Why You Might Want To Delete Your TikTok Account
There are a few key reasons why someone may want to delete their TikTok account and start over:
Wanting a fresh start. If your old videos or account no longer represent who you are or what you want to portray on TikTok, deleting your account to create a new one can give you a clean slate to rebrand yourself.
Being embarrassed by old videos. Many TikTok users create silly, cringe-worthy, or controversial videos when they first join that they later regret. Wiping the slate clean by deleting your account removes any embarrassing old content.
Feeling addicted. Studies show TikTok can be highly addictive and have negative mental health impacts. Deleting your account could help break an unhealthy addiction to endlessly scrolling.
Wanting a break. If TikTok is taking up too much time and mental energy, deleting your account can provide a reset so you can take a deliberate break and focus on other priorities.
Concerns over privacy or safety. You may wish to delete your TikTok account due to data privacy issues or interactions that made you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Changing interests. If you no longer enjoy creating or engaging with content on TikTok, starting fresh with a new account centered around your current interests can reinvigorate your experience.
How To Permanently Delete Your TikTok Account
Deleting your TikTok account permanently removes your profile and all associated data from TikTok’s servers. Here are the step-by-step instructions to permanently delete your TikTok account through the app’s settings:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the menu icon in the top right corner (it looks like three horizontal lines).
- Select “Settings and privacy” from the menu.
- Tap on “Account” and then select “Delete account”.
- Enter your password when prompted to confirm your identity.
- Select “Permanently delete my account”.
Once you complete these steps, your TikTok account will be permanently deleted. This action cannot be reversed, so make sure you want to delete your account before proceeding. TikTok notes the permanent deletion process can take up to 30 days to complete.
Confirm Account Deletion
When you try to delete your TikTok account, you’ll first be sent a confirmation email to the email address associated with your account. This is an important security measure to ensure you really want to delete your account permanently. The email will contain a link that you need to click to confirm the account deletion.
Once you successfully confirm, your account will be disabled for 30 days before being permanently deleted. During this 30 day window, your profile, videos, likes, followers, and all other data associated with your account will not be accessible. The purpose of the 30 day wait period is to give you a chance to reverse the deletion if you change your mind and want to keep using your account.
If you do not cancel the deletion within 30 days, your account and all its data will be permanently erased from TikTok’s servers. There will be no way to regain access or recover anything from the account after that point. So be absolutely certain before confirming the deletion.
Some key things to know about the confirmation process:
- You must click the link in the confirmation email within 48 hours or it will expire
- The email can end up in spam, so check carefully
- Use the email address associated with your TikTok account
- You cannot undo confirmation once you click the link
Overall, the confirmation steps are designed to make sure you fully intend to delete your TikTok presence before taking this permanent action. It is not reversible once confirmed, so be sure before proceeding.
Downloading Your TikTok Data
Before deleting your TikTok account, you may want to download a copy of your TikTok data for safekeeping. This allows you to preserve your videos, messages, profile information, likes, comments and more. Here are the steps to download your TikTok data:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner and select “Privacy and settings”.
3. Select “Data and permissions” under “Account”.
4. Tap on “Request data” and select the types of data you want to download. This can include your videos, messages, login activity, comments, profile info, and more.
5. Tap “Next” and enter your email address to receive download instructions.
6. TikTok will prepare a downloadable file with your selected data. This may take a few days.
7. Once ready, TikTok will email you instructions to download your data within 4 days before it expires. Download the .zip file to your device.
It’s important to download your TikTok data for safekeeping before deleting your account. This preserves your videos, images and other information from being permanently lost if you later decide to start fresh with a new TikTok account. For details, visit TikTok’s help page on requesting your data.
What Happens When You Delete TikTok Account
When you delete your TikTok account, the action is permanent and irreversible. All of your account data including videos, likes, comments, messages, effects, drafts, and followers will be permanently erased from TikTok’s servers (1). You will no longer be able to access your account or any of its content. According to TikTok, once an account is deleted it cannot be reactivated (2).
Deleting your TikTok account also removes the app from any devices you have it installed on. You may need to manually delete the app from your device after deleting your account. Any login information or autofill data saved on your device will also be erased after deleting your TikTok account.
If you sign up for TikTok again in the future with the same email, phone number, or device, your new account will not have any association with your previous deleted account. You will essentially be starting fresh without any of your old data.
