Hashtags are an important part of the TikTok experience, allowing users to discover and engage with content relevant to their interests. On TikTok, adding hashtags to a video allows it to be indexed and discoverable by people interested in that topic or theme. When a user searches for or clicks on a hashtag, they will see a feed of the most recent and popular videos using that hashtag.
Hashtags essentially categorize videos and help connect creators with an audience. The more relevant hashtags a video uses, the more discoverable it becomes. TikTok recommendations are heavily based on hashtags and understood interests. Using the right hashtags is crucial for creators to gain views, likes and followers. For users, hashtags enable them to easily find desired content or participate in trends.
Why You Might Want To Block Hashtags
One of the main reasons users may want to block certain hashtags on TikTok is to avoid spoilers or triggering content. For example, if you follow a popular TV show but haven’t watched the latest episode, you may want to block the show’s hashtag so you don’t see any spoiler videos in your For You feed. Similarly, if you find that videos with certain hashtags consistently trigger you or negatively impact your mental health, you may decide to block those hashtags.
According to some Reddit users, blocking problematic hashtags like “#momlife” or “#cutebaby” can refine your For You page and improve your TikTok experience if you don’t want to see that kind of content. [1]
Overall, blocking certain hashtags allows you to customize your feed and avoid content you don’t want to see – whether it be spoilers, triggering material, or just topics you have no interest in.
How To Block Specific Hashtags
TikTok allows you to block specific hashtags that you don’t want to see in your For You feed. Here’s how to block individual hashtags on TikTok:
- Open your TikTok profile and tap the three-line menu icon in the upper right corner.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Digital Wellbeing.
- Tap “Filter hashtags” to open the hashtag blocking screen.
- Enter the hashtag you want to block. For example, #food or #dance.
- Tap “Add” next to the hashtag to block it.
- Repeat this process to block additional hashtags as needed.
- Tap “Submit” once you’ve finished adding all the hashtags you want to block.
TikTok notes that after blocking a hashtag, you’ll no longer see content with that hashtag in your For You feed or search results. However, the hashtag will still be visible on other people’s videos and profiles.
To unblock a hashtag, go back to Settings & Privacy > Digital Wellbeing > Filtered Words and tap the “x” icon next to the hashtag you want to unblock.
Blocking Hashtag Categories
One way to block certain categories of hashtags on TikTok is by enabling Restricted Mode. According to TikTok’s help center, Restricted Mode “limits the appearance of content that may not be appropriate for all audiences” (source). When enabled, it blocks videos with mature themes, violence, and other sensitive content.
To turn on Restricted Mode:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon
- Tap the menu button in the upper right corner
- Select “Digital Wellbeing” in the app settings
- Tap “Turn On” Restricted Mode
- Set a passcode to prevent the mode from being disabled
With Restricted Mode enabled, hashtags related to sensitive topics like drugs, alcohol, and violence will be blocked from your For You feed. This can be an effective option if you want to avoid broad categories of mature content, without blocking specific hashtags manually (source). However, it’s important to note Restricted Mode isn’t 100% comprehensive, so some unwanted hashtags may still get through.
Limitations
While blocking hashtags on TikTok can be useful, there are some limitations to be aware of. One notable limitation pointed out by users on Reddit is that blocking a hashtag won’t prevent it from appearing in video captions or comments [1]. The hashtag blocking feature only applies to hashtags used in the titles/descriptions of videos. So you may still come across blocked hashtags if they are mentioned by other users in the comments or caption text of a video.
TikTok’s Help Center notes that “limiting keywords does not guarantee that all content will align with your preferences” [2]. The feature is meant to minimize the chances of seeing undesirable content, but it is not a foolproof method. Users looking for more robust blocking capabilities may need to utilize third-party apps or extensions that offer more customization.
Blocking Users To Avoid Hashtags
If a particular user frequently uses a hashtag you want to avoid, you can block that user to prevent their content with that hashtag from appearing in your feed. When you block a user on TikTok, their videos and profile will no longer show up for you.
To block a user, go to their profile page and tap the three dots icon in the upper right corner. Select “Block” to block that user. According to Dexerto, this will remove all of that user’s content from your For You feed, including any videos using hashtags you want to avoid.
Blocking individual users who frequently use an unwanted hashtag can be an effective workaround to block that hashtag if hashtag blocking has limitations. However, it takes more effort to identify and block each user posting unwanted content versus being able to block a hashtag that aggregates content from many different users.
Using Third-Party Apps
Some users may choose to use third-party apps to block TikTok hashtags. There are various apps available, such as TikTok Blocker, which allow users to block specific hashtags or categories of hashtags within the TikTok app.
Apps like TikTok Blocker work by intercepting requests made by the TikTok app and filtering out videos with undesirable hashtags. Once installed, users can select hashtags or topics they wish to block. The app will then hide any TikTok videos with those hashtags from the user’s feed.
One advantage of using a third-party app is the ability to block hashtags more comprehensively than what is natively available in the TikTok app. The main limitation is that these apps require access to notifications and other permissions, which some users may not be comfortable granting.
Potential Downsides of Blocking Hashtags
While blocking hashtags may seem like an easy way to curate your TikTok experience, there are some potential downsides to keep in mind:
Missing niche interests: One of the great things about TikTok is discovering new content niches and communities that you didn’t even know existed. By aggressively blocking hashtags, you run the risk of putting yourself in a “filter bubble” and missing out on potentially interesting content.
Filtering too much: It’s easy to go overboard with blocking and end up filtering out a large percentage of content on TikTok. This could leave your For You page feeling a bit empty. It’s generally better to block selectively rather than trying to remove entire categories of content.
According to one Reddit thread, “you don’t want to block so much that the algorithm can’t find anything for you.” It’s about finding the right balance between filtering out unwanted content while still allowing TikTok to serve you relevant videos.
Alternatives To Blocking
While blocking specific hashtags can be useful, there are some other options to consider if you want to avoid certain content on TikTok without completely blocking hashtags:
Mute
Muting allows you to avoid seeing content from specific users without unfollowing them. Their content will no longer show up in your Following feed. To mute someone, go to their profile and tap the three dots in the top right corner, then choose “Mute”
Unfollow
If you don’t want to see any content from a user, you can unfollow them and their videos will no longer appear in your feed. Go to their profile and tap “Following” to unfollow.
Cleanse Your For You Page
TikTok’s algorithm personalizes the For You page based on how you interact with content. If you are seeing unwanted hashtags, tapping “Not Interested” helps retrain the algorithm. You can also long-press on a video and choose “Not Interested” to remove that content.
Conclusion
Ultimately, while TikTok doesn’t currently have a native option to directly block specific hashtags, there are some effective workarounds. You can block individual users who commonly use the hashtag you want to avoid. You can also make use of third-party apps like TikTok Block to block not only hashtags, but also words and phrases. However, this requires handing over access and privacy to the app. The downside of blocking hashtags is that you may miss out on some content you otherwise would have wanted to see. So consider whether you can simply ignore or scroll past unwanted hashtags instead.
The main takeaways are:
- Blocking users who frequently use an unwanted hashtag can minimize your exposure
- Third-party apps like TikTok Block allow blocking hashtags, but require privacy tradeoffs
- Consider whether blocking hashtags makes you miss too much wanted content
- Ignoring or scrolling past unwanted hashtags may be a simpler solution
In the end, while not a perfect solution, blocking individual users or using a third-party app are the main ways to block hashtags and control your feed on TikTok.
