How to Turn Off Shake to Report a Problem in Facebook Apps

To turn off Shake to Report a Problem in the Facebook app, open Menu, expand Help & support, select Report a problem, and turn off the switch labeled “Shake phone to report a problem.” If shaking your phone opens an unexpected reporting prompt, you can also use that prompt to find the switch. The option affects the reporting shortcut, not your ability to submit a report manually.

This guide covers Facebook on iPhone and Android, explains the related Messenger and Instagram options, and clears up the difference between Facebook’s shake gesture and the iPhone’s built-in Shake to Undo setting. Menu wording or placement may differ by app version.

Turn off Shake to Report in the Facebook app

1. Open Facebook. While signed in on your phone, tap the Menu icon (usually three horizontal lines or your profile picture in the navigation area).

2. Open Help & support. Scroll through the Menu if needed, expand Help & support, and tap Report a problem.

3. Find the shake setting. On the reporting screen, look for Shake phone to report a problem or similar wording. When the control is on, its switch appears enabled.

4. Switch it off. Tap the control so it shows the off position. Close the screen and continue using Facebook normally. If you want to check, reopen Report a problem and confirm that the switch is still off.

Faster route: If shaking the phone already brings up the reporting screen, open it once and disable the shake switch there. You do not need to submit a report. Avoid shaking the phone forcefully or repeatedly; the menu route is more predictable.

What if Facebook no longer shows the switch?

Facebook changes the mobile interface over time, so a menu described in an older tutorial may not match your version. First look for Report a problem under Help & support. If tapping it starts a reporting flow instead of displaying the switch, go back and try opening the prompt with one gentle shake while Facebook is on screen.

If neither route exposes a shake setting, update Facebook from your phone’s app store, close and reopen it, and check again. Don’t assume the iPhone’s Accessibility controls or Android motion settings contain a master switch for Facebook’s reporting feature. If the app still does not offer the control, its availability may depend on your app version or account; the exact alternative path cannot be guaranteed.

Messenger and Instagram: check each app separately

The Facebook switch should not be treated as a universal preference for every Meta app. Messenger and Instagram have their own help and reporting flows.

Messenger

Meta’s Messenger reporting instructions describe opening the reporting prompt by shaking your phone, then switching off Shake phone to report a problem. For manual reports, the Help Center also describes going to Menu → Settings → Report technical problem; menu names can differ across releases.

Instagram

Instagram likewise has a shake-to-report option. According to Instagram’s technical-problem guidance, the prompt includes a switch to enable or disable Shake phone to report a problem. Check Instagram separately if its own prompt appears unexpectedly. Turning the feature off in Facebook does not establish that Instagram’s setting has changed.

Can you still report a Facebook bug?

Yes. Disabling the motion shortcut does not remove the reporting tool. Use Menu → Help & support → Report a problem when a feature does not work, a screen fails to load, or an unexpected error appears. Facebook’s official instructions for reporting something that isn’t working describe reporting from the location where you encountered the problem and entering a description.

A useful report says what you expected, what actually happened, what actions led to the issue, and whether you can reproduce it. Attach a screenshot when it genuinely helps. Before sending, review any account details or private information visible in a screenshot or diagnostic report.

Is this the same as iPhone Shake to Undo?

No. The Facebook option controls a shortcut inside Facebook. Shake to Undo is an iOS feature for undoing certain edits. Apple lists its separate switch under Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Shake to Undo in the iPhone User Guide.

Turning off shake-to-report in Facebook does not automatically change the iPhone’s Shake to Undo preference, nor does it guarantee that shaking will undo text in every Facebook text field. If you want to undo text without shaking, Apple also documents a three-finger swipe to the left. Android phones do not have an equivalent universal iPhone Shake to Undo switch.

Bottom line: Disable the gesture in the app where it interrupts you, keep the manual bug-reporting route available, and manage iPhone Shake to Undo separately if needed.