Sources:
(1) https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/deleting-an-account/deleting-an-account
(2) https://www.today.com/money/how-delete-tiktok-account-2020-t190205
Waiting To Create A New TikTok Account
If you want to completely start over on TikTok with a brand new account, you’ll need to wait before creating a new account after deleting your old one. TikTok’s inactive account policy states that deleted accounts remain dormant for 30 days before being permanently removed from TikTok’s systems (source). During this 30 day waiting period, you cannot create a new TikTok account using the same email address, phone number, or device that was associated with your old deleted account.
TikTok does this to prevent people from immediately reactivating or creating duplicate accounts after deleting their profiles. You’ll need to use a completely new email address and phone number if you want to sign up for a different TikTok account right after deleting your old one. It’s best to wait the full 30 days as outlined in TikTok’s inactive account policy before creating a brand new account and starting completely fresh.
Creating A New TikTok Account
After waiting the required amount of time after deleting your previous TikTok account, you can create a brand new account from scratch using the same email address. Here are the steps:
- Download the TikTok app from the App Store if you are using an iPhone, or Google Play Store if you are using an Android device.
- Open the TikTok app and tap “Sign Up”.
- Enter your email address (the same one used for your previous account) and tap “Next”.
- Enter a new username, password, and fill out any other required information. Make sure to choose a different username from your previous one.
- Agree to the Terms of Service and tap “Next”.
- You may be prompted to verify your email or phone number. Follow any additional steps to complete your new account setup.
Once your new account is created, you’ll essentially have a fresh start on TikTok. Your previous content, likes, followers, etc will not carry over to the new account.
Rebuilding Your Follower Base
Rebuilding your follower base after starting a new TikTok account can take some time and effort. Here are some tips to help regain followers:
Post consistently – try to post at least 1-3 times per day to stay active and visible on people’s For You pages. Consistency helps the TikTok algorithm recommend your content.
Use relevant hashtags – include a mix of popular and niche hashtags in your captions to help the right users find your content.
Engage with others – like, comment on, duet, and stitch videos from accounts similar to yours. This helps expose your account to new potential followers.
Collaborate with others – consider doing “follow trains” or collaborating with similar accounts to cross-promote each other’s content.
Run contests/giveaways – this incentivizes people to follow you, like and share your content for a chance to win a prize.
Go live – broadcasting live videos also helps expose your account to new viewers searching by trending hashtags or topics.
Leverage other platforms – promote your new TikTok account on your other social media platforms to drive your existing followers to it.
Stay patient and keep creating high-quality content focused on your niche. With time, consistency, and good content, you can rebuild a solid follower base.
Connecting With Old Followers
One of the best ways to reconnect with your old followers on your new TikTok account is by promoting it on your other social media platforms. For example, you can post on your Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook that you’ve started a new TikTok account and encourage people to follow you there.
You can also add links to your new TikTok account in your Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook profiles. This makes it easy for your existing followers on those platforms to find and follow your new TikTok account.
Additionally, you may want to post some of your new TikTok videos on other platforms like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. This gives existing followers another place to discover your new TikTok account.
When posting on your other accounts, be sure to use your new TikTok handle and relevant hashtags so that people can easily search and find your new profile.
While buying followers may seem like a quick way to regain your old follower count, it is not recommended. Purchased followers are often bots or fake accounts that will not actually engage with your content. Focus instead on creating great new content and leveraging your other social platforms to direct real followers to your new account organically.
With a bit of time and promotion, you can reconnect with old followers who will appreciate your new TikTok content. Just be patient, persistent, and creative in how you share your new account!
A Fresh Start On TikTok
Restarting your TikTok account can give you a chance to have a fresh start on the platform. After taking a break and deleting your old account, creating a new account allows you to rebuild your presence with a clean slate. You can craft a new brand, aesthetic, and content strategy without being tied down by your previous videos and statistics. Resetting your account also gives you an opportunity to re-engage and grow your audience organically, without relying on your prior follower count. When starting over, focus on high-quality content that represents your best work. Be consistent, engage with your new viewers, use relevant hashtags, and take advantage of TikTok’s promotional tools. Patience and persistence are key – it may take time to regain an audience. But a refreshed perspective and dedication to improving your content can ultimately help you thrive on TikTok in the long-term.
