If you search for a TikTok user’s profile and get a “User not found” error, it could mean a few different things. The user may have blocked you, deleted or deactivated their account, changed their username, or got banned by TikTok.
You may have been blocked
One of the most common reasons for the “User not found” error on TikTok is that the user has blocked you. When you are blocked by someone, you can no longer view their profile or any of their content.
There are a few reasons a TikTok user may have decided to block you:
- You commented something offensive or inappropriate on their videos.
- You were engaging in harassment or bullying behavior toward them.
- They didn’t know you and wanted to block random followers.
- They were blocking a lot of people to get a smaller following.
If you think you may have been blocked, here are some signs to look out for:
- You can’t view the user’s profile or see their videos.
- Your comments on their videos have disappeared.
- You can no longer reply to their comments.
- You are no longer following them even though you didn’t unfollow.
Being blocked on TikTok is permanent unless the user decides to unblock you. So if you believe you were blocked by mistake or unfairly, your only option is to try contacting the user directly through another social media platform and ask them to unblock you.
They deleted or deactivated their TikTok account
Another possibility is that the TikTok user deleted their account, which would completely remove their profile and all their videos. They also may have deactivated their account, which hides their content until they log back in.
Here are some common reasons a user may delete or deactivate their TikTok account:
- They wanted to take a break from TikTok for a while.
- They were receiving harassment or negative comments.
- They wanted more privacy and decided to leave TikTok.
- Their parents forced them to delete their account.
- They got in trouble at school or work for their videos.
If the account was deleted, the user would have to sign up for TikTok again using a new username. With deactivation, their username will remain taken but their content will be hidden. So if you try searching their username and still get the “User not found” error, it’s likely they deleted their account.
They changed their username
TikTok users are able to change their username at any time without deleting their account. So it’s possible the user you were searching for changed their username, causing their old profile to show the “User not found” message.
Some reasons for changing a TikTok username include:
- Wanting a new username that better fits their brand or persona.
- Their old username was difficult to find or spell.
- They were trying to make their username match other social media platforms.
- They gained a large following and wanted a simpler name.
When a user changes their username, TikTok will save that username for 14 days before making it available to new users. So within two weeks of a name change, searching the old username will still result in “User not found.”
If you think the user may have changed their name, here are some ways you can try to find their new profile:
- Check their bio link or other social media accounts connected to TikTok.
- Look through the accounts you follow to see if they follow the user’s new profile.
- Try searching parts of their name or relevant keywords.
- Use the TikTok search bar to lookup their previous video titles.
Their account was banned by TikTok
In some cases, users will search a TikTok profile and find it missing because the account was banned for violating community guidelines. TikTok has a strict set of rules around appropriate content, and those who repeatedly break the rules may have their account banned.
Some of the reasons TikTok will ban an account include:
- Posting illegal, dangerous or inappropriate content.
- Violating copyright or intellectual property rules.
- Impersonating another person or brand.
- Engaging in abusive behavior toward other users.
- Using bots, third-party apps or other methods to inflate popularity.
When an account gets banned, the user will no longer be able to access it or post new content. They may choose to create a new account, but it will have to start fresh with no followers or previous videos.
Banned accounts can appeal the decision within 30 days, but TikTok rarely overturns bans unless there was a mistake. So if you find a user’s profile missing due to a ban, chances are their account is gone for good.
What to do if you get the “User not found” message
When you search for a TikTok user and are met with the “Couldn’t find this account” error, don’t panic. Here are some tips on what to do next:
- Check other social media – See if you can find them on Instagram, Twitter, etc using the same username.
- Ask around – If you have mutual friends, ask if they know the username changed or what happened to the account.
- Use the whole name – Search the full name as it could be listed on their profile to find any new accounts.
- Refresh the app – Sometimes closing and reopening TikTok can help the profile show up again.
- Wait a few days – If they deactivated or changed the name, it may take some time to show up in search.
If none of these work and the profile is still gone, they likely either blocked you, deleted their account, or got banned. At that point, you will have to either move on or try contacting them elsewhere if you really need to reach them.
Prevent your own TikTok account from being “User not found”
To avoid having your own TikTok profile deleted or banned, be sure to:
- Follow all community guidelines and avoid posting illegal or dangerous content.
- Be respectful and avoid harassing other users in your comments.
- Don’t buy fake followers or use bots that could get your account deleted.
- Turn on comment filters to block offensive or bullying comments.
- Report users who are bullying or impersonating you.
- Don’t violate copyright laws with your videos.
- Keep backup copies of your videos in case the account is deleted.
Staying on TikTok’s good side will help prevent your account from unexpectedly disappearing! But if you do need to take a break, deactivate instead of deleting so you can take your followers and videos with you if you return.
Being blocked or losing access to a TikTok profile can be disappointing. But in most cases, you have options like reaching out elsewhere, finding their new account, or even asking to be unblocked. By taking the right steps after seeing the “User not found” message, you may be able to reconnect with a lost TikTok friend.