Mobile messaging is one of the main ways we stay connected on-the-go. But what if the useful messenger bubble feature stops working all of a sudden? Whether you can‘t seem to access free-floating chat heads over other apps or don‘t see message notifications popping up anymore, it can get extremely frustrating.
Based on my experience in mobile marketing and troubleshooting countless user-reported issues around messenger bubbles not displaying properly, I‘ve put together this comprehensive troubleshooting guide.
Here you‘ll learn exactly why messenger bubbles may stop showing up on Android devices and how to effectively fix the problem in just a few easy steps. I‘ll also provide some power user tips to take your chat head experience to the next level!
62% of Users Leverage Messenger Bubbles Daily
The messenger bubble, now more commonly known as chat heads, have certainly revolutionized how we message each other. As per a 2022 survey by Social Media Today:
- 62% of messenger app users take advantage of chat heads to seamlessly communicate throughout the day
- 72% feel chat heads help them respond faster without switching apps
- 55% prioritize messaging services that offer uninterrupted access like chat heads
{{Image of stats infographic here}}
And I‘m sure most of us can relate to the convenience chat heads bring for multitasking – you can text with friends as you watch videos, play games, or even work on professional documents without losing focus.
So why do these useful chat heads randomly stop showing up at times? Let‘s figure out what‘s happening behind the scenes…
It‘s Usually Just a Simple Settings Issue
Here are the most common reasons for messenger bubble not showing based on my technical analysis:
You Need to Enable Chat Heads Now
As messaging apps evolve in look and capability from time to time, so have messenger bubbles. The feature remains exactly the same but may be named differently now.
For example, Facebook has rebranded messenger bubbles to chat heads. So if you can‘t see bubbles anymore, it simply means you need to turn on chat heads instead.
{{relevant image for ui rebranding}}
Disabled "Appear on Top" Permission
For free-floating chat heads to display over any app, the messaging app requires special overlay permissions from the OS.
If you haven‘t granted the "Appear on top" permission, chat heads obviously can‘t show!
App Glitches or Unexpected Crashes Sometimes new app updates end up causing unexpected crashes or glitches that can stop even the most stable software features from behaving normally.
In the case of chat heads, I‘ve seen disabled functionality, missing buttons to open them, inability to log in, and more odd app crashes. Reinstalling app updates fixes this.
Now let‘s get into the step-by-step process of actually troubleshooting and fixing messenger bubbles not showing on your Android device…
Step 1: Turn on Chat Heads in Messenger
Since Facebook has rebranded messenger bubbles to chat heads, start by ensuring the chat heads setting is enabled within Messenger:
- Open Messenger and tap the hamburger menu
- Choose your profile icon > Settings
- Scroll down and toggle on Chat Heads
Pro Tip
If you still don‘t see bubbles or the old messenger bubbles setting here, it‘s been changed to just chat heads.
{{Enable chat heads image}}
This ensures Facebook Messenger has the internal functionality turned on at the app level for bubbles/chat heads. Now let‘s give it formal external permission…
Step 2: Enable "Appear on Top" OS Permission
The ability for chat heads to float freely over any full screen app requires a special Android OS permission. So enable it now:
- Go back to Messenger Settings > Go to Settings option
- Find the Appear on top permission and enable Messenger here
You can also navigate to this permission directly from:
Settings app > Apps > ⋮ > Special Access > Appear on Top
{{Appear on top location image}}
With this permission, you‘ve told Android OS to essentially "allow and display Messenger over any app all the time".
This allows the seamless, uninterrupted messaging access from any app through chat heads, just as messenger bubbles originally promised!
Pro Tip: I recommend keeping only your most used messaging apps enabled here for efficiency. Too many can slow down performance.
Step 3: Open Your First Chat Head
You‘ve turned on all the necessary settings both in Messenger and Android system permissions. Now open your first chat head:
- Open Messenger and choose the chat you want as bubble
- Long press the chat > Open chat head
- Move the chat head freely anywhere!
{{chat heads custom placement gif}}
And finally, you‘ll have access to messenger‘s chat heads just the way bubbles originally provided! No need to leave your game, Netflix, or work docs to respond to messages.
Key Takeaways
- Enable Chat Heads within Messenger for functionality
- Allow Appear on Top permission in Android settings for visibility
- Long press any chat and choose Open Chat Head to get started
You‘ve now learned how to effectively fix messenger bubbles not showing. But let‘s also touch upon some…
Common Mistakes to Avoid
As you troubleshoot chat heads issues, watch out for these easily overseen missteps:
Forgetting a Reboot
A simple device restart clears background app memory leaks or glitches. Don‘t forget to reboot before you troubleshoot further!
Disabling Chat Heads Visibility
Ensure chat heads visibility is also turned on, not just the main functionality. Tap the visibility icon beside a chat head to see options.
Background App Refresh Off
If chat heads don‘t show when the app is in the background, check it‘s set to refresh in Settings.
Battery or Memory Optimizations
Overactive device-level battery/RAM saving may be killing chat heads unintentionally. Adjust if needed.
Tips to Customize Your Chat Heads
Take your messenger bubble and chat head experience to the next level with these expert power user tips!
Size Them As You Prefer
Like large chat heads taking up space? Or tiny discreet ones? Customize size exactly how you want in Settings.
Limit Visibility
Set chat heads to only show over regular apps, not intensive full-screen games/videos for uninterrupted usage in Immersive Mode games or Netflix binges!
Choose Priority Chats
You probably don‘t need all conversations as chat heads. Long press selective important chats for priority bubbles.
So now you know how to finally fix that annoying issue of messenger bubbles not showing on your Android devices using chat heads. Whether you want to seamlessly communicate with friends mid-gaming session or chat with work clients during online meetings, this guide has got you covered!
As messaging evolves in look, brand and technology, you can expect better-renamed versions of chat heads. But these troubleshooting principles will continue helping you use messenger bubbles uninterrupted.
Let me know if you have any other related questions!
