Losing access to your TikTok account can be extremely frustrating. With over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world (source). For TikTok creators and influencers, an account deletion means losing followers, memories, and a creative outlet. Even regular users stand to lose connections, entertainment, and a sense of community if their account vanishes.
This article will explain the various ways TikTok accounts can be deleted, whether or not deletion is permanent, and the steps you can take to recover a lost TikTok profile. With the right techniques, it may be possible to restore your account and rebuild your TikTok presence.
Why You May Want To Recover Your TikTok Account
There are several reasons why someone may want to recover their old TikTok account:
Followers: If you had worked hard to build up a large following on your old account, getting it back allows you to retain that audience. As this article from Mike Gingerich discusses, having a substantial follower count on TikTok is important for reaching people and growing your business or influence. Losing thousands or even millions of existing followers can be incredibly detrimental.
Videos: If your old account contained videos you worked hard on and want to keep accessible, recovering the account allows you to maintain ownership over that content. Having to start fresh means losing access to all your previously posted content.
Memories and History: For some people, their TikTok account contains memories of special events, interactions, and phases of their lives. Losing this record can be upsetting. Getting the old account back allows that social history to remain intact.
Reputation: An established TikTok account with a lot of followers signals social proof and reputation. Having to rebuild that from scratch takes a lot of time and effort. Recovering your original account preserves your reputation.
In short, recovering a lost TikTok account allows you to retain the followers, content, memories, history, and reputation you had built up. Starting over means losing all of that, which is why many users seek account recovery.
How TikTok Accounts Get Deleted
There are several ways a TikTok account can get deleted:
User Deletion: TikTok users can choose to delete their own accounts through the app’s settings. This completely removes the account and all associated data.
Inactive Accounts: According to TikTok’s Inactive Account Policy, accounts that remain inactive for 180 days or more may be deleted. This frees up the username for reuse.
Violations of Terms of Service: TikTok may permanently delete accounts that violate their Community Guidelines. Common violations include hate speech, nudity, dangerous acts, and spam.
Suspicious Activity: Accounts exhibiting bot-like behavior or other suspicious activity may be removed without notice, according to TikTok. In 2022, around 18 million accounts were deleted due to suspected automation, per Statista.
In some cases, users may not understand why their account was deleted if they did not personally delete it. But reviewing TikTok’s policies can provide insight into what behaviors may have led to the removal.
Can You Recover a Deleted TikTok Account?
Yes, in many cases it is possible to recover a deleted TikTok account, as long as the deletion happened within the last 30 days. According to Business Insider, TikTok keeps deleted accounts in their system for 30 days before permanently deleting them. This gives you a 30 day window to attempt to recover your account after accidental or purposeful deletion.
So if you deleted your TikTok account within the past 30 days, recovery should be possible by following the proper steps. However, after 30 days have passed, it becomes much more difficult if not impossible to get your old TikTok account back. TikTok does this to free up usernames and space on their system over time.
The key is acting quickly if you regret deleting your TikTok account. Don’t wait longer than a month, or you may lose access to your account and all its followers, likes, and videos forever.
How To Recover Your Deleted TikTok Account
If your TikTok account was accidentally or intentionally deleted, you may be able to recover it by following these steps:
1. Download and open the TikTok app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. This will take you to the login page.
3. Tap on “Already have an account? Log in” below the sign up buttons.
4. Enter your phone number, email address or username that was associated with your deleted TikTok account and tap “Next”.
5. You will receive a 6-digit verification code to enter on the next page. Input the code and tap “Next”.
6. At this point, TikTok should recognize your credentials and prompt you to reset your password. Create a new password and tap “Next” to complete recovering your account.
If you correctly enter your old credentials but the account recovery fails, it’s possible your account was permanently deleted and can no longer be recovered. In this case, you will need to create a brand new TikTok account.
For step-by-step visuals, see this guide from WikiHow.
What To Do If Account Recovery Doesn’t Work
If you have exhausted all options for recovering your deleted TikTok account and have been unsuccessful, there are some alternative options to consider:
Contact TikTok Support: You can reach out to TikTok’s support team and explain your situation. Provide as many details as possible, such as your username, email, phone number associated with the account, and any other identifying information. TikTok may be able to further assist in account recovery efforts.Source
File an appeal: If your account was banned or disabled, you can try filing an appeal with TikTok explaining why you believe the account should be reinstated. Provide context around why you think the ban was a mistake.Source
Create a new account: As a last resort, you may need to start fresh with a new TikTok account and rebuild your presence. Focus on creating quality content and re-engaging your audience. Link to your new account from other social channels to help followers find you again.
