Losing access to your TikTok account can be extremely frustrating. With hundreds or even thousands of videos, followers, and memories, not being able to access your account can feel like losing a part of your online identity.
Recovering your lost TikTok account is crucial. Your account contains videos you’ve created, followers you’ve accumulated, and comments and messages from your audience. Getting your account back allows you to reconnect with friends, fans, and your creative content.
Without access to your email or phone number associated with the account, recovering your TikTok can be challenging but is possible. This guide will walk through various strategies to help verify account ownership and restore access, even without login credentials.
Confirm Account Ownership
Without access to the phone number or email associated with your account, you’ll need to provide other proof that you are the legitimate owner. Here are some options to confirm your identity and ownership of the account:
Provide your previous usernames, profile photos, bios, and lists of friends/followers. Screenshots of your profile and content can help prove you owned the account. According to Reddit users, submitting multiple screenshots from different periods showing the evolution of your profile can serve as evidence (source).
Show that you have access to the original device or browser where the account was created. TikTok may be able to verify device information and IP address location to confirm it matches your account activity history (source).
Provide links to your videos, media content, and original creations from the account. Having access to the content you produced shows proof of ownership.
Contact TikTok Support
The most direct way to recover your TikTok account without a phone number or email is to submit an account recovery request directly to TikTok Support. You can find the form at https://support.tiktok.com/en/privacy-safety/account-and-profile/account-issues/submit-account-recovery-request-form.
When filling out the form, provide as many relevant details about the account as possible, such as:
- Username
- Profile photo
- Email or phone number previously associated with the account
- Approximate date the account was created
- Device(s) used to access the account
- Linked social media accounts
- Friends/followers on the account
- Videos posted to the account
Providing abundant, accurate information can help TikTok Support verify you as the legitimate account owner. Be thorough and include any details that may be unique to your account.
Check Linked Accounts
One way to potentially recover your TikTok account without a phone number or email is to see if the account is linked to any other accounts like Facebook, Google, or Apple ID. TikTok allows you to link these accounts to make logging in easier.
To check if your TikTok account is linked:
- Go to the TikTok login page and click “Log in with Facebook”, “Log in with Google”, or “Continue with Apple” to see if your account pops up.
- If you have access to the linked Facebook, Google, or Apple account, this will log you into your TikTok account.
- You can then update the email, phone number, and password on the TikTok account to regain access.
If your TikTok account is not linked to any other accounts, you will need to explore other options like contacting TikTok support or trying to log in from a previously used device.
Use New Login Details
If you suspect that your TikTok username or password has been changed without your permission, try logging in with new login credentials. The hacker may have changed your username or password to lock you out of your account.
Attempt to log in with any new usernames you don’t recognize, or try resetting your password if you can still access your account email or phone number. According to TikTok’s support page, common signs that your account credentials have been changed include:
- Your account password or phone number has been changed without your knowledge.
- Your account username or nickname has been altered.
- Videos have been posted or deleted without your authorization.
Trying new usernames and resetting your password can help regain access if unauthorized changes were made. But act quickly before the hacker does more damage or sells your account.
Device and Browser History
One method to recover your TikTok account without a phone number or email is to log in through a device or browser you’ve previously used to access your account. TikTok may recognize your device’s unique identifier or cookies stored in your browser from a previous login session and allow you to access your account that way.
Try logging into your TikTok account on the mobile device where you originally downloaded the app or used it regularly. TikTok associates your account with the unique device identifier on your phone or tablet, so logging in from that same device can help you bypass the verification process.
You can also attempt to log in through the web browser where you previously accessed your TikTok account. Open the TikTok website in the browser where you’re still logged into your account or have TikTok cookies stored. The browser data from your history of using TikTok may allow you to log back in without phone or email verification.
If you have the original device or are able to use the same web browser, this method provides a way to potentially recover your TikTok account without alternative contact information. TikTok’s system recognizes your familiar device or browser details, allowing you to access your account again.
Source: TikTok Account Recovery Guide
IP Address Location
One way to confirm account ownership is by identifying locations where the account has been accessed. TikTok collects approximate location data based on device and network information like the SIM card and IP address (TikTok Support, 2022). By checking the IP addresses used to log in to your account, you may be able to identify familiar locations that prove you are the legitimate owner.
There are third-party tools like the TikTok IP Address Finder by iStaunch that can be used to look up the IP addresses associated with a TikTok account (ClevGuard, 2023). This can show you locations where the account has been accessed recently. If you see logins from cities you frequently visit or your hometown, it’s a strong sign you are the rightful owner.
Keep in mind TikTok officially recommends deleting your location history for privacy reasons (TikTok Support, 2022). So this method may work best if the unauthorized user has not yet cleared the location data.
Videos and Media
One of the best ways to show proof of account ownership is by providing links to videos and photos you’ve posted from the account in question. For example, compile a document with the links to some of your most popular, unique, or recent videos that only you would have access to. According to a Reddit post, “Im having problems with a lot of fake impersonators on Tiktok, and I am confused by TikToks copyright takedown process about them requiring links/proof of ownership,” so having a list of your original videos can help verify you’re the real account owner [1].
You can also screenshot your TikTok post analytics page to show views and engagement on your videos. Providing links to the actual videos plus analytics helps prove you own and posted that content.
Friends and Followers
One way to help confirm account ownership is by looking at your friends and followers list. The friends tab on TikTok shows videos from people you follow who also follow you back. This creates a network of friends whose usernames you may recognize. The account will likely also have followers who frequently like, comment on, and interact with the videos.
Checking the list of friends, mutual followers, commenters, and frequent viewers of the account’s videos can help confirm you owned the account. Recognizing even a few of the usernames of people linked to the account is a strong signal you likely owned it.
However, as noted in TikTok’s help documentation, the friends tab may also show videos from accounts suggested to follow based on your interests, even if you don’t actually follow them yet. So some unfamiliar names appearing there is expected.
Overall, scan the friends, followers, and commenter lists for familiar names of people you know and interact with. If you recognize a decent number, that’s a good sign the account likely belongs to you.
Finding friends from your contacts | TikTok Support
Friends Tab | TikTok Support
Security Recommendations
Once you regain access to your TikTok account, it is crucial to enable additional security features to prevent getting locked out again. Here are some recommendations:
Add an email address and phone number to your account. Linking these contacts allows TikTok to verify your identity and helps you reset your password if you get locked out. See this TikTok help article for instructions.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA requires you to enter a code from your phone when logging in from a new device, adding an extra layer of security. Follow these steps to set up 2FA.
Frequently change your password and do not reuse passwords across sites. Use a strong, unique password only for your TikTok account. TikTok also recommends enabling password protection so you must enter your password to change account settings.
Be cautious of suspicious links and third-party apps requesting TikTok login. Do not enter your login credentials unless you fully trust the source. Beware of phishing attempts trying to steal account information.
Regularly review account security settings and logged-in devices. Make sure only recognized devices are connected to your account. Enable login notifications to be alerted of suspicious logins.
