If you’re having issues with the TikTok search bar on your iPhone, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to get it working again. The search bar is a key feature on TikTok that allows you to find videos, sounds, hashtags, and creators, so you’ll want to get it up and running.
Quick Answer
Here are the main ways to fix the TikTok search bar on your iPhone:
- Close and reopen the TikTok app
- Update the TikTok app
- Check your internet connection
- Restart your iPhone
- Delete and reinstall TikTok
- Clear the TikTok app cache
In most cases, simply closing and reopening TikTok or checking your internet connection will resolve search bar issues. For ongoing problems, updating TikTok, restarting your iPhone, or reinstalling the app usually fixes any glitches. Read on for more details on these solutions.
Restart the TikTok App
The easiest troubleshooting step is to close down TikTok completely and then restart it. This refreshes the app and reconnects all features. Follow these instructions:
- Double click the Home button on your iPhone to bring up open apps.
- Swipe up on the TikTok app preview to fully close it.
- Open TikTok again from your Home screen.
Now try using the search bar again. Often a basic restart is all that’s needed to reset minor glitches.
Check Your Internet Connection
Issues with the TikTok search bar may stem from internet connectivity problems. Check that your iPhone has a stable WiFi or cellular data connection:
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and ensure you’re connected to a network.
- Alternatively go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and check that Cellular Data is turned on.
Load a web page in Safari to double check that your internet access is working normally. If not, move to a location with better connectivity or troubleshoot your WiFi issues.
Update the TikTok App
An outdated version of TikTok can cause search bar malfunctions. TikTok frequently releases new versions of the app with bug fixes and performance improvements.
Follow these steps to update TikTok:
- Go to the App Store on your iPhone.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right.
- Scroll down and tap Update next to TikTok if an update is available.
- Enter your App Store password or use Touch ID if prompted.
Updating TikTok ensures you’re running the latest version with fixes for known issues. This often resolves problems like search not working.
Restart Your iPhone
If you’re still having no luck with the search feature in TikTok, try restarting your iPhone. A device restart clears out any glitches and frees up memory.
To restart an iPhone 8 or earlier, hold down the Power button until you see “Slide to Power Off”. Slide to turn off your phone. To turn it back on, hold down the Power button until you see the Apple logo.
For iPhone X or later, press and hold both the Side and Volume Up buttons until you see the recovery mode screen. Then drag the Power Off slider to turn off your phone. To restart, hold down the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
After your iPhone reboots, open TikTok and check if search is working properly again.
Delete and Reinstall TikTok
If basic troubleshooting hasn’t resolved your issue, try deleting and reinstalling TikTok. This gives you a clean slate for the app and its data and settings. Here’s how to delete TikTok:
- Hold your finger on the TikTok app icon until the icons start wiggling.
- Tap the X that appears in the corner of the TikTok icon.
- Tap Delete to confirm.
To reinstall TikTok:
- Open the App Store.
- Search for TikTok.
- Tap Get and then Install.
Sign back into your TikTok account in the fresh install and see if search is functioning normally again.
Clear TikTok’s Cache
Clearing your cache removes temporary files stored by TikTok on your iPhone. Large caches can sometimes disrupt features like search.
To clear the TikTok cache, go to your iPhone Settings then tap General > iPhone Storage. Wait for your apps to load then select TikTok. Tap Offload App, then tap Reinstall App to clear the cache.
Open TikTok again and check for improvements to search after clearing the cache.
Contact TikTok Support
If you still can’t get search working in TikTok after trying all troubleshooting steps, you may need to contact TikTok Support for further help:
- In TikTok, go to your profile and tap the three-dot menu.
- Choose Support > Report a Problem.
- Select the issue type as App troubleshooting.
- Tap Contact Support on the next screen.
- Follow the remaining prompts to explain your search bar issue.
The TikTok support team may be able to provide specialized troubleshooting tips or determine if there are any known app issues on your device model causing search problems.
Consider Upgrading Your iPhone
In some rare cases, your iPhone model may simply be too outdated to reliably run the latest version of TikTok. The app requires iOS 10.0 or later.
If your iPhone is more than 5 years old, upgrading to a newer device may be the ultimate solution for fixing TikTok issues. The latest iPhones have faster processors to handle demanding apps and get regular iOS updates.
Before upgrading your iPhone, try factory resetting your current device to see if it improves TikTok performance. But an upgrade will future-proof you for new versions of apps.
Summary
TikTok’s search feature is essential for finding videos and connecting with creators. If your TikTok search is broken on iPhone, restarting the app, updating it, checking your internet, and clearing the cache will typically get search working again. For persistent issues, uninstall and reinstall TikTok, restart your iPhone, or contact TikTok Support. With the right troubleshooting, you can get back to searching TikTok in no time.