Wait and try recovery again later: Sometimes accounts get temporarily locked or restricted. Keep trying the recovery process periodically, as TikTok may unlock accounts after a certain period of time. Persistence may pay off.
Consider taking a break from TikTok: If you are unable to recover your account, it may be healthy to take a break from the platform entirely for a while before deciding whether to create a new account. Losing an account can be frustrating, but the digital detox could be beneficial.
Preventing TikTok Account Deletion
While you can attempt to recover a deleted TikTok account, it’s always better to avoid losing your account in the first place. Here are some tips to help prevent your TikTok account from being deleted:
Enable extra security protections like two-factor authentication. This will make it harder for someone else to access and delete your account. Go to Settings > Privacy to enable.
Be careful not to violate any of TikTok’s Community Guidelines. Things like nudity, illegal activities, hate speech, and dangerous challenges can get your account banned.
Don’t buy, sell, or trade TikTok usernames, fans, likes, views, shares or verification badges. This is against TikTok’s Terms of Service.
Don’t use third-party apps or services to boost your growth on TikTok through fake likes, views, etc. Stick to growing your account organically.
Be cautious of any suspicious links or logins. Hackers may try to gain access to your account and delete it.
Check your account settings periodically and look for any unauthorized device logins or changes. Remove anything suspicious right away.
If your account is deleted by mistake, immediately file an appeal with TikTok (more details below). Act quickly, as there’s a time limit.
Overall, be a good citizen on TikTok and don’t skirt the rules. With caution and common sense, you should be able to maintain your TikTok presence.
Rebuilding Your TikTok Presence
If you are unable to recover your deleted TikTok account through the official account recovery process, you still have options to rebuild your presence on the platform.
The most straightforward option is to create a brand new TikTok account. Use a new username and email address to sign up. You can then start creating new content and building your following from scratch.
To help promote your new account, be sure to link to it from your other social media profiles. Let your followers on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube etc. know that you now have a new TikTok account they can follow.
You can also ask any TikTok friends with large followings to give you shoutouts on their accounts. This can help quickly boost your new account’s visibility and follower count.
Make an effort to recreate some of your most popular previous content if you can. This gives your new followers a taste of what made your old account great while also attracting your previous fans who stumble across the new profile.
While it takes work to rebuild a presence, if you keep at it consistently you can get back to your previous level of TikTok fame and success.
Other FAQs
Here are some other common questions about deleting and recovering TikTok accounts:
Can I delete someone else’s TikTok account?
No, you cannot delete someone else’s TikTok account. Only the account owner can delete their own TikTok account.
What happens when I delete my TikTok account?
When you delete your TikTok account, all your videos, likes, comments, and other data associated with the account will be permanently removed. Your username will also become available for anyone else to claim.
Can I temporarily deactivate my TikTok account?
Yes, you can temporarily deactivate your TikTok account instead of deleting it. This hides your profile and videos but retains all your data. You can later reactivate the account to restore access.
Is there a time limit to recover my deleted TikTok account?
You typically have 30 days after deletion to recover your TikTok account through account recovery. After 30 days, TikTok may not be able to assist with account recovery.
What if someone hacks and deletes my TikTok account?
If your account was hacked and deleted, contact TikTok support right away for help recovering it. Provide proof of ownership and details about the unauthorized access.
Conclusion
In summary, while it is possible to recover a deleted TikTok account through the account recovery process, prevention is key. Regularly back up your content, enable two-factor authentication, and be wary of any links or downloads that could compromise your account. If your account is deleted, submit an account recovery request right away and provide as much identifying information as possible. With some luck and perseverance, you may be able to get your account reinstated. However, there is no guarantee. Going forward, be vigilant about account security to avoid losing your TikTok presence.
The bottom line is that a deleted TikTok account can be difficult, if not impossible, to recover. Protect your account proactively. But if you do find yourself locked out, act quickly and provide TikTok support with as many details as you can about the account. This gives you the best chance of restoring your profile and videos.
