What is TikTok View Mode?
TikTok View Mode is a feature that makes videos full screen when you tap on them, removing distracting elements from the screen. This viewing option is enabled by default on TikTok, and causes videos to automatically play in View Mode when tapped.
In View Mode, the video takes up the entire screen, hiding the sidebar, comments, captions, and other on-screen icons. Only minimal playback controls remain visible. This creates an immersive, uninterrupted viewing experience as you watch each video.
View Mode aims to showcase the video content itself, minimizing distractions. It allows users to enjoy a streamlined viewing process as they swipe through videos on their For You feed or profile pages.
However, some users may want to disable View Mode for various reasons. Turning it off allows videos to play directly on profile or feed pages with comments and captions visible. Users have the option to toggle View Mode on or off based on personal preference.
Why Turn Off View Mode?
There are several reasons users may want to turn off TikTok’s View Mode:
Motion sickness – The constant scrolling and video playback in View Mode can cause motion sickness or headaches for some users. Turning it off prevents this issue.
Prefer reading comments – Many users like being able to read comments on videos easily. With View Mode, comments are hidden until you tap on the video. Disabling View Mode lets you see comments normally.
Save mobile data – View Mode loads and plays videos automatically as you scroll, which can use more mobile data. Turning it off prevents unintended video playback.
Avoid unwanted videos – Users may want to avoid seeing videos they aren’t interested in. Disabling View Mode gives more control over which videos play.
Focus on one video – It can be distracting having multiple videos play as you scroll. Turning off View Mode lets you focus on one video at a time.
Improve accessibility – View Mode can make the app less accessible for some users. Turning it off can improve usability.
Personal preference – Some users simply like the classic TikTok feed and find View Mode disruptive to their normal usage.
Turn Off View Mode on iOS
To turn off View Mode on an iPhone or iPad:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the ‘Me’ icon in the bottom right.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner to access Settings & Privacy.
3. Tap on ‘Settings.’
4. Scroll down and tap on ‘Video Settings.’
5. Toggle off the switch next to ‘Full-Screen Mode.’ This will disable View Mode.
With Full-Screen Mode disabled, videos will no longer automatically play in full screen. You can tap on a video to view it fully, but it won’t automatically fill the screen. This gives you more control over your viewing experience.
If you want to re-enable View Mode at any time, simply go back to Video Settings and toggle ‘Full-Screen Mode’ back on.
Turn Off View Mode on Android
To disable TikTok’s view mode on Android devices, follow these steps:
Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Then tap on the 3-line menu icon in the top right and select “Settings”.
In the Settings screen, scroll down and tap on “Video Settings”. Look for the “Full-Screen Mode” option and toggle it off.
With full-screen mode disabled, videos will no longer automatically play in full screen when you click on them. Instead, you will remain in the main TikTok feed view. This prevents videos from taking over your screen.
If you want to only watch certain videos in full screen, you can still tap on them to view them expanded. But disabling full-screen mode overall will stop videos from automatically opening full screen and initiating view mode.
Disable View Mode on Desktop
To stop TikTok videos from playing in full screen view mode on the website:
- Go to tiktok.com and login to your account.
- Click on the profile icon on the bottom right and select “Settings” from the menu.
- Find the “General” settings and look for the “Enable fullscreen mode” option.
- Uncheck the box next to “Enable fullscreen mode” to disable full screen view.
With full screen mode turned off, videos on TikTok’s website will play inline instead of taking over your screen. You can toggle this setting on and off to enable or disable full screen viewing.
Stop Autoplay to Avoid View Mode
One of the main triggers for TikTok’s View Mode is having autoplay enabled in your settings. When autoplay is on, TikTok will continuously play videos one after another in full screen view mode.
To avoid automatically entering View Mode, you can turn off the autoplay feature. Here’s how to disable autoplay on each device:
iPhone/iPad
In the TikTok app, tap on the ‘Profile’ tab on the bottom and go to Settings & Privacy. Tap on ‘Autoplay’ and toggle the switch off so it is gray.1 This will prevent videos from playing automatically.
