The short answer is no, people cannot see your browsing history on TikTok. TikTok does not make users’ browsing history public or visible to other users. Your viewing and engagement activity within the TikTok app stays private.
What Browsing History Does TikTok Keep Track Of?
When you use TikTok, the app does keep track of some of your activity and browsing history within the app. This includes:
- Videos you’ve liked
- Videos you’ve commented on
- Videos you’ve shared
- Accounts you follow
- Search terms you’ve used
- Your interests based on the content you view and engage with
TikTok uses this information internally to personalize the content it shows you in your For You feed. So your browsing history helps shape the algorithm behind what videos you see recommended on your feed.
Who Can See Your TikTok Browsing History?
While TikTok keeps track of your browsing history and activity internally, it does not make that information visible to other regular users. The only entity that can see your full browsing history on TikTok is TikTok itself.
Some parts of your activity may be displayed publicly but in a very limited capacity:
- Your list of followers and who you follow is public.
- The comments you leave on videos are public.
- Likes and shares are anonymous and not public.
So ordinary TikTok users cannot see your full browsing history or search history within the app. Certain account settings can also limit how much of your activity is displayed publicly.
Protecting Your Browsing History on TikTok
If you want to browse TikTok more privately, there are a few steps you can take:
- Use a private account – this limits visibility of your followers/following list and likes.
- Turn off video viewing history in Privacy settings – this stops TikTok from using your viewing history for recommendations.
- Delete videos from your viewing history – you can remove individual videos from your history.
- Turn on Incognito mode – stops any viewing activity from being logged while it’s enabled.
You also may want to be cautious about:
- Logging in on someone else’s device – they may then see your account and activity in their history
- Commenting extensively – your commenting history is public
- Following accounts that reveal your interests
Being thoughtful about these activities can help you maintain your privacy.
Can TikTok Employees See Your History?
Employees at TikTok likely do have access to users’ data including browsing history. This allows them to analyze engagement, improve the algorithms, and manage inappropriate content.
TikTok has policies in place limiting employee access to user data to only what is necessary for an employee to do their work. But theoretically employees with the right authorization could look up your personal browsing history.
When TikTok Would Disclose Your Information
In certain circumstances, TikTok may share user information like browsing history externally to third parties:
- To comply with legal requirements like subpoenas, court orders, or other government requests
- As part of merger, sale, or acquisition of TikTok
- To protect the safety of users or the public
So while TikTok treats browsing data as private and confidential, exceptions could occur in special cases.
Using TikTok on a Shared Device
If you use TikTok on a shared device, like a family computer or a friend’s phone, it’s important to remember:
- Other users may be able to see your TikTok viewing history on that device in their own TikTok account history.
- Clear your TikTok history in settings after using a shared device.
- Log out of your account when finished using TikTok on a shared device.
This will help prevent your browsing activity being visible to the next person who uses that device.
Does Deleting TikTok Delete Your History?
If you delete your TikTok account, TikTok says the majority of your account information is deleted from their servers within 30 days. However:
- Information may persist in backup copies for up to an additional 90 days.
- Certain types of data may be retained for longer periods if necessary for TikTok’s legal obligations.
So deleting your account will eventually remove your browsing history, but remnants of your data could persist temporarily. This is standard for most apps and online services.
In Summary
- Your TikTok browsing history is not visible to other users – only to TikTok itself.
- You have options to browse more privately like using Incognito Mode.
- Employees could theoretically access user histories but are limited by company policies.
- Deleting your account will eventually erase your browsing history.
While not fully invisible, your TikTok browsing is relatively private from other users. Take precautions like logging out on shared devices and limiting what content you engage with publicly.