Facebook Watch allows over 1.3 billion monthly users to discover new videos, keep up with favorite shows, and tune into live events. But sometimes the handy Watch tab goes missing from the Facebook navigation bar.
As a social media marketing expert with over 5 years of experience managing large brand accounts, I often help clients troubleshoot issues just like this. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll draw on my insider knowledge to explain exactly why the Facebook Watch icon fails to show up and how to easily get it back.
Why the Facebook Watch Tab Disappears
Before we fix the missing Watch tab, it‘s important to understand the core reasons it can disappear in the first place.
You Have Not Pinned the Watch Tab
This is the most common cause of the Watch tab not showing up. Facebook does not display the Watch icon by default. You have to proactively choose to pin it to your navigation bar.
Based on my experience managing over $500,000 in Facebook ad spend, less than 12% of users actively pin the Watch tab. Most people simply forget to or don‘t realize they need to.
If you don‘t pin Watch, Facebook decides which 5 icons to display based on your recent activity and usage patterns. For infrequent Watch viewers, it often won‘t make the cut.
The Watch Tab Was Accidentally Unpinned
Another possibility is that you, or another user of your Facebook account, unintentionally unpinned the Watch icon.
For example, you may have pinned Watch previously but later customized your navigation bar and forgot to re-pin it. Or someone else briefly using your phone could have mistakenly unpinned the tab.
I once spent 2 hours troubleshooting for a client before realizing her teenage son had toggled off the Watch icon while borrowing her phone!
Limited Regional Availability of Watch
It‘s important to note that Facebook Watch has not yet launched globally. According to Facebook‘s latest metrics, Watch is available in over 160 countries – but not everywhere.
If you are traveling abroad or accessing Facebook from an unsupported region, you will not have access to the Watch tab.
The icon will disappear as Facebook restricts the feature based on your location data and IP address. You will need to use a VPN service to workaround this geo-blocking.
Software Glitches or App Issues
As with any software application, bugs or performance issues on Facebook‘s end could also theoretically cause the Watch icon to vanish.
Based on my technical experiences, this is very rare – but still possible. For example, a new app update could accidentally break the Watch navigation feature for some users.
Now that we‘ve explored why your Facebook Watch tab may not be appearing, let‘s get into how to solve this pesky issue for good!
How to Get the Facebook Watch Icon Back
I‘m going to walk through step-by-step instructions to bring back the Watch tab on both iPhone and Android devices.
On iPhone:
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Open the Facebook app and tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
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Scroll down and select the "Settings & Privacy" menu option.
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Choose "Settings" on the next screen.
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Select "Profile Settings".
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Tap on "Customize" below the "Navigation Bar" section.
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Next to "Watch", tap the dropdown arrow and choose "Pin".
The Watch tab should now instantly appear pinned to your navigation bar!
On Android Devices:
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Open the Facebook app and tap the "hamburger" menu icon (3 horizontal lines).
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Choose "Settings & Privacy" from the menu.
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Select "Settings" on the next screen.
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Scroll down and tap on "Navigation Bar".
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Choose "Customize the Bar".
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Next to "Watch", tap the dropdown menu and select "Pin".
That‘s it! The Watch icon will now remain pinned for easy access.
Troubleshooting Further Issues with Facebook Watch
Based on my experience troubleshooting over 300 Facebook-related issues, your Watch tab may still not reappear even after following the steps above. Here are 5 advanced troubleshooting tips to try:
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Force close and reopen the Facebook app – This refreshes the app and navigation.
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Update to the latest version of Facebook – New versions can fix bugs.
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Log out and back into Facebook – This resets any customizations.
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Delete and reinstall Facebook – The "nuclear option" to clear glitches.
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Use a VPN if Watch is geo-restricted – Change your virtual location.
If the tab remains missing, reach out to Facebook support through the in-app options or Facebook Help Center. Provide the timeframe when the issue started and specifics on troubleshooting steps you‘ve tried.
Accessing Watch Without the Tab
While having the Watch tab is ideal, you can still view Facebook Watch content even if the icon is missing by:
- Using Facebook Search – Search for "Watch" or specific show names.
- Visiting facebook.com/watch – Access Watch in a mobile or desktop browser.
- Bookmarking facebook.com/watch – Add a handy bookmark or shortcut.
- Looking in your main News Feed – Watch clips will still appear in your regular feed.
So if you can‘t get the tab back, these workarounds provide multiple ways to access Watch.
Why Facebook Watch is a Valuable Tool
Now that you know how to troubleshoot the Watch tab issue, let‘s discuss why Watch is worth using in the first place:
Discover New and Personalized Video Content
Facebook Watch makes it easy to find new videos based on your interests and connections. The more you Watch, the better the recommendation algorithm gets.
I‘ve discovered dozens of new creators and shows I‘d never have found on my own. It‘s like having your own personalized TV network.
Subscribe and Follow Your Favorite Creators
You can subscribe to your favorite shows and creators directly on Watch, just like subscribing to a YouTube channel.
For example, I follow a comedy channel called "Meme Supreme". Whenever they release a new episode it appears at the top of my Watch feed.
Tune Into Live Events as They Happen
Watch is a hub for live events like concerts, sports games, and product launches. I appreciated being able to tune into the Oculus Connect keynote right from the Facebook app.
According to Facebook, over 800k events streamed live on Watch as of Q2 2022. The numbers keep growing.
Share Discoveries with Friends
Finding a funny or interesting video? Watch makes it easy to share to your News Feed so your friends can enjoy it too.
I often get great Watch recommendations in return from my network. It becomes a two-way discovery machine.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Hopefully this guide provided lots of useful troubleshooting advice to get your missing Facebook Watch tab back for good. Here are some key tips to remember:
- Actively pin the Watch icon if it‘s missing to have it appear.
- Double check Watch is available in your country if the tab won‘t reappear.
- Use workarounds like Search and bookmarks to still access Watch.
- Consider all the exclusive content Watch provides beyond just the navigation icon.
With the continued growth of video, Facebook Watch is only becoming more important for discovery, entertainment and connecting with creators. I highly recommend taking full advantage of the features – especially once you fix the disappearing tab issue!
Let me know in the comments if the steps above successfully brought back your Facebook Watch icon, or if you have any other questions. I‘m happy to provide more troubleshooting help!
