Facebook Messenger: Message Sent vs Delivered Explained

A blue filled-in checkmark after your message in Facebook Messenger signal it’s been sent. If the checkmark is only outlined, not filled in, it’s been delivered.

What’s the difference, you ask? In simple terms, a sent message means it’s left your device but hasn’t reached the recipient yet. A delivered message, on the other hand, has reached the recipient’s device but hasn’t necessarily been read.

Let’s take a closer look.

Why can a message be sent but not delivered?

• It might be a problem on the recipient side – a server problem, an Internet problem, a settings problem, or a data storage problem.
• There might be some delays between when you send the message and when the recipient opens it (although they have received it).
• A slow connection on your end will also cause a delay in updating the status of the message.
• The recipient can be connected to Facebook but not actively looking through their messages to see yours.
• The recipient might have quickly read your message from the notification or status bar. Still, the app will not mark it as delivered or seen until the recipient opens the conversation with you.
• If you send a message to a person who is not your Facebook friend/ Messenger contact, your messages get in a Message Requests folder, and your message will be marked as delivered when the other person has accepted it.
• Or it’s just that the recipient has deliberately ignored your message.

Messenger sent vs. delivered

There are cases where the Messenger message was sent but not delivered. Here are the main differences.

The main difference is that a delivered message implies that the message has gotten to its destination. We break this down below.

When a message is delivered, there is some text transmission from the server to the receiver; when it is sent, there is a transmission of the text from a sender to a server.

The difference also affects notifications. For example, in the case of delivery, if the recipient activates “Message Get Receipt,” only then will they get a notice, and in the case of sent messages, you will always receive a notification.

Hopefully, you know why a Facebook message can be sent but not delivered. Please use the dedicated section below if you have related questions or comments.

If you’re a Facebook fan, check out our special Facebook section for more exciting stuff. Get the latest info about the app’s new features, how to use them, and how to troubleshoot Facebook Errors.

Also, in our Web & Cloud Hub, you can find many valuable guides and recommendations.