What is the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered?

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Facebook is one of the most popular social media apps used by people to communicate with each other. Facebook Messenger has grown in popularity over recent years. However, sometimes its features might not be very clear to new users. People tend to get confused about the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered. In this blog, we will explain to you the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered.

What is Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger lets people interact with each other and chat with users privately.

When Facebook was newly launched, posting on peoples’ wall is the only way to interact with others. At that time, the communication system is dependent on the people’s posts.

But with the development of technology, it is now possible to send and receive Facebook messages via the Facebook Messenger application.

Facebook Messenger enables you to privately communicate with friends. You can send messages, images, videos and document

Related : What is the green dot on Facebook Messenger?

Sometimes, we install the Facebook messenger app with our mobile phone number. When we do that, the messenger app gives us an extra feature of sending SMS messages along with Facebook Messenger.

Sending and delivering a Facebook message is not the same thing. There is a little difference between Facebook messages sent vs delivered.

It depends on whether you accept the message, read it or put it aside. Let’s now go through the difference between message sent vs delivered on Facebook.

Facebook sent vs delivered icons:

Below are some icons to help you identify the difference between message sent, read, and delivered on Facebook.

Meaning of each icon on Facebook Messenger :

• A simple blue circle icon indicates your message is sent by the Facebook server. You have to make sure that when sending the message your computer is connected to the Internet. If the internet connection is not secure, you are likely to lose the message.
• If you see a tick on the blue circle, it is the sent icon. It indicates that the message is sent. Now, even if you disconnect the connection or switch off your device, it no longer affects the message.

When the recipient is connected to the internet then the message will automatically be delivered to them.

• A filled blue circle including a tick indicates the message was sent to the recipient. But maybe they have not seen the message yet.
• When there is the recipient’s profile picture next to your message, it indicates that the recipient has read your message. If you want to know the time and date when the recipient read your message, just tap on the message and you can see it.

But, you can check the recipient’s seen time only within 24 hours. A grey tick will appear next to the seen time.

• If you see a Red Triangle with an exclamation mark, it means that the internet connection failed and your message was not sent. A message along with the red triangle should also appear that says, “This message has never been sent. Check your internet connection and click to “try again.”

Using the icons above you can understand the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered. If you send a message in a group chat, you can check who read your message in the group conversations.

What is the main difference between Facebook sent vs delivered?

“Sent” basically means that Messenger has received your message and ready to deliver it to the user.

“Delivered” means that the viewer can view the message on their device.

Sent and Delivered does not mean that the message has been read by the user. When a user has read the message it will appear as “Read“

Related : What is secret conversation on Facebook Messenger

What does it mean when a message is sent but not delivered?

Message sent means that the text message is sent from your Facebook account and now it is ready to be delivered to the recipient side via the Facebook messenger app.

On other hand, a message that is delivered refers to the Facebook message which has already been downloaded on the device of the recipient. After the message is delivered, now the user can receive the message and access it.

This device is where the Facebook account is opened of the recipient, it can be a computer or any mobile device.

Related : How to remove someone from Facebook Messenger

Deliver a message means that the message is reaching the side of the recipient.

If you don’t send your message, that means that the issue is with the receiver. It can be a server problem, or an issue with the Internet, your settings, or various potential cause as follows:

• A probable cause may be a server problem, an internet issue, a setup problem, or something relatable on the recipient’s side.
• There may be a time delay between the sending of the message and the opening from the receiver side. Even if, the recipient has received the messenger message.
• A poor connection on the sender or the receiver side also takes time to update the message’s status.
• The receiver can be connected with Facebook, but not view your posts.
• The message thread will not be marked as a delivered message until the receiver of the message doesn’t open the chatbox with you. It will show to you as a sent message even if the recipient read the message from the status bar.

Related : Is Facebook Messenger safe for kids?

• If you send a FB message to one who is not on your Facebook friend list, then the message will be stored in the Message Request folder. This type of message is shown as a sent message to the sender until the recipient accepts the message.
• When the recipient accepts the message, Then, it will mark it as a delivered message. If the recipient is active when you send a message, the fastest way to make them open the conversation is via messenger voice calls or video calls.
• Or it can be that your message was intentionally overlooked by the receiver.

