If you accidentally refreshed TikTok and lost a video you wanted to see again, don’t panic! There are several ways to try and find that lost TikTok video.
Check your watch history
The easiest way to find a lost TikTok video is to check your watch history. TikTok keeps track of all the videos you’ve watched in the last 7 days. Here’s how to access your watch history:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on the “Profile” icon in the bottom right.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the menu.
- Select “Watch history” from the menu.
This will show you a feed of all the TikTok videos you’ve watched recently. Scroll through and look for the one you lost. If you watch a lot of TikTok, it may take some scrolling to find it.
Search your likes
If you liked the lost TikTok video before accidentally refreshing, you may be able to find it again through your likes. Here’s how:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on the “Heart” icon on the bottom.
- This will open your liked videos. Browse through the list to see if you can spot the lost video.
Hopefully you’ll be able to find the lost video in your likes. If not, don’t lose hope yet!
Look in your browser history
If you were watching TikTok on a web browser on your phone or computer, the video may be in your browser history. Here’s how to check:
- On iPhone – Open the Safari app > Tap the Bookmark icon > Scroll down and select “History” > Look for the lost TikTok video
- On Android – Open the Chrome app > Tap the three vertical dots icon > Select “History” > Look for the lost TikTok video
- On computer – Open your browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc) > Select “History” from the menu > Look for the lost TikTok video
Browser history only goes back a limited time, so you’ll only find recently lost videos this way.
Search TikTok based on what you remember
If the video didn’t show up in your watch history or likes, try searching for it manually on TikTok. Think about any details you remember that could help in finding it again.
- What was the video about? Use keywords in the search bar.
- Do you remember the username of the person who posted it? Search their name.
- Do you remember any visuals like locations, outfits, or objects? Describe them in search.
- Do you remember any sounds or music from the video? Search those lyrics.
- Do you remember any hashtags used? Search those.
With over 1 billion monthly users, searching manually on TikTok can be hit or miss. But including as many details as you can remember will help narrow it down. You may get lucky and spot the lost video in the search results!
Ask on forums for help finding it
If your own searching hasn’t uncovered the lost TikTok video, you can try crowdsourcing it. There are many active online forums and communities dedicated to helping people find lost social media content.
Here are some good places to request help:
- r/HelpMeFind – Subreddit focused on helping people find lost media
- r/TikTok – Popular TikTok subreddit where you can ask others
- forums.whirlpool.net.au – Active forums with a dedicated lost media section
When posting your request, be sure to include:
- A detailed description of what you remember about the lost TikTok video
- Approximate date you saw it and username if known
- Why the video is important to you or what you liked about it
Fellow TikTok users may recall seeing it too and can help track it down. Having others help look can greatly improve your chances of finding that lost video.
Use Google search operators
Google provides some advanced search operators that can aid in finding lost social media content.
Try searching Google for the lost TikTok video by using these operators:
- site:tiktok.com – Limits results to only TikTok’s website
- inurl:tiktok – Finds results with tiktok in the URL
- “search terms” – Use quotes around specific keywords you remember
You can combine these operators and keywords from the video to perform a focused search. This may help surface the lost video if it was shared or embedded outside of TikTok.
Contact the creator directly
If you can remember the username of the account that originally posted the lost TikTok video, consider reaching out to them directly for help.
Here are ways to contact the creator:
- Comment on another video from their TikTok account asking about the lost video
- Send them a direct message (DM) on TikTok explaining your situation
- See if they have contact info like email on their TikTok profile and contact them
- Look them up on other social networks like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube to message them
Many TikTok creators are happy to help fans find and rediscover their old videos. If you politely explain, they may repost or link you to the lost video you’re trying to find.
Use TikTok replacement apps
Some third-party apps are designed to let you download and rewatch TikTok videos. If you had previously used any of these apps, your lost video may be saved there.
Some popular TikTok replacement apps include:
- Snaptik – Saves videos without a watermark
- Videoder – Downloads videos from various social apps
- All Social Downloader – Downloads videos from TikTok and others
Open any TikTok replacement apps you use and check if your lost video was saved there. These tools are hit or miss but may have your video available to watch again.
Use TikTok archival sites
There are some unofficial sites and tools dedicated to archiving and indexing TikTok content. They continuously scrape TikTok and may have archived the video.
Some popular TikTok archival sites include:
- TikTokArchives.com – Largest known database of TikTok videos
- Togetik.com – Archive that lets you search by user and hashtag
- Tiktok-Download.com– Bulk video downloader tool
Use keyword and filter searches on these archival sites to try and locate your lost TikTok video. As archives of the entire platform, they may have your video available even if it was deleted.
Contact TikTok support
If all else fails, you can try reaching out to TikTok’s official support team for assistance in finding your lost video.
To contact TikTok support:
- Open account settings on the app
- Tap “Report a Problem”
- Select “Something Else” then “Contact Support”
- Explain your situation and what the lost video means to you
Keep in mind TikTok receives a very high volume of inquiries, so they may not be able to assist in finding one lost video. But it doesn’t hurt to politely ask for their help as a last resort.
Prevent losing videos in the future
To avoid losing TikTok videos again, consider these proactive steps:
- Like videos so they are saved to your account
- Follow creators so you stay updated when they post again
- Comment on videos to make them easier to find later
- Use a download app to save copies of favorite videos
- Take screenshots of videos you really love
LosIng great TikTok videos stinks, but being proactive can prevent it from happening again. Favorite, follow, comment on, and download videos you really enjoy watching.
We hope these tips help you find and recover your lost TikTok video! Let us know in the comments if any worked so we can help others too.
