ of someone on Facebook to message them on Messenger!

(Of course, this still largely depends on the person’s profile settings.

If they’ve properly set up their privacy settings, it would be difficult for strangers to contact them using Facebook Messenger.)

Nonetheless, Messenger is an effective way to chat with others.

Through the app, you can send text and voice messages, as well as multimedia files.

Messenger also allows you to make voice and video calls individually or to a group.

It uses an internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) to send messages and to make these calls. It goes without saying that the call feature is a very welcome feature in the app.

However, the functions don’t always work the way that they should.

There have been several reports and complaints that calls don’t always go through on the Messenger app.

In fact, it’s very common for calls to fail rather than connect!

While we can usually blame a faulty internet connection for this issue, it isn’t always the case.

A failed call can also be because the other person isn’t currently online (I.e. active on the app).

If you don’t see the ‘green dot’ beside a person’s display picture, it means that they’re not currently online.

Calling a person who’s essentially offline via Messenger may or may not be successful. In most cases, you will see a ‘call failed’ notification on the screen. 

Let’s take a further look at the different reasons that can make calls fail on Messenger!

Slow Or Bad Internet Connection

man holding a wifi router

Have you checked your internet connection?

Understandably, making calls requires much more data (bandwidth) than sending messages does.

Sometimes, it’s the reason why you can send a text but not make a call (among other reasons).

If your app is taking a longer-than-usual time to send an image or another file, your call may also not go through as the internet speed may be too slow.

Moreover, you’ll see the same result if the internet connection is working, but erratic and unstable.

Calls on Messenger require a stable internet connection with moderate speed (at the very least). 

No Internet Connection

Even if you have a high-speed internet connection, there’s a chance that the receiver may not.

If the person you’re trying to call doesn’t have access to the internet, the call will be doomed to failure.

Simply put, both you and the person you’re trying to call need to have a reliable internet connection for the Messenger call to go through!

Offline Status

facebook messenger in google play store

Contrary to popular belief, not everyone stays online on Facebook or Messenger 24/7.

While it’s possible to call someone who isn’t online, it will either result in a missed or failed call.

There’s no standard rule for this as it depends on where the receiver is, and what internet settings they have on their device.

No App Permission

If you’re particular about app permissions, it’s possible that you’ve prevented Messenger from making calls.

Not sure what I mean? Allow me to explain. 

Messenger–like other similar apps–requires permissions to access your folders, gallery, microphone, and camera (among other things).

Therefore if you haven’t given the app the required permission to access the microphone, it won’t allow you to make a call!

Go to Settings and open the app to check its permissions and make the necessary changes.

Outdated App

When was the app last updated?

Check for the latest updates and ensure that you have the most recent version.

There are times when the call will fail if the person you’re calling is using an outdated version of the Messenger app.

Software Update

software update complete iphone

Check your phone for a software update!

The calls on Messenger will fail if the app’s version isn’t compatible with the OS version on your device.

Additionally, if you’re using Messenger on a desktop, ensure that the browser’s up to date and that you have given it permission to use the microphone and camera.

Does A Failed Call Show up As A Missed Call?

No, a failed call will not show up as a missed call.

A failed call doesn’t even get connected!

As such, there’s no chance of it being recorded by the network as a missed call.

Simply put, a call fails when it doesn’t pass through the network.

On the other hand, a call becomes a ‘missed call’ when it passes through the network and rings at the receiver’s end, but the person doesn’t pick it up.

Since a failed call doesn’t even reach their phone, it can’t show up as a missed call.

Again, failed calls occur due to network or internet connectivity errors. 

Sometimes, missed calls can also be network errors; however, this usually is the case only if the call gets through initially.

If you called someone you didn’t intend to on Messenger, and it showed a ‘call failed’ notification- you can take a deep breath and relax.

It’s your lucky day, because the person won’t know that you’ve tried to call them!

How Do You Know If Someone Declines Your Call On Messenger?

facebook notification bar

If the person that you’re calling doesn’t answer the phone, you may automatically think that you’ve been declined.

However, that’s not absolute.

The fact remains that they could simply be busy, or that they may not have even seen the call in the first place!

Generally speaking, a Messenger call (or phone call) can be declined when the receiver presses the red (cancel) button instead of the green (answer) one.

The green button allows them to answer the call, while the red button is used to outright reject it.

If the Messenger call starts to ring but stops after a couple of rings, it’s possible that the receiver has declined your call.

That said, this can also happen when your or the receiver’s internet connection becomes unstable while the phone is ringing.

As a little-known secret, you can count the number of rings before the call on Messenger stops.

If the call rings 21 times, it means that the other person is possibly not aware of the call (or is ignoring the call and waiting for it to end).

However, if the call ends before it rings 21 times, the person has likely declined the call. 

Unfortunately, there’s no definite way to know if someone is purposely declining your call or if they’re just busy. That’s up to you to figure out!

In Summary

So, what does ‘Call failed’ mean on Messenger?

This is a question many people ask- understandably too, given that the Messenger app and the internet can both be tricky at times.

A failed call means that the internet connection (either yours or the receiver’s) may not be strong enough for the call to go through. 

Check your internet connection’s stability then try again.

If you get the same “Call Failed” notification, it can then mean that the other person doesn’t have the network coverage to receive your call, or that their device is not connected to the Internet.

Messenger requires an internet connection for sending messages, files, and making calls.

As such, both devices must be connected to the Internet to successfully make a call through the Messenger app!

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