What Does Private Mean on TikTok?
On TikTok, a private account means that your content is only visible to followers that you approve. According to TikTok’s support page, “Only your approved followers can view your private videos or send you messages”[1]. When your account is private, you have more control over who can see and interact with your content.
Private accounts give you more privacy and let you restrict your audience. If your account is public, anyone on TikTok can view your profile and videos. But with a private account, you must approve each follower request for them to see your private content. Essentially, going private limits your TikTok presence to only people you accept as followers[2].
So in summary, a private TikTok account allows you to have more control over your audience and privacy. Your content is reserved only for followers you approve, unlike a public account which is viewable by all TikTok users.
How to Tell if Your TikTok Account is Private
There are two main ways to check if your TikTok account is set to private:
1. Check if there’s a lock icon next to your profile name. When viewing your own profile page, if you see a locked padlock icon next to your username, it means your account is private.
For example: @username 
The padlock icon indicates your profile is not publicly visible.
2. See if your follower count displays “0 Followers”. On a private account, your follower count will show “0 Followers” to anyone who is not already following you. So if you see zero next to Followers on your own profile, your account is private.
In contrast, public accounts display the actual follower count number. So if you see your real follower count, your profile is public.
Checking for the padlock icon and 0 follower count are quick and easy ways to verify if your TikTok profile is private or public. You can toggle between private and public anytime in your account settings.
Changing Your TikTok Account to Private
Making your TikTok account private is an easy process that can be done directly within the TikTok app. Here are the steps to change your account to private:
First, open the TikTok app and go to your profile page. At the top right, tap the three horizontal lines to open the menu.
Next, select “Privacy and safety” from the menu options.
On the Privacy and Safety page, find the setting for “Private account” and toggle it on. This will immediately make your account private.
Once you toggle your account to private, the privacy shield icon will appear on your profile to indicate your account is now in private mode. Only your approved followers will be able to view your content.
Who Can See a Private TikTok Account
When your TikTok account is set to private, the only people who can see your content are followers you’ve approved. Unlike a public account where anyone can view your posts, lives, and profile information, having a private account means you get to control who gets access.
Your approved followers are able to see all of your content just as if your account was public. This includes being able to view your videos, likes, comments, live streams, and any other posts you share to your profile. Essentially, the only difference is that your content is restricted to your chosen followers rather than being accessible to all TikTok users.
If someone wants to follow you while your account is private, they’ll have to send you a follow request. You can then decide whether or not to approve them. Once approved, they’ll be able to view your private profile just like your other followers. Those you reject or simply don’t approve will not be able to see any of your content.
Overall, a private account gives you control over who can access your TikTok presence. Only your approved followers have the privilege of viewing your private videos, posts, likes, and other profile activity.
Advantages of a Private Account
One of the main benefits of having a private TikTok account is that it gives you more control over who can see and interact with your content. When your account is set to private, only people who you approve to follow you will be able to view your videos.
This allows you to avoid getting unwanted comments or messages from strangers on TikTok. Keeping your account private prevents random users from being able to find and follow you unless you want them to. Many people, especially younger users, prefer to have a private account to help protect their privacy and personal information.
Having a private account also means you can be more selective about who you allow into your inner circle on TikTok. You can better curate the type of audience you want watching your videos and engaging with your content. This allows you to create a safer, more controlled space on TikTok.
Overall, the main advantages of a private TikTok account are having more control over your audience, being able to avoid unwanted interactions, and keeping your personal information more protected. These benefits make a private account ideal for users who want a more curated, selective, and intimate social media experience on TikTok.1
Disadvantages of a Private Account
While a private account provides more privacy and control, it also has some potential drawbacks. One disadvantage is that it can be harder to gain new followers organically. Since your content is restricted, random users who may be interested in your videos can’t find and follow you as easily.
Additionally, private accounts are generally less likely to go viral. Videos usually gain a lot of traction when they are publicly viewable and can be shared widely on the platform. With a private account, your viewership is limited only to your existing followers.
This also means you may get less engagement and fewer overall views on your videos. Public content has more opportunity to be discovered in feeds, recommended videos, hashtags, and elsewhere. Private accounts miss out on these visibility boosts.
According to TikTok experts, some downsides of a private account include reduced reach for potential sponsorships or business opportunities, as you have a smaller audience. It also requires manually approving each new follower request, which can become inconvenient if you gain followers rapidly [1].
Making Your Account Public Again
If you decide you want to make your TikTok account public again after setting it to private, it’s easy to do. Here’s how:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner and select “Settings and privacy”.
3. Under the “Privacy” section, toggle the switch off next to “Private account”.
That’s it! Toggling this switch off will immediately make your TikTok account public again. According to TikTok, all of your current followers will remain followers when you switch your account back to public.
So you don’t have to worry about losing any of your fanbase by making your profile public again. It’s an easy setting to change as often as you want.
Public vs Private TikTok Accounts
There are some key differences between having a public or private account on TikTok in terms of visibility, engagement, followers, and privacy:
Public accounts are visible to all TikTok users. Your profile, videos, likes, and followers are all public. This allows maximum visibility and engagement from the TikTok community. Your videos can be viewed, shared, liked, and commented on by anyone. You can gain more followers since your account is discoverable by all. However, you lose privacy as all of your activity is out in the open.
Private accounts limit visibility to only people you approve to follow you. Your likes, videos, and followers are hidden. This allows more privacy and control over who engages with your content. However, it reduces potential reach and follower growth since only approved followers can view your profile and videos. You may get less engagement in the form of likes, shares, and comments since the audience is smaller.
In terms of followers, public accounts can rapidly gain followers as anyone can follow you without approval. Private accounts only allow approved followers, so the follower growth tends to be slower. However, the followers tend to be higher quality since they are people you know and trust.
Overall, the tradeoff is between visibility/engagement and privacy. Public accounts maximize discovery and interactions from the full TikTok community, while private accounts prioritize privacy and control. Consider your goals and comfort level with privacy when deciding between a public or private account.
Tips for Managing a Private Account
Here are a few tips to consider when managing your private TikTok account:
Be selective when approving followers – With a private account, you have to manually approve each new follower. Be choosy about who you let follow you. It’s generally a good idea to only approve followers you know personally or public figures you trust. This will help maintain privacy and prevent unwanted interactions.
Engage with current followers – Having an engaged audience helps make your private account more rewarding. Regularly interact with comments and messages from your current approved followers. Post content they find interesting and respond to their reactions. Building connections will encourage your audience to keep following you.
Link to account in bio – Your profile is hidden to non-followers, but you can still get the word out. On other social platforms, add a link to your private TikTok profile in your bio. Interested viewers can then request to follow you on TikTok and gain access to your private content. Just be selective about approving any new requests.
Thoughtfully managing a private account takes effort but allows you to share creatively with a selected audience. Keep these tips in mind to get the most out of your private TikTok profile.
Summary
To recap, a private TikTok account means your profile, likes, followers, and videos are only visible to users you approve. You can identify if your account is private by looking for the lock icon next to your profile name and checking your privacy settings.
To make your account private, go to your profile, tap the menu icon, select “Privacy and safety,” and toggle “Private account” on. This will require new followers to request access to view your content. You can approve or deny these requests.
To switch back to a public profile, just turn the “Private account” setting off. Public accounts allow anyone to see your information.
The main benefits of a private TikTok account are increased control over who can interact with your profile and view your content. It enhances privacy and security. However, it also limits potential growth and reach since your videos and profile won’t show up in public feeds unless you approve a user’s follow request.
Overall, making your account private gives you more power to curate your online presence on TikTok.
