Changing your phone number can make accessing your TikTok account difficult if your previous number was associated with it. Since TikTok uses phone numbers for login verification and account recovery, not having access to your old number can prevent you from logging in or resetting your password. In this situation, some users opt to simply delete their account and start fresh with a new one using their updated contact information. The process of deleting a TikTok account without access to the associated phone number can seem confusing, but this guide will walk through the necessary steps.
Some reasons users may want to delete their old TikTok account after a phone number change include:
- They cannot receive verification codes to log in or reset their password
- They do not have access to the email on file for password recovery
- They want to link their new phone number to a TikTok account
- They no longer use or want their old account
While recovering account access is sometimes possible by contacting TikTok support, deleting the old account completely and starting fresh is usually faster and simpler after a major phone number change. The process involves a few key steps, which we will cover in this guide.
Log Into Your TikTok Account
The first step to deleting your Tiktok account after changing your number is to log into your existing Tiktok account. Since you no longer have access to the phone number associated with the account, you’ll need to log in through an alternative method.
The easiest way is to log in using the email address associated with your Tiktok account. Simply go to the Tiktok login page and click “Log In with Email” instead of “Log In with Phone Number.” Enter your email address and password to access your account.
If you don’t have the password, you can reset it by clicking “Forgot password?” on the login page and following the instructions to reset your password via email. Once you’ve reset your password, log into your account with your email and new password.
According to https://www.alphr.com/tiktok-recover-password-without-email-phone/, if you don’t have access to the email or password for your account, you can submit a feedback form to Tiktok to try to regain access to your account.
Remove Your Phone Number
To remove your old phone number from your TikTok account, you need to access the account settings. Here are the steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy” from the menu.
4. Tap “Manage account” and then “Account info”.
5. Under “Contact info”, tap on your phone number.
6. Tap “Remove phone number” and confirm.
Your old phone number will now be disconnected from your TikTok account. This is an important step to complete before deleting your account, as it ensures the account is no longer linked to that number.
If you try to delete your account without removing your old number first, you may encounter issues or be unable to fully delete the account. Removing the old number ahead of time prevents any problems.
Confirm Your Identity
TikTok will require you to confirm your identity before allowing you to delete your account. This is to prevent unauthorized account deletions. Since you no longer have access to your old phone number associated with your TikTok account, you will need to confirm your identity via email or by adding a new phone number to your account.
To confirm your identity via email:
- In the TikTok app, tap the “Me” icon in the bottom right.
- Go to your profile settings and tap “Manage account” then “Account information”.
- Tap “Verify by email” and enter the email address associated with your TikTok account.
- TikTok will send a 6-digit verification code to that email. Enter the code in the app when prompted.
Once your email is verified, you can proceed to delete your TikTok account.
Alternatively, you can add a new phone number to your TikTok account to confirm your identity:
- In the TikTok app, go to your profile and tap “Edit profile”.
- Tap “Add phone number” and enter your new number.
- TikTok will send a 6-digit code to your new number. Enter it in the app when prompted.
Once your new phone number is verified, you can continue to delete your account.
Verifying your identity via email or new phone number is required by TikTok before you can delete your account if you no longer have access to your old number. This extra step helps prevent unauthorized account deletions.
Delete Your Account
Deleting your TikTok account will permanently remove your profile, videos, likes, comments, and followers. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you really want to delete your account before proceeding. Here are the steps to delete your TikTok account through the app:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the three lines menu icon in the top right corner to open the side menu.
3. Select “Settings and privacy” from the menu.
4. Tap on “Account” and then “Delete account.”
5. You will be prompted to confirm your password. Enter your account password and tap “Next.”
6. Select a reason for deleting your account and tap “Delete.”
7. Read the warning pop-up carefully. If you still wish to delete, tap “Confirm.”
Your account will now be scheduled for deletion. TikTok states it takes up to 30 days for accounts to be completely removed from their systems. You will not be able to recover your account or content once deleted.
Delete from a Computer
If you can’t delete your TikTok account through the mobile app, you can do it through the desktop website:
- Go to https://www.tiktok.com and log into your account on the desktop site.
- Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select “Settings”.
- Scroll down and click on “Delete account”.
- Select a reason for deleting your account.
- Enter your password to confirm deletion.
- Click “Permanently delete”.
Your TikTok account will then be scheduled for deletion. It can take up to 30 days for your account to be completely removed from TikTok’s systems.
Wait for Account Deletion
After requesting account deletion, it takes some time for TikTok to fully delete your account and all associated data. According to TikTok’s support page, “It may take up to 30 days from the beginning of the deactivation process until we delete all information related to your account.”
During this waiting period, your account will be deactivated and inaccessible to you or anyone else. You won’t be able to log in or use the account. TikTok states they need this time to ensure they can delete all your information from their servers.
You’ll receive an email confirmation once your account and information is fully deleted by TikTok. After 30 days, if you try to log in, the account will no longer exist.
Be patient during the waiting period and don’t try to reactivate or log into your account. This will interrupt the deletion process. Wait for TikTok to complete deleting everything on their own timeframe.
Reactivating Your Account
If users change their mind, they have 30 days to reverse account deletion through TikTok support. According to Business Insider, TikTok allows users to recover a deleted account within 30 days by contacting TikTok support. After 30 days, deleted accounts are permanently removed from TikTok’s system and can no longer be recovered.
To reactivate a recently deleted TikTok account:
- Open the TikTok app and tap ‘Sign up’.
- Enter the username, email, or phone number associated with the deleted account.
- Select ‘Forgot password’ instead of creating a new account.
- Follow the instructions to verify your identity and reset your password.
- Log in with your credentials to reactivate the deleted TikTok account.
This process will only work within 30 days of account deletion. After that, there is no way to recover a deleted TikTok account. Users should act fast if they regret deleting their account, and promptly contact TikTok support for assistance reactivating it.
Create a New Account
If you still want to use TikTok after deleting your old account, you can create a new account with your new phone number by following these steps:
- Download the TikTok app on your device if you don’t already have it.
- Open the app and tap “Sign up.”
- Enter your new phone number and tap “Send code.”
- Enter the verification code sent to your new number.
- Create a username and password for your new account.
- Accept the Terms of Service and tap “Next.”
- You can now personalize your profile and start using your new TikTok account.
Just make sure to use your new phone number when signing up. You’ll be able to create a fresh TikTok account while still using the app with your updated contact information.
Conclusion
In summary, deleting your TikTok account if you’ve changed your phone number involves:
- Logging into your TikTok account on the app or website
- Going to your account settings and removing your current phone number
- Verifying your identity through email or a new phone number
- Selecting the “Delete account” option and confirming your choice
Before deleting your TikTok account, be absolutely certain this is what you want to do. Once your account is deleted, it is permanent and cannot be restored. Any videos, likes, comments, and followers will be removed and unrecoverable.
If you simply want to start fresh but may want access to your content later, deactivating your account temporarily hides it for 30 days, after which it can be reactivated with your log-in credentials. Only delete your TikTok account if you are entirely certain.
