TikTok is a popular short-form video app with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide (https://www.enterpriseappstoday.com/stats/tiktok-statistics.html). It allows users to create, share, and discover short videos, typically set to music. TikTok has seen massive growth in recent years and has become one of the most downloaded apps globally.
Like other social media platforms, TikTok has a search feature that allows you to find and follow other users. You can search for friends, family members, creators, brands and more by username or hashtag. This gives you an easy way to connect with people and discover new content based on your interests. The search functionality makes it simple to find the accounts you want to see more content from in your Following feed.
Why Search for a User on TikTok?
There are a couple main reasons you may want to search for a specific user on TikTok:
Find friends/people you know – If you already know someone is on TikTok but don’t follow them yet, searching their username is the easiest way to find their profile and see their videos. This allows you to connect with friends, family members, co-workers, and other acquaintances on the platform.
Discover new content creators to follow – Exploring different users through search can help you discover new accounts that create content you’re interested in. Searching relevant topics, hashtags, or names can surface talent you may want to follow for entertainment, learning, or inspiration.
Search by Username
The simplest way to search for a known TikTok user is to type their username directly into the search bar. The search bar is located at the top of the TikTok app and website. Just tap on the magnifying glass icon to bring up the search field.
Type the exact username of the TikTok account you want to find. The username is the unique handle that identifies each account, like @charlidamelio or @tiktok. Usernames are always preceded by the @ symbol.
As soon as you start typing the username, TikTok’s search algorithm will start suggesting accounts that match. Once you’ve entered the full username, hit Search and you’ll be taken directly to that user’s profile page. This is the fastest way to find a specific TikTok account when you already know the username.
According to TikTok’s Help Center, simply typing a username into the search bar is the easiest way to find and view someone’s profile.
Search from Profile
One way to search for TikTok users is directly from a profile page. This allows you to browse the list of accounts that a particular user follows or see who their followers are. Both of these can be great sources for discovering new personalities and creators who are similar to those you already like.
To search a user’s followers or following list:
- Go to the profile page of an account you want to explore.
- Tap on either “Following” or “Followers” – located on the left side below their bio.
- This will bring up a list of users that can be scrolled through.
- Tap on any account icon or name to be taken directly to their profile.
Searching from a profile’s followers or following is useful for finding other users who are interested in similar content. For example, if you like an account that features funny cooking videos, looking at their followers may surface other amateur chefs to watch. Or viewing who they follow could introduce you to fellow food creators that inspire their content.
It’s an easy way to quickly discover relevant accounts and new people to follow based on those already in your feed. And it can introduce you to a community of like-minded users faster than browsing Hashtags or recommendations.
Discover Tab
The Discover tab on TikTok is a great way to find trending content and discover new creators organically. This section surfaces popular hashtags, sounds, and videos over the last 24 hours. By browsing what’s trending, you can easily find viral videos or jump on trending challenges.
According to Soundon, the Discover tab showcases trending songs and hashtags, allowing you to search for specific songs or browse what’s currently popular.
You can scroll through trending hashtags like #fyp, #viral, or #food to find creators and videos related to those topics. The page even provides a “Top Creator” section to showcase rising talent you may want to follow.
Overall, the Discover tab gives an inside look at the latest viral content while letting you discover new profiles more naturally than targeted searching. It’s a great way to stay on top of what’s hot on TikTok right now.
Direct Message Search
You can search your message history to find users you have previously messaged on TikTok even if you don’t remember their exact username. This can be helpful if you want to message someone again but can’t recall their profile details.
To search your direct messages on TikTok:
- Open the TikTok app and tap the inbox icon in the top right corner.
- Tap the search bar at the top of your messages.
- Type in any keywords or details you remember about the user, like their name, handle, or a snippet of a previous conversation.
- TikTok will show matching profiles from your direct message history.
- Tap on the user you were looking for to open your message thread with them.
Searching your direct messages like this can help you reconnect with previous contacts or continue conversations without needing to know their exact @ handle. It’s a handy option if you often chat with users but don’t save their profiles.
Search by Links
One way to search for a specific TikTok user is to paste their profile URL directly into the TikTok search bar. To get a user’s profile URL, go to their profile page and copy the URL from the address bar. Then open the TikTok app, tap the search icon, and paste the profile URL into the search field. TikTok will automatically pull up the user’s profile.
You can also search for users by sharing links from their videos or profiles. When you share a TikTok video or profile, it generates a unique link. If you paste that shared link into the TikTok search bar, it will again take you directly to the associated user’s profile. This is useful if you want to search for a creator after watching one of their videos somewhere outside the TikTok app.
Search Suggestions
As you type in the search bar, TikTok will provide a dropdown menu with search suggestions. These are accounts that are closely tied to the term you are searching for.
For example, if you start typing “cat”, TikTok may show account suggestions like:
- catlovers
- funnycats
- catsofTikTok
This allows you to quickly find accounts directly related to your search term, without having to finish typing out the full username. The search suggestions update in real-time as you continue typing.
Utilizing the search suggestions can help you easily locate accounts you may not have known the exact username for. It’s a handy feature when you want to find users who create content around specific topics or keywords.
Third-Party Sites
Sites like TikTokSearch.com allow more advanced searches than what is available on the main TikTok platform. These third-party sites index TikTok content and profiles, making it possible to search by keywords, hashtags, sounds, and more.
Third-party search sites can be especially helpful for finding niche interests or obscure topics that are difficult to surface using TikTok’s own search functionality. Their indexing and sorting algorithms may provide better results for specific types of searches.
Of course, always use caution and discernment when using third-party sites, as some may attempt to collect data or expose personal information. But reputable third-party search engines can provide a useful alternative method for hunting down that perfect video or unique creator you just can’t seem to find otherwise.
Tips for Easier Searching
Here are some tips to make finding other users easier on TikTok:
Follow accounts you like to surface similar users
The TikTok algorithm will recommend accounts similar to the ones you already follow. So following creators you enjoy will lead to more accounts relevant to your interests showing up in your feed and as suggestions.
Enable notifications from favorite creators
Turning on notifications for the accounts you like most will alert you whenever they post new videos or go live. You’ll stay up-to-date on their latest content.
Use relevant hashtags in your videos to connect with creators
Adding popular hashtags to your own videos makes them more discoverable to other users interested in those topics. This can help you find and connect with creators making content about your shared interests.
