Messenger Kids Not Showing Replies on iPhone? Here’s How To Fix It

Parenting is a 24/7 job. There’s no “out of office” button when your kid needs something. You have to be available for anything they ask. So if Messenger Kids is suddenly not showing replies on your iPhone, it’s on you to find a quick solution. You can try restarting the app, checking your internet connection, reviewing permissions, or reinstalling Messenger Kids entirely. In some cases, you’ll also need to adjust the linked Facebook account settings.

Since your child is waiting on the other end, there’s no time to waste on random fixes. Let’s go over what actually works.

1. Check Network Settings

Messenger Kids relies on continuous communication with Facebook’s servers. If your iPhone struggles with unstable DNS, captive Wi-Fi, or intermittent LTE handoffs, messages won’t update in real time. Switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data.

2. Update Messenger Kids App

Messenger Kids versions prior to 250.0 had multiple issues involving unsynced chats and invisible replies. They were caused by rendering conflicts in WebView and broken endpoint calls on older builds. See if a newer version with proper patch fixes and GraphQL API support for message threads is available.

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap your profile icon at the top right.
   
3. Scroll to Messenger Kids under pending updates.
4. Tap Update if available.
5. Wait for the installation to complete, then relaunch the app.

3. Reinstall Messenger Kids

If you migrated from a backup or switched devices, the app’s cache or background entitlement flags may break. Reinstall the app to purge sandboxed data folders and force the app to request a fresh sync token from Facebook’s servers. Doing so generally resolves reply desync, especially if message logs fail to load on startup.

1. Tap and hold the Messenger Kids app icon.
2. Select Remove App > Delete App.
3. Open the App Store, search Messenger Kids, and then reinstall.
4. Sign in with the parent-linked Facebook account.
5. Re-authorize permissions and review the chat inbox.

4. Disable Screen Time Restrictions

Screen Time settings may block Messenger Kids from refreshing in the background if Content & Privacy restrictions are active. It should impact data access, notifications, and auto-fetch behavior. Temporarily disabling these toggles can restore normal sync behavior for replies and prevent system-level interruptions.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
   
3. Toggle the switch off, or open Allowed Apps and enable Messenger Kids.
4. Check if Background App Activities is enabled.
5. Return to the app and verify if messages now update.

5. Check Parent Dashboard on Facebook

There’s a chance that the issue isn’t with your iPhone but with permissions set in the Facebook Parent Dashboard. If your child’s contact list was restricted or new chats require approval, replies may silently fail to appear. Sync delays between Facebook and the Kids app backend can also cause temporary thread errors.

1. Open the Facebook app on your phone.
2. Tap Menu > Messenger Kids.
3. Select your child’s profile.
4. Review Contacts, Chat History, and Approved Requests.
5. If needed, approve pending contacts or remove filters that might block replies.

6. Sign Out and Back In (Parent Facebook Account)

Messenger Kids syncs with your parent account’s token session. You might have trouble receiving cross-platform notifications if you recently changed your privacy settings or login credentials. Likewise, Facebook might have logged you out of your device. Sign in and out (or vice-versa) to force a token refresh and re-establish a clean sync with your child’s device.

1. Open the Facebook app.
2. Tap Menu > Log Out.
3. Fully close the app from the App Switcher.
   
4. Re0open Facebook and log back in.
5. Go to Messenger Kids > Manage and then check your child’s chat activity.

7. Try Messenger Kids on a Different iPhone or iPad

Try using Messenger Kids on another device. It’s an easy way to check if the issue is tied to device-level configuration or Meta’s backend servers.

1. Borrow another iPhone or iPad (logged into your Apple ID not required).
2. Download Messenger Kids from the App Store.
3. Set up your child’s account using your parental Facebook login.
4. Check if replies appear normally.
5. If successful, the issue is likely with your main device’s iOS environment.

8. Factory Reset Your iPhone

As a last resort, factory reset your iPhone. Corrupted iOS system files, stuck background daemons, or misconfigured privacy permissions can block app behavior. A full reset wipes everything and reinstalls the OS from scratch. Just make sure to back up your device via iCloud first.

1. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
   
3. Follow the prompts and authenticate your Apple ID.
4. Set up your iPhone as new or restore from backup.
5. Reinstall Messenger Kids and sign in through the Facebook Parent Dashboard.

You can contact both Facebook Help Support and Apple Support should issues persist. Just manage your expectations about what they can and can’t do. At the very least, however, they can confirm whether the bug is app-specific or tied to your iPhone.