Android
Open TikTok and tap on the profile icon. Go to Settings & Privacy > Autoplay and toggle off the setting. This will stop autoplay and prevent View Mode.
Desktop
On the web version, click on the profile icon and choose Settings. Under the Video category, turn off Autoplay. Videos will no longer play automatically.
With autoplay disabled, you can scroll through your For You feed without videos suddenly going into full screen view mode.
Adjust Additional Video Settings
In addition to privacy settings for your videos, TikTok allows you to customize other video settings like captions, quality, and more:
Video Captions
– Tap the “Add Captions” button when posting a new video to add text captions.
– You can also add captions later by tapping the “Edit Captions” button on a posted video.
– Captions allow you to provide text descriptions to make your videos more accessible.
Video Quality
– Go to your profile, tap the 3 dots icon in the top right, choose “Settings and privacy”, then “Data usage”.
– Under “Video quality”, choose either High (default), Medium or Low to adjust video resolution.
– Higher quality uses more data but looks better, while lower quality saves data.
– You can also enable “Auto” to let TikTok adjust quality based on your connection.
Disable Watermark
– Go to your profile, tap the 3 dots icon, choose “Creator tools” and toggle off “Watermark”.
– This will remove the small TikTok watermark from the corner of your videos.
– You can re-enable it any time in Creator tools if desired.
For more customizable video options, check the TikTok settings menu under your profile. Adjust settings like Auto-Night mode, Collabs, Switch Camera and more to control the look and features of your videos.
Use Do Not Disturb Mode
Another option to avoid TikTok’s View Mode autoplay is to enable Do Not Disturb (DND) mode on the app. DND mode stops videos from auto-playing as you scroll through your feed. This can prevent you from getting stuck in View Mode.
To turn on DND mode in TikTok:[Source]
- Open the TikTok app and tap on the “Me” tab in the bottom right.
- Tap on the 3 lines “hamburger” menu in the top right and select “Settings & privacy.”
- Choose “Digital wellbeing” and toggle on “Do not disturb.”
With DND enabled, videos won’t auto-play as you scroll through TikTok. This prevents the app from switching you into View Mode accidentally.
Consider Third-Party Apps
Some third-party apps allow for more control over TikTok’s view mode and autoplay features. Apps like TikTok Lite and Barinsta give users options to disable autoplay or looped viewing. These apps can provide a different TikTok experience by letting you customize video settings.
The main benefit of using a third-party TikTok app is gaining more control over your feed. You can tailor the experience to your preferences. However, there are also risks associated with third-party apps. These apps are not officially supported by TikTok, so they may have security vulnerabilities or lack certain features of the main TikTok app. It’s important to only download reputable third-party apps and proceed with caution when granting account access.
Overall, exploring alternative TikTok apps can provide more ways to manage view mode and autoplay. But the official TikTok app likely remains the most full-featured and secure option for most users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some additional common questions about disabling TikTok’s view mode:
Does turning off view mode remove your profile view history?
No, turning off view mode does not erase your existing profile view history on TikTok. It simply stops your profile from logging any new views while view mode is disabled. Any past views will remain in your history.
Can you see who viewed your profile if view mode is off?
No, you cannot see who has viewed your profile if you have view mode turned off in your settings. Enabling view mode is required to see your profile visitor list.
Does view mode affect your For You feed?
Turning off view mode does not directly affect the content you see in your For You feed. However, disabling autoplay videos can reduce the amount of content that enters view mode while scrolling.
If I re-enable view mode, will my view history return?
Yes, turning view mode back on will begin tracking and logging new profile views again. Your existing view history will still be present, unless you manually clear it.
Can I selectively enable view mode for certain profiles?
Unfortunately there is no option to pick and choose which profiles you want view mode enabled for. It is an all-or-nothing setting that applies to all profiles.
For additional questions, refer to TikTok’s profile and account settings support.
