What Are TikTok Stories?
TikTok Stories are a feature that allows users to post short video clips and photos that disappear after 24 hours. They are similar to Instagram or Snapchat Stories, providing a way to share more casual, ephemeral content with followers.
With TikTok Stories, users can post videos up to 10 seconds long or static photos. These posts appear in a bar at the top of your followers’ For You feeds and when they tap on your profile. Stories do not show up on your regular TikTok profile grid.
After 24 hours, TikTok Stories automatically expire and disappear. They are not archived anywhere on your profile. This gives TikTok Stories a spontaneous, informal vibe compared to permanent TikTok videos.
TikTok Stories launched globally in early 2022 as a way to share quick updates throughout the day. They allow more candid, behind-the-scenes content than polished TikTok videos. Overall, TikTok Stories provide a snapshot into a user’s day or life.
Why Would You Want to Delete a TikTok Story?
There are several valid reasons why someone may want to delete a TikTok story they have posted:
Privacy – You may decide after posting that you no longer want that content available for all who follow you to see. Deleting the story removes access and maintains your privacy.
Embarrassment – We all have posted things online we later regret. If a TikTok story is eliciting embarrassment, deleting it can provide relief.
Changing Your Mind – Sometimes you simply have a change of heart and no longer want a certain story representing you publicly. Deleting gives you control over your content.
Mistake – If you notice an error or something you did not intend to post in your story, deleting it right away resolves the mistake.
Negative Feedback – If the story receives hurtful or unwelcome comments, deleting it stops the negative feedback.
Story Limit – TikTok only allows 3 active stories at once. Deleting older stories makes room for new ones.
Maintaining an intentional public profile – Curating your TikTok stories by deleting some over time helps present the image and content you specifically want associated with your account.
How Long Do TikTok Stories Last If You Don’t Delete Them?
TikTok Stories automatically disappear after 24 hours if you don’t delete them yourself first. This is a key difference between TikTok Stories and regular TikTok posts, which remain visible on your profile unless you choose to delete them.
The ephemeral nature of TikTok Stories is similar to stories features on other social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. The temporary videos are meant to share fleeting moments or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your day.
TikTok product manager Miles Eichorn explained that Stories provide “an intimate way for creators to share more authentic, casual, and spontaneous moments with their followers throughout their day” (Hootsuite).
So if you don’t actively delete a TikTok Story, it will automatically disappear after 24 hours. The content is no longer visible on your profile to the public. But don’t worry, you can still view expired Stories in your own private Story Archive for up to 30 days after posting.
Can Other People See Your Deleted TikTok Stories?
No, when you delete a TikTok story, it is permanently removed from your profile and no longer visible to other users. Unlike regular TikTok posts which may linger in hashtags and feeds after deletion, deleting a story completely erases it.
Once a TikTok story is deleted, other users who may have originally seen it will no longer have access to that content. The story will not be visible on your profile or anyone else’s feed. This means you can feel confident deleting any story content you no longer wish to share publicly.
According to TikTok’s help articles, deleting a story fully removes it from the platform. Other users cannot recover or access deleted stories.
In summary, you can delete TikTok stories with confidence knowing they will no longer be visible to anyone after removal from your profile.
Step 1: Open Your TikTok Profile
To open your TikTok profile page:
- Open the TikTok app on your phone.
- Tap on the “Me” tab on the bottom right of the screen. This tab has your profile picture on it.
- Your profile page will open up, displaying your profile photo, follower count, videos you’ve posted, and other profile details.
This will bring you to your profile homepage. From here you can access your archived stories to delete them.
Source: https://support.tiktok.com/en/getting-started/creating-an-account
Step 2: Tap the Story Archive
The story archive icon is located at the top of your profile page, right next to your profile photo. It looks like a small square made up of even smaller squares. This icon allows you to view all of the stories you’ve posted within the last 24 hours.
To find your story archive:
- Go to your TikTok profile page
- Look at the top of your page, near your profile picture
- Tap the archive icon (square made of small squares)
Tapping this icon will open up your story archive feed and display thumbnails of all the stories you’ve posted in the last 24 hours. This is where you can select and delete stories.
Step 3: Tap the Story You Want to Delete
Once you are in the Story Archive, you will see small preview images for each of your existing stories. To delete a specific story:
- Scroll through the story previews and locate the one you want to remove.
- Tap directly on the story preview image to open the full screen view of that story.
- With the story displayed, tap on the delete icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. This is represented by a trash can symbol.
Tapping the trash icon will initiate the deletion process for that individual TikTok story. Make sure you have selected the correct story before tapping delete.
Step 4: Tap the Delete Icon
Once you have opened the story you want to delete, you will see a trash can icon in the bottom right corner. This is the delete icon. On both iPhone and Android devices, the icon looks like a trash can or garbage bin.
To delete the TikTok story, simply tap on this trash can icon. Tapping it will bring up a confirmation screen to verify that you do indeed want to delete that particular story.
The delete icon allows you to easily remove any story you no longer want on your TikTok profile. Tapping it is the last step you need to take to permanently delete a story from your account.
Confirm the Deletion
Once you tap the delete icon on the story you want to remove, TikTok will ask you to confirm that you really want to delete it. You’ll see a pop-up that says “Delete 1 Story?” with two options – Cancel or Delete.
Tap the “Delete” button to permanently remove the TikTok story. TikTok will then show a confirmation message saying “Story Deleted” to let you know the story is gone from your profile.
According to the YouTube video “How to Delete a TikTok Story in 2024 – Quick & Easy!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fRUhZG5HSM, you need to tap the confirmation button to fully delete the story. If you tap “Cancel” it will keep the story live on your profile.
The Story Is Now Deleted
Once you confirm the deletion, the TikTok story will be permanently removed from your profile and no longer visible to anyone. The content cannot be recovered or restored after deletion. TikTok does not store deleted stories on its servers or maintain any type of archive. Other users who may have viewed the story while it was live will no longer have access to it after you delete it.
The story will be erased from your profile’s story archive immediately so you do not have to wait for it to expire after 24 hours. Deleting a story is a quick and easy way to remove content you no longer want available on your profile. Just be certain you actually want to delete the story before confirming, as again, there is no way to recover it.
Overall, once deleted, the story is gone for good and cannot be seen again through any means. You have complete control and ability to remove stories at any time for any reason.
