Tiktok search only showing users

If you’ve noticed that TikTok’s search feature is only showing accounts and not videos, there are a few things that could be causing this. The most likely reasons are that TikTok is personalizing your search results based on your interests and previous activity, there’s an issue with your location settings or language filter, or there’s a bug in the app.

TikTok is personalizing your search results

The TikTok algorithm curates your For You feed and search results based on the content you engage with. So if you tend to watch and like videos from certain users, TikTok will show you more of them in search. This means you might only see accounts pop up even if you search broader topics or keywords.

There are a couple ways to get around this personalization and see more variety in search:

• Use a different account – Search results are tailored to each account, so try searching from a secondary profile.
• Clear your watch history – Go to your profile, tap the 3 dots icon, select “Clear watch history” to reset your recommendations.
• Tap “Not Interested” on videos – Tapping this on content you don’t want to see will help retrain the algorithm.

Location settings or language filter

Your TikTok location and language settings can also affect what shows up in your search results. For example, if your location is set to United States but your language is Korean, you might only see Korean-speaking accounts.

Check these settings and toggle them on and off to see if it makes a difference:

• Go to your profile > Settings > Privacy > Location services
• Go to your profile > Settings > Language to change your default TikTok language

Setting your location accurately and using the same language as the content you want to find can help ensure your searches are not limited.

Search term syntax

How you structure your search query can also determine if you see more accounts or videos. For example:

• “@cat” will mostly show accounts with “cat” in the username
• “#cat” will find videos using the hashtag #cat
• Searching a general term like “funny cats” will show both accounts and videos related to that topic

So try adjusting your search terms or adding/removing hashtag or username syntax to alter the types of results.

There’s a bug or glitch

In some cases, this issue is caused by a technical problem on TikTok’s end rather than user settings. Server outages, an app update bug, or other software glitches could prevent videos from appearing properly in search.

If you’ve ruled out the other possibilities, these are some steps to try:

• Force close and restart the TikTok app
• Update the app to the latest version
• Check if TikTok has acknowledged any technical issues on their social accounts or status page
• Try searching on desktop instead of mobile
• Clear the app cache and data and reinstall TikTok

Hopefully after trying the above troubleshooting, your TikTok search will go back to normal. But if the problem persists for more than a day or two, you may need to contact TikTok support.

How TikTok search works

To better understand why you might only see accounts in TikTok search, it helps to know how their search feature functions:

• Results are personalized – tailored to your location, language, interests, past watches, likes, follows.
• Multiple result types – users, hashtags, sounds, shows a mix by default.
• Algorithms decide ranking – factors like relevance, popularity, personalization determine order results appear.
• Syntax affects results – using @, #, or keywords changes what you’ll see.
• Search keeps improving – TikTok is constantly tweaking their search algorithms.

So based on these search mechanics, if you only see accounts, it likely means:

• The algorithm believes you want to discover new users to follow
• Your profile and watch history point to certain accounts over content
• There are bugs preventing proper video results from loading

Being aware of how TikTok search works provides context on why you might run into issues and how to get the results you want.

Steps to find more video results in TikTok search

If your goal is to find more videos instead of accounts in TikTok search, here are some tips:

1. Double check your search term isn’t using “@” or the name of an account, which will surface users first.
2. Add “#” before keywords to specifically look for hashtags and videos tagged with them.
3. Use natural language like “funny dog video” rather than single keywords.
4. Browse and engage with videos outside your usual interests to reset recommendations.
5. Toggle your location on and off to remove any limiting based on region.
6. Switch between languages to see if another provides more video results.
7. Dig deeper than the first page of search results.
8. Try searching on desktop if mobile app is glitchy.
9. Clear your TikTok history and data to reset the algorithm.

Searching smarter, changing settings, and resetting your profile data can reveal more videos. But keep in mind that some personalization in results based on your interests is by design on TikTok.

What if TikTok search shows no videos at all?

In rare cases, TikTok’s search function might show zero video results even for broad keywords and hashtags. Some potential reasons include:

• Server outage – Temporary glitch prevents videos from loading.
• Shadowban – Your account is partially restricted for violations.
• Poor internet connection – Videos fail to load with bad WiFi/data.
• Parental controls – If filters are blocking video suggestions.
• Kids mode – Limits video content visibility in younger accounts.
• Unsupported country – Limitations in certain regions.

You can try the following solutions if you see no video results:

1. Check TikTok’s status page for any acknowledged issues.
2. Switch between wifi and cellular data.
3. Use a VPN to change virtual location.
4. Clear the app cache and reinstall.
5. Restart your device.
6. Update the app and device software.
7. Contact TikTok support if the problem persists.

While frustrating, this problem is often temporary due to a technical bug or connection problem. But if videos remain entirely hidden in searches, reach out to TikTok for help troubleshooting.

Why am I only seeing the same accounts in TikTok search?

Seeing the same accounts dominate your TikTok search results can also be annoying. There are a few key reasons this happens:

• Personalization – The algorithm recommends accounts similar to those you already follow and like.
• Verification – Verified and prominent accounts tend to rank higher.
• Keyword stuffing – Accounts that cram searches into bio and videos.
• Shadowbanning – Restrictions can limit account visibility.
• Follower count – More followers often means better search placement.

Ways to counter repetitive account results include:

1. Tap “Not Interested” on common accounts suggested to you.
2. Follow a wider variety of accounts outside your usual interests.
3. Toggle between different language and location settings.
4. Clear your search history and watch data to reset.
5. Use a VPN to change regions.
6. Switch up keywords, hashtags, and search term syntax.

TikTok search aims to show you accounts and content it believes you’ll engage with. So you may have to consciously vary your activity to force more account diversity in results.

Should I be concerned if only accounts appear in searches?

Seeing only user profiles and no videos in TikTok search isn’t necessarily concerning on its own. Often it simply means:

• The algorithm thinks you want accounts to follow based on your history.
• Your preferences are narrowed by location, language, or interests.
• You need to adjust your search keywords or syntax.
• There are temporary technical issