TikTok is a popular short-form video app that allows users to create, share, and discover short videos. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become one of the most used social media platforms in the world. One common question people have is whether TikTok keeps track of your searches on the app. So does TikTok have search history and are your searches private?
The short answer is yes, TikTok does keep track of the searches you make within the app. However, this search history is private and is not visible to anyone else besides you. TikTok stores your search history to personalize your experience on the app and recommend relevant content. But there is no way for other users to see what you have searched for.
Where to find your TikTok search history
Your TikTok search history is accessible only to you when you are logged into your account. Here are the steps to view it:
- Open the TikTok app on your mobile device and log into your account.
- Tap on the profile icon on the bottom right to access your profile page.
- On your profile, tap on the three horizontal lines “hamburger” menu icon on the top right corner.
- This will open the menu. Look for and tap on “Settings and privacy”.
- Under “Settings and privacy”, tap on “Content and Activity”.
- Under “Content and Activity”, you will see “Search history”. Tap on it.
- This will open your search history page showing all past searches you have made from your account.
So your TikTok search history is located in your account settings. Only you can access it when logged into your profile. It contains a log of all keywords, usernames, hashtags and sounds you have searched for within TikTok.
How long does TikTok store your search history?
TikTok does not specify exactly how long they keep your search history for. However, from user reports, it seems that TikTok stores your search history for the last 30 days. Searches older than 30 days seem to disappear from the history.
So you can expect your search history to show the keywords, usernames, hashtags and sounds you have searched for in the last 30 days or one month. Older searches get automatically deleted.
Can you delete your TikTok search history?
Yes, TikTok allows you to delete parts of or your entire search history if you want to. Here are the steps to clear your search history on TikTok:
- Open TikTok app and go to your search history page.
- Tap on “Edit” at the top right.
- This will put your search history in edit mode. Tap on the “X” icon next to any individual searches you want to delete.
- To mass delete, tap on “Clear all” at the bottom to delete your entire TikTok search history.
- Tap “Done” to exit edit mode. The searches you selected will now be deleted.
So you do have the option to selectively remove certain searches or clear your entire history in one go. This is useful if you performed searches you no longer want recorded in your account history. The process is simple and fast on the TikTok app.
Does deleting search history impact your recommendations?
Deleting your search history does not have a big impact on your recommendations and For You Page (FYP) on TikTok. This is because TikTok personalizes your feed based on many signals beyond just search history, such as:
- Videos you like, share, comment on
- Accounts you follow
- Content in your camera roll
- Videos you fully watch
- Your interactions over time
Search history is just one small component of the recommendation algorithm. So clearing it does not suddenly change your FYP content. TikTok will simply rely more on your other interactions to serve relevant videos.
In summary, deleting part or all of your search history will not drastically affect the recommendations you see. TikTok’s algorithm is robust enough to continue suggesting personalized content without it.
Can someone else see your TikTok search history?
No, your TikTok search history is private and cannot be accessed by anyone else besides you. There is no way for other users, even your friends and followers, to see the keywords, usernames, sounds etc. that you have searched for.
TikTok keeps your search history private as a security measure. Since search history can reveal a lot about a user’s interests and identity, TikTok limits it to just your eyes. This prevents misuse of your data.
So you never have to worry about your searches being exposed to others on TikTok without your consent. They have no way to peek into your history or profile and view that information.
TikTok search history is not visible to:
- Other users
- Friends/followers
- Contacts
- TikTok employees
- Advertisers
- Third-party apps
No one besides you can ever gain access. So feel free to search for whatever you want on TikTok without feeling self-conscious.
Should you clear your TikTok search history?
Most users don’t need to bother clearing their TikTok search history. As we’ve discussed, it is private and does not impact your feed recommendations too heavily. However, here are some cases when you may want to delete searches:
- Irrelevant searches – Clear one-off searches for random keywords that do not represent your interests.
- Mistakes – Delete searches made by accident such as mistypes.
- Privacy – If your device is shared, delete searches to avoid revealing your interests.
- Sensitive topics – Remove searches related to controversial or private subjects.
For most users under normal circumstances, cleaning search history is unnecessary. But the option is there if you need to quickly delete certain searches.
Tips to manage your TikTok search history
Here are some tips to give you better control over your TikTok search history:
- Periodically review your history to delete anything irrelevant or embarrassing.
- Use alternate keywords to avoid searches appearing out of context.
- Be cautious when searching sensitive topics if your device is shared.
- Enable two-factor authentication for extra security.
- Report suspicious login activity to keep your account safe.
- Frequently change your password to a strong one.
Following these best practices allows you to reap the benefits of personalized recommendations while minimizing risks associated with stored search history data.
In Closing
To wrap up, TikTok does keep a private record of your search history that only you can access. This data helps serve you relevant content. Your search history persists for about one month before getting automatically deleted. You can also manually remove searches at any time. And there is no way for other users or third parties to view your history without your consent. So feel free to search and explore videos on TikTok without worrying about privacy!