TikTok is a massively popular social media app that allows users to create and share short videos. As of 2022, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally, making it one of the fastest growing apps in recent history.
With so many people using TikTok, it’s natural that you may want to search for someone specific on the platform. Maybe you heard a friend or celebrity joined and you want to find their account. Or perhaps you want to reconnect with an old friend or acquaintance that uses TikTok. There are various reasons you may want to search for a particular person on TikTok.
However, searching on TikTok works a bit differently than other social networks. There are some limitations and privacy considerations to keep in mind. In this article, we’ll explore the main questions around searching for someone on TikTok:
– Can you actually search for users on TikTok?
– How do you find someone’s profile?
– Can you view TikTok profiles anonymously?
– Can people see if you viewed their profile?
– Is it possible to find deleted or old TikTok profiles?
– Can you search hashtags and sounds to find users?
– What third-party search tools are available?
– What are the privacy and safety considerations?
Can You Search for Users on TikTok?
Unlike other social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, TikTok does not have a built-in search bar to look up user profiles directly. This means you cannot simply type in a username and pull up someone’s profile.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to find TikTok users. The main methods are through hashtags and sounds. When viewing a video, you can click on the hashtags or the sound clip used and you will be taken to a page showing other TikToks featuring that hashtag or sound. From there, you can click into user profiles of those who have also posted videos with the same hashtag or sound.
TikTok’s recommendation algorithm also surfaces users you may be interested in following based on the content you view, like, and engage with. The “Suggested Users” section in the Discover tab provides profile recommendations of popular creators making similar content.
You can also find TikTokers through the “Following” tab. This shows you who your existing connections are following, allowing you to potentially discover more profiles to follow.
Finding Someone’s Profile
The easiest way to find someone on TikTok is to search for their exact @handle if you know it. The search bar at the top of the TikTok app and website allows you to type in a full username (e.g. @charlidamelio) and it will take you directly to that profile. This is the most straightforward method to find a TikTok account you already know the handle for.
Another approach is to look through the Following or Followers lists of accounts you know are connected to the person you’re searching for. For example, if you’re trying to find your friend but don’t know their @handle, you could browse their best friend’s profile and check who they are following. If your friend has a public profile, they should show up there. This takes more effort but can help track down a TikTok account when you only have a real name to start with.
It’s important to note TikTok profiles default to public, so anyone can view them without needing to log in or follow that user. You don’t need an account yourself to search and find someone as long as their profile remains public.
Viewing TikTok Profiles Anonymously
By default, TikTok profiles are public, which means anyone can view them without an account. However, there are ways to view TikTok profiles anonymously:
Enable private browsing or incognito mode in your web browser. This prevents the profile you view from being saved in your browsing history.[1]
Use a third-party anonymous viewing tool like TikTok profile viewer sites. These sites fetch profile information for you without tracking.[2]
View TikTok profiles while logged out of your account. TikTok won’t associate any profile views with your account.[3]
Turn off your profile view history in your TikTok account settings. This prevents views you make while logged in from being tracked.[1]
In summary, using private browsing modes, third-party tools, or viewing while logged out can help you see TikTok profiles anonymously without detection.
Can People See You Viewed Their Profile?
Unlike some other social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok users are not automatically notified when someone views their profile. You can browse and view TikTok profiles anonymously without the account holder being alerted or knowing you visited their page.
However, TikTok does give users the option to turn on a “Profile View History” feature in their account privacy settings. When enabled, this allows a TikTok user to see who has viewed their profile recently. The list shows the profile pictures of the accounts that visited their page.
Enabling this setting comes with a major catch though – it means you are also consenting to let others see when you have visited their profiles. It becomes two-way visibility.
So if User A turns on their Profile View History, they can see when User B looks at their profile. But, User B can now also see in their own settings that they visited User A’s profile. The account holders have mutual access to this information.
In summary, TikTok does not notify users of profile views by default. But users can opt into a mutual viewing history feature if they desire more visibility on who is looking at their page.
