TikTok is a popular social media app where users can create and share short videos. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide [1]. On TikTok, users can post videos up to 3 minutes long and apply creative effects and music. The app’s “For You” page algorithmically recommends videos based on users’ interests and engagement.
There are a few key reasons why TikTok users may want to delete videos they have posted:
– The video is no longer relevant or the user’s views have changed.
– The video did not get much engagement or views.
– The user wants to remove old or embarrassing content.
– The video accidentally revealed private or inappropriate content.
– The user wants to start fresh with new content.
Deleting old videos can help users curate their profile, protect their privacy, and control what content represents them on TikTok going forward. This guide explains how to properly delete videos from your TikTok account.
When You Might Want to Delete a TikTok Video
There are a few key reasons you may want to remove a video from your TikTok profile:
Video no longer fits your brand or interests: As your interests and brand evolve over time, old videos may no longer align with the image you want to portray on TikTok. Deleting outdated videos can help keep your profile consistent and on-brand.
Video reveals too much personal information: If a video unintentionally reveals personal details you no longer wish to share publicly, deleting it can help protect your privacy.
Video attracts negative attention: If a particular video draws excessive backlash, harassment, or negativity in the comments, deleting it may help mitigate further attacks. This allows you to start fresh with content more likely to generate positive engagement.
Video quality is poor: If you’re unhappy with the editing, lighting, sound, or overall quality of a video, removing it can help showcase only your best content.
Video underperforms: You may wish to remove videos receiving exceptionally low view counts or engagement compared to your other videos. This declutters your profile and focuses audience attention on your best-performing content.
How to Delete a Video from Your Profile
Here are the steps to delete a video from your TikTok profile:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
2. Find the video you want to delete and tap on it to open it.
3. Tap on the three dots in the bottom right corner of the video.
4. A menu will open – tap on ‘Delete’.
5. Confirm that you want to delete the video by tapping ‘Delete’ again.
The video will now be removed from your profile. However, it’s important to note that if the video was already shared publicly on TikTok, deleting it from your profile does not delete it from other people’s For You pages or from being findable on TikTok if people have the direct URL to the video.
To fully delete a posted video from TikTok, you will need to request video deletion through TikTok’s support options.
Deleting a Video Before Posting
If you record a video in TikTok but decide not to post it, you can easily delete it before it goes live on your profile. Here are the steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the “+” icon to access the upload screen.
2. Tap on “Drafts” at the top of the screen. This will show you a list of any videos you’ve recorded but not posted.
3. Tap on the video you want to delete. This will open the edit screen for that video.
4.Tap on the trash can icon in the bottom right corner. A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm deleting the unpublished video.
5. Tap “Delete” to permanently remove the video from drafts and discard it.
Once deleted from drafts, the unpublished video cannot be recovered. It will be completely removed from your TikTok account. This is useful if you recorded a video but don’t want to post it for any reason. Using the edit screen before posting allows quick deletion.
Sources:
https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/creating-videos/editing-posting-and-deleting
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiktokhelp/comments/ljrxz5/unpublished_video_with_confusing_message/
Deleting a Published Video
Once you have posted a video on your TikTok profile, you can still delete it at any time by following these steps:
- Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
- Find the video you want to delete and tap on it to open it.
- Tap on the three dots icon in the bottom right corner of the video.
- A menu will open – select “Delete” to delete the video.
According to TikTok’s Help Center, deleting a published video will remove it from your profile and prevent other users from viewing it (source). However, other users who have already saved, shared or downloaded your video will still have access to copies of it.
Deleting Videos from FYP Page
If you want to delete a video that is showing up on your FYP (For You Page), you can directly remove it from there. Here are the steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your FYP feed.
2. When you see the video you want to delete, long press on it. A menu will pop up.
3. Tap on the “Delete” option.
4. Confirm that you want to delete the video.
This will instantly remove the video from your FYP feed. However, it will still remain saved in your profile under the “Drafts” section unless you manually delete it from there as well (covered below). So deleting a video just from your FYP does not permanently erase it from TikTok.
To fully remove a video, you need to delete it both from your FYP and your Drafts section according to this Reddit thread.
Removing Videos from Drafts
If you start recording a TikTok video but decide not to post it, the unfinished video will be saved as a draft. To delete a video draft in the TikTok app:
1. Tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner to open your profile.
2. Tap on the “Drafts” tab at the top of the screen. This shows all your draft videos.
3. Swipe left on a draft video then tap the trash icon to delete it.
You can also tap “Select” to delete multiple draft videos at once. Simply tap each video you want to remove from drafts, then tap “Delete” and confirm.
Deleting a draft prevents it from ever being posted and removes it from your account. According to How to Geek, drafts remain available for up to 30 days if you want to recover them.
Permanently Deleting All Videos
If you want to delete all of the videos on your TikTok account at once, you have the option to do this through the TikTok account settings:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
2. Tap the 3-dot menu icon in the upper right corner and select “Settings and privacy.”
3. Select “Manage account” and then “Delete account.”
4. Tap “Delete account” again to confirm.
This will immediately and permanently delete your entire TikTok account, including all posted videos, likes, comments, and profile information. There is no way to recover your account or videos after deleting it through this method.
Some things to keep in mind when deleting your account:
- If you only want to remove some videos, this will also delete any videos you want to keep.
- Your profile and videos may still appear in searches for a short time after deleting.
- Other users may have copies or recordings of your videos saved locally.
So if you just want to delete a few videos, it’s better to delete them individually. But if you want to remove your entire TikTok presence, deleting your account is the most thorough option.
Sources:
https://www.tiktok.com/legal/report/privacy-policy?lang=en
https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines?lang=en
What Happens When You Delete a TikTok Video
When you delete a video from your TikTok profile, it is removed from public view and is no longer accessible from your profile page or video feed. However, deleting a video does not completely erase it from existence.
TikTok likely keeps deleted videos stored on their servers for a certain period of time. This allows them to comply with legal requests to retrieve data. It also means that if you regret deleting a video, you may be able to recover it within a certain window of time.
You should assume that any video you post to your TikTok profile could remain stored in their systems even after you delete it. So only share videos you would be comfortable with persisting. Don’t expect deleting a video to permanently erase it from their servers.
Recovering a Deleted TikTok Video
If you accidentally delete a TikTok video that you want to get back, there are some options for trying to recover it. One of the best ways is to use TikTok’s appeal form to request that the video be restored.
To do this, go to TikTok’s Report page and select “Appeal video being taken down.” You will need to fill out the form with your username, the video URL if you have it, and an explanation of why you want the video back.
According to TikTok, they can recover videos that were deleted within the last 30 days. However, there is no guarantee that the video can be restored. TikTok reviews each request manually, so the more details you can provide, the better.
While using the appeal form is your best chance for recovering a deleted TikTok video, there are also some third party apps that claim to help retrieve deleted videos. However, their success rate can vary. Always be cautious about giving third party apps access to your TikTok account.
