How to fix unavailable in Firebase

FirebaseINTERMEDIATEHIGH

The Firebase "unavailable" error occurs when your application cannot reach the Firebase service backend. This is typically a transient network or service issue that can be resolved with proper error handling, retry logic, and connection verification.

What this error means

This error indicates that the Firebase service is currently unreachable from your application. The error commonly appears across multiple Firebase services including Cloud Firestore, Realtime Database, Cloud Functions, and Cloud Messaging. When this error occurs, the Firebase SDK cannot establish or maintain a connection to the backend, preventing operations from completing. The error message typically states "The service is currently unavailable. This is a most likely a transient condition and may be corrected by retrying with a backoff." Unlike permission or validation errors, an unavailable error is usually temporary and caused by network connectivity issues, Firebase service interruptions, or device offline status. The SDK will often retry automatically, but implementing your own retry logic with exponential backoff provides better control and user experience.

How to fix "unavailable"

1Check Firebase Service Status

Before troubleshooting your code, verify that Firebase services are operational.

Visit the Firebase Status Dashboard at https://status.firebase.google.com/ to check for ongoing incidents or maintenance affecting Firebase services. If there is a service outage affecting your region or service type, wait for Firebase to restore service—there is nothing you can do on your client until the backend recovers.

2Verify Network Connectivity

Ensure your device has a working internet connection.

Test your connection:

javascript

if (navigator.onLine) {
  console.log("Device is online");
} else {
  console.log("Device is offline");
}

If offline, connect to a working network. If still failing after connecting:
- Try switching from WiFi to cellular or to a different network
- Disable VPN or corporate proxy temporarily to test
- Check if your firewall blocks Firebase endpoints (*.firebase.io, *.firebaseio.com)
- Test on a different device or network to isolate the issue

3Ensure Firebase is Fully Initialized Before Use

The unavailable error often occurs when you call Firebase APIs before the SDK finishes initializing.

javascript

import { initializeApp } from "firebase/app";
import { getFirestore } from "firebase/firestore";

const firebaseConfig = {
  apiKey: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_API_KEY,
  authDomain: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN,
  projectId: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID,
  storageBucket: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_STORAGE_BUCKET,
  messagingSenderId: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID,
  appId: process.env.REACT_APP_FIREBASE_APP_ID,
};

const app = initializeApp(firebaseConfig);
const db = getFirestore(app); // Ensure initialization succeeds before using db

// Wait for initialization before querying
await db.ready(); // Some SDKs support this pattern

Make sure all environment variables are set correctly and the app initializes without errors.

4Implement Exponential Backoff Retry Logic

Firebase recommends handling transient unavailability with automatic retry logic using exponential backoff.

javascript

async function queryWithRetry(queryFn, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt++) {
    try {
      return await queryFn();
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.code === "unavailable" && attempt < maxRetries) {
        const delayMs = Math.min(1000 * Math.pow(2, attempt - 1), 10000); // 1s, 2s, 4s max 10s
        console.log(`Retry attempt ${attempt} in ${delayMs}ms...`);
        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, delayMs));
      } else {
        throw error; // Rethrow after max retries or non-transient error
      }
    }
  }
}

// Usage
const result = await queryWithRetry(async () => {
  const snapshot = await getDocs(collection(db, "users"));
  return snapshot.docs;
});

This approach gives transient issues time to resolve without overwhelming the Firebase backend.

5Check and Update SDK Versions

Outdated Firebase SDKs may have connectivity bugs or compatibility issues.

For npm/Node.js:

bash

npm install firebase@latest

For React Native:

bash

npm install @react-native-firebase/firestore@latest

For Flutter:

bash

flutter pub upgrade cloud_firestore

For Android (native):
Update your build.gradle:

gradle

dependencies {
  implementation "com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore:35.0.0" // Update to latest
}

After upgrading, clear your build cache and restart/rebuild your app.

6Enable Network for Firestore Offline Mode

If your Firestore SDK entered offline mode and never reconnected, explicitly re-enable networking.

javascript

import { enableNetwork } from "firebase/firestore";

const db = getFirestore();

// Force reconnection
await enableNetwork(db);
console.log("Network re-enabled");

For Realtime Database, disconnect and reconnect:

javascript

import { ref, goOffline, goOnline } from "firebase/database";

const db = getDatabase();
goOffline(db);

// Wait a moment, then reconnect
setTimeout(() => {
  goOnline(db);
  console.log("Database reconnected");
}, 1000);

7Check Authentication Status

Some Firebase services require authentication. If your auth token expired, the service becomes unavailable.

javascript

import { getAuth, onAuthStateChanged } from "firebase/auth";

const auth = getAuth();

onAuthStateChanged(auth, (user) => {
  if (user) {
    console.log("User authenticated:", user.uid);
    // Now safe to use Firestore/other services
  } else {
    console.log("User not authenticated - Firebase services may be unavailable");
    // Sign in or use anonymous auth
  }
});

// For anonymous auth:
import { signInAnonymously } from "firebase/auth";
await signInAnonymously(auth);

Ensure your user is properly authenticated before making requests to protected services.

8Monitor Connection Status and Implement Graceful Degradation

Add connection monitoring to detect when Firebase becomes unavailable and gracefully degrade your app.

javascript

import { ref, onValue } from "firebase/database";

const db = getDatabase();
const connectedRef = ref(db, ".info/connected");

onValue(connectedRef, (snapshot) => {
  if (snapshot.val() === true) {
    console.log("Firebase connected");
    // Sync data, update UI
  } else {
    console.log("Firebase unavailable - using cached data");
    // Display cached data, disable writes, show offline indicator
  }
});

For Firestore:

javascript

import { enableNetwork, disableNetwork } from "firebase/firestore";

window.addEventListener("online", async () => {
  await enableNetwork(db);
  console.log("Back online - Firestore re-enabled");
});

window.addEventListener("offline", async () => {
  await disableNetwork(db);
  console.log("Offline - Firestore disabled");
});

How to fix unavailable in Firebase

What this error means

Typical symptoms

Common causes

How to fix "unavailable"

Advanced notes

Related errors

Official resources & further reading