Finding Old/Deleted TikTok Profiles
If a TikTok user has deleted their account, there is no direct way to recover or find their old profile on the platform. TikTok permanently deletes account information after 30 days of inactivity according to their privacy policy. However, there are a few options to try recovering a deleted TikTok profile:
You can contact TikTok support within 30 days of the account being deleted to see if they can recover it. TikTok may require verification of ownership before restoring access. However, after 30 days, the account data is permanently deleted from TikTok’s servers.[1]
Some third party websites archive parts of TikTok profiles before they are deleted. Sites like TikTok Searcher, TokFollowers, and SocialFollowers may have cached data or screenshots of old profiles. However, their databases are limited and it’s unlikely a full profile could be restored this way.
If you still have access to the original phone number or email associated with the deleted TikTok account, you may be able to go through TikTok’s account recovery process. This involves verifying your identity and then reactivating the dormant account.
Overall, once a TikTok profile is deleted for more than 30 days, it becomes very difficult to recover any of the account details or content. Contacting TikTok support promptly is the most reliable way to restore a deleted profile.
Searching Hashtags and Sounds
Hashtags and sounds on TikTok can help lead you to creator accounts. When you search for a hashtag or sound, you’ll see a feed of videos using it. From there, you can tap on any video to go to the creator’s profile.
Here are some tips for effective search through hashtags and sounds:
- Search for niche hashtags related to a person’s interests to find accounts with similar content.
- Look for unique sounds the person has used in their videos. Searching the sound can surface other videos they’re in.
- Try searching hashtags of places, events, or brands the person is associated with.
- Use double hashtag searches like ##singer##songwriter to find more specific content.
- Search broad hashtags like #fyp and #viral to discover new and trending accounts.
Exploring hashtags and sounds associated with a person is an effective way to find TikTok accounts when you only have limited information to go off. Just dive into the tags and audio of someone’s content, and you’ll likely discover their profile and other similar creators.
Using TikTok’s Suggested and Following Lists
TikTok uses sophisticated algorithms to recommend accounts for you to follow based on your interests and activity. As you like, comment on, and engage with certain types of videos, TikTok’s algorithm will detect your preferences and start suggesting similar accounts and content in your Suggested Accounts list.
For example, if you often watch cooking videos, you may see popular food accounts appear in your suggestions. The more you interact with certain content, the more TikTok will tailor recommendations to match your tastes.
TikTok also recommends accounts from people who are already in your Following list. Check the "Suggested for You" section on your profile and you may recognize users you already follow. This helps connect you with other accounts that your existing Following list interacts with.
While TikTok’s algorithm aims to personalize suggestions, you can also stumble upon contacts through this feature. TikTok may recommend accounts of your phone contacts or friends who have recently joined the platform. If you prefer to keep your account private from people you know, you can turn off Suggested Accounts in your account privacy settings.
Sources:
https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings/suggested-accounts
Third-Party TikTok Search Tools
While TikTok’s built-in search functions allow you to find some content and profiles, there are limitations. TikTok’s search only indexes a portion of public content on the platform. Additionally, TikTok’s search does not allow you to filter or sort results chronologically.
To address these limitations, third-party sites have been created that index TikTok content and accounts. These sites allow more robust search and filtering of TikTok profiles, hashtags, sounds, and videos. Some of the most popular third-party TikTok search tools include TrendTok Analytics & Tracker, Exolyt, Keyhole, quintly, and Upfluence.
Keep in mind that third-party search tools rely on scraping and indexing public data from TikTok. They may not have access to private accounts or deleted content. You should be careful about privacy and data usage when using third-party services.
Privacy and Safety Considerations
While searching for people on TikTok can be useful, it’s important to keep privacy and safety in mind. Here are some tips:
- Only reach out to people you actually know – don’t contact strangers out of the blue.
- If contacting someone new, be polite and explain how you found them.
- Respect people’s privacy – if someone doesn’t respond or declines connecting, don’t harass them.
- Be cautious sharing personal information with new contacts.
- Pay attention to warning signs like strange requests or inappropriate messages.
- Consider your own safety when deciding to meet in person.
- Remember TikTok is a public platform – don’t share anything you wouldn’t want strangers to see.
In general, use good judgement and treat people with respect when searching on TikTok. Avoid stalking or harassing behaviors. If someone asks you not to contact them again, honor that request. With basic etiquette, searching for people can be safe and positive.