With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. This article will examine what happens to your TikTok account when you delete the TikTok app from your device. We’ll cover account deactivation versus deletion, whether deleting the app deletes your account data, how to reactivate a deactivated account, and considerations around using TikTok without the mobile app. Understanding the relationship between the TikTok app and your account is important for managing your presence and data on the platform.
Deleting the App
When you delete the TikTok app from your device, it does not automatically delete your TikTok account or associated data. Your profile, videos, likes, followers, and other account information will remain intact and stored by TikTok even after the app is deleted. Simply removing the app does not deactivate or delete the account itself (Source: https://www.komando.com/security-privacy/how-to-delete-tiktok/863691/).
Deleting the TikTok app only removes the software from your device. Your account and all associated data stay active on TikTok’s servers. You can log back into your account, with your videos, followers, and likes intact, by redownloading the app or logging in on another device. The account and data are not affected by deleting the app alone.
In order to fully delete your TikTok presence, you need to take additional steps to either deactivate or delete your account, which permanently removes your data from TikTok’s servers. Simply removing the app from your device does not delete or deactivate the account itself.
Account Deactivation
Deactivating your TikTok account is different from just deleting the app from your device. When you deactivate your account, it is temporarily disabled but not permanently deleted. Your profile, videos, likes, followers, and other data will be hidden, but not erased. According to TikTok’s support site, to deactivate your account you need to:
- In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
- Tap the Menu ☰ button at the top.
- Tap Settings and privacy.
- Tap Manage account > Deactivate account.
- Select a reason for deactivating and confirm.
Deactivating your account through the app itself is different from simply deleting the app, which does not affect your account status. Your TikTok account remains active even if you delete the app from your device [1]. You need to take the extra steps of going into your account settings and selecting “Deactivate account” to temporarily disable your profile.
The main difference is deactivating pauses your account whereas deleting the app does not. Deactivating can be reversed by logging back in, while deleting the app does not delete anything unless you fully delete your account separately.
Account Deletion
To delete your TikTok account permanently so that it is gone for good, follow these steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile by tapping the “Me” icon.
2. Tap the menu icon in the top right corner and select “Settings and privacy.”
3. Choose “Account” and then “Deactivate account.”
4. Tap “Delete account” and select “Delete account permanently.”
5. Enter your phone number or email address used for your account and password when prompted.
6. Review your account info and select “Delete account.”
Once you fully delete your account, your profile, videos, likes, comments, and all other data will be permanently removed from TikTok within 30 days. You will not be able to reactivate or restore the account after deletion. If you want to use TikTok again in the future, you will have to create a brand new account.
According to TikTok’s support site, “Once an account has been deleted, it and all associated data cannot be retrieved.” So only delete your account if you are absolutely certain you want it gone for good. [1]
Data Deletion
There is an important distinction between simply deleting the TikTok app vs actually deactivating or deleting your TikTok account. When you delete the TikTok app from your device, your account and all of your data still exist on TikTok’s servers. Your profile, videos, likes, comments, messages, and all other account information remain stored by TikTok and can be accessed again if you redownload the app and log back into your account.
According to TikTok’s support page, “Deleting the app from your device does not delete your account” (https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/deleting-an-account).
In contrast, if you formally deactivate or delete your TikTok account through the account deletion process, your data is removed from TikTok’s servers and your account is disabled. Deactivating your account hides your profile and removes your content from other users’ feeds, but your data is stored for up to 30 days in case you want to reactivate. Deleting your account permanently erases your profile, removes your content from TikTok’s servers, and disables your account.
According to TikTok, “Once an account has been deleted, your profile, videos, comments, likes, and followers will be permanently removed” (https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/deleting-an-account). So if your goal is to erase your TikTok presence and data, you need to formally delete your account, not just the app.
Reactivating Account
If you change your mind after deactivating your TikTok account, you can easily reactivate it within 30 days of deactivation. Here is how to reactivate your deactivated TikTok account:
- Log into your TikTok account using the same username and password you previously used.
- Tap on the “Reactivate” button to recover your deactivated account.
According to TikTok’s support article, “To reactivate your TikTok account: 1. Log into your account with the same login credentials you previously used. 2. Tap Reactivate to recover your account.” (https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/deleting-an-account/deactivate-your-account)
As long as you reactivate within 30 days, you will be able to fully restore your deactivated TikTok account, along with all your previous videos, likes, comments, and followers. Keep in mind that if you wait longer than 30 days, TikTok will automatically delete your account and data, and reactivation will no longer be possible.
Considerations
Before deleting the TikTok app or your account, there are some important factors to consider:
– Your Favorites list. Any videos or creators you’ve favorited will be erased if you delete your account. You may want to compile a list of your Favorites before deleting. source
– Messages and notifications. TikTok conversations and notifications will be permanently deleted. If you want to save conversations, you’ll need to screenshot them before deleting your account. source
– Videos you’ve posted. If you delete your account, all the videos you’ve shared on TikTok will be removed. Downloading and saving your videos can let you access them later. source
– Profile and settings. Any profile info, settings, and linked accounts will be erased if you delete your TikTok account. Review your profile and settings beforehand if you want to remember them.
Taking the time to download your videos, favorites, messages, and other data before deletion allows you to preserve your TikTok content if you later decide to reactivate your account.
TikTok Without the App
There are a few different ways to access and watch TikTok content without downloading or using the mobile app. The most straightforward way is to use the TikTok website on a desktop or mobile browser. Simply go to tiktok.com and you can browse videos and creators just like in the app.
You don’t need to create an account to watch content on the TikTok website. However, you won’t be able to like, comment, post, or follow creators without an account. The web experience includes recommendations based on what’s trending and popular, but it may not be personalized to your interests like when logged into an account.
Additionally, you can find an abundance of TikTok videos posted on other platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Many TikTok creators will repost their videos natively to other sites. There are also compilation channels on YouTube that collect and repost viral TikToks. While not the full experience, this allows watching TikTok videos elsewhere.
Summary
In summary, deleting the TikTok app from your device does not delete your TikTok account. The app and account are separate. Deleting the app simply removes the app from your device, but your profile, videos, likes, comments, and all other account data remain intact on TikTok’s servers. Your account can still be accessed by logging in on another device or the website.
To fully delete your account, you must go through the account deletion process in the app’s settings or on TikTok’s website. This will remove all your account data from TikTok’s servers. However, some data may persist in backups for a limited time. Once deleted, your account cannot be reactivated. The only way to use TikTok again is to create a brand new account.
In most cases, deleting just the app but not your account is sufficient if you want to stop using TikTok temporarily. Fully deleting your account erases your profile and data permanently, so only do this if you are certain you never want to use TikTok again. Either way, TikTok will no longer be able to collect new data from you once you delete the app from your devices.
Conclusions
In summary, deleting the TikTok app from your device does not automatically delete your TikTok account. You still need to go through the account deactivation or deletion process, either on the website or by contacting TikTok support. Simply removing the app only disconnects that device from accessing your account.
If you are looking to take a break from TikTok or want to permanently delete your account, be sure to go through the proper steps. Don’t assume your account will be deleted if you just remove the app. You can always reinstall the app later and access your account again if it wasn’t properly deactivated or deleted.
When in doubt, reach out to TikTok support directly. They can walk you through how to properly close your account if that is your intent. Taking this step avoids any confusion and ensures your account is fully deleted along with your personal data.
Overall, carefully consider your reasons for leaving TikTok before deleting your account. Perhaps merely deleting the app gives you the break you need. But if you are committed to permanently closing your account, be sure to fully deactivate and delete it through TikTok’s official channels.
