A growing number of Facebook Marketplace users are encountering a baffling glitch that forces them to use cellular data to view photos and videos — even when they’re connected to Wi-Fi. As users scroll through listings, hunting for that perfect vintage couch or a quirky knick-knack, an unexpected pop-up disrupts their experience. The message reads, “Use data to see photos and videos?”, prompting users to switch to data mode. The catch? Many are clearly on Wi-Fi, and neither “Cancel” nor “Use Data” seems to work.
Facebook Marketplace Data Mode Glitch Sparks User Frustration
This frustrating issue has triggered a wave of complaints and confusion across social media platforms and online forums. Users are voicing their irritation, sharing screenshots of the puzzling pop-up, and seeking solutions to regain smooth access to Facebook Marketplace.
Despite the influx of reports, the problem appears to be affecting only a subset of Facebook users. In an attempt to replicate the glitch, I tested multiple devices — both Android and iOS — toggling between the main Facebook app, Facebook Lite, and the web browser. The result? No pop-ups, no forced data usage. My colleague also confirmed that their Marketplace experience was glitch-free. Still, this hasn’t stopped the stream of frustrated feedback from rolling in.
What’s Causing the Marketplace Pop-Up?
Users remain puzzled by the sudden appearance of this data mode prompt when browsing Marketplace. To make matters worse, there seems to be no clear way to disable it. Basic troubleshooting steps — such as clearing cache and data — have proven ineffective. However, a handful of users have reported limited success by switching their browser to “desktop mode,” offering a temporary workaround.
So, what’s behind this glitch? Is it a bug introduced by a recent Facebook update? A botched feature rollout? Or an unintentional technical hiccup? While theories circulate, official answers are scarce. Given the sporadic nature of the issue, it’s likely a technical fault that Facebook will address soon.
How to Deal with the Facebook Marketplace Glitch
For now, if you’re one of the unlucky users facing this issue, there are a few things you can try:
- Switch to desktop mode: If using a mobile browser, enabling desktop mode may bypass the pop-up.
- Reinstall the app: A fresh install might resolve app-related bugs.
- Report the issue: Use Facebook’s built-in reporting tool to highlight the problem.
Until a fix rolls out, it might be wise to keep both your Wi-Fi strong and your data plan ready — because you never know when Facebook Marketplace will decide to eat up your mobile data.
Stay tuned for updates as we monitor this ongoing issue.