So, the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered is just the filled blue circle icon as explained above.

If you ignore a message does it show as delivered on Facebook?

When you ignore someone on Messenger, you will not be informed if the person has messaged you directly. Instead, the chat will appear as a connection request.

The person will also not know that you have ignored their message.

People who are not on your friend list can also send you a message on Facebook Messenger. This will usually appear as a Message Request.

This feature is similar to the email spam feature. You get the messages in your account but on another folder. It’s your choice to read the messages or not. The messages won’t be in your inbox.

If you ignore the thread of the conversation, even if you get all the Facebook messages, it will appear as message just sent and not delivered.

You can see an empty circle with an internal blue check marker for Sent.

The status icon will only shift to the Delivered if you approve the request. When the recipient’s profile picture is there next to the delivered message, it means that the recipient has read the message.

Facebook sent vs delivered issues :

Why are some Facebook messages sent but not delivered?

It has become a common issue that the status of the message is just sent, but the messages are not delivered.

This means that the recipient can’t read the Facebook messages.

Here are few possible reasons for that:

1. Internet Connection

A poor internet connection is usually the most common reason for Facebook messages sent but not delivered.

So first try to check the connection before sending a message.

Don’t forget to check this out :

2. The message isn’t read

Sometimes, The message is properly sent from your side, but the recipient hasn’t read the message. The status of the message remains undelivered if the recipient doesn’t open the message.

Even if, you sent it to your Facebook friend, until they launch the messenger application, they can’t read the message.

When the recipient can’t open the message and unable to read it, the message status will remain unread.

3. The Receiver isn’t your FB friend

If you are not friends with the recipient or you are not in the recipient’s messenger contacts, then, though you tap on the send button from your side, the message will remain just sent not as delivered.

The recipient can’t read the message from their inbox as you are not in their Facebook friend list.

The receiver has to accept the message request first. After accepting the request then they can read the messages.

How to fix Facebook messages sent but not delivered issue?

1. Login using a computer

When you login to Facebook Messenger using your computer, other users will be able to view if you are online. They can then send you a message directly

However, if you login using a mobile device, other users cannot see if you are online or not and this may be the reason why Facebook messages is stuck at sent and not delivered.

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2. Send messages to Friends

Check your friend’s active status on Facebook before sending a message. The last time they have signed in or active on their account can be seen.

If your friend has not logged in for a long time then chances are your message may not be delivered.

3. Check if there is any internet problem

Make sure that you have a stable internet connection. While Facebook cannot operate with a low connection, but it does not need a strong connection either. So, ensure a stable connection before log in to your account.

So, when messages are sent but not delivered, first try to send the messages again. If it doesn’t work, then check the other issues.

4. Restarting Facebook

Sometimes, the messenger app doesn’t work due to some technical error.

The receiver can’t see any message due to a Facebook glitch. As a result, your message doesn’t get delivered even with a good internet connection.

Try restarting your device can be a solution to this error. When you restart your device, the messenger app will also restart. Often, logging in again can solve the problem

Can Facebook messages be delivered if the phone is switched off?

If the recipient’s phone is off, you will see an empty white circle next to your messages. It means your message isn’t sent yet. When they switch on their mobile, you can see a blue checkmark in a white circle.

It means the message is sent, but not delivered. When the receiver reads your message, their profile picture will be there next to the message.

How to know if someone read your message on Facebook?

When the recipient reads your message, their profile picture with a little circle shows up there. This indicates that your message is read from the receiver’s side.

Conclusion : Facebook messages sent vs delivered

Facebook is a place where we communicate and share our thoughts with our friends. And Facebook messages are the fastest way to communicate with people. But, sometimes we get confused about the difference between Facebook sent vs delivered.

If you are having an issue with the Facebook message sent and delivered, you can try the described ways above to solve it. You can also contact the Facebook help center for more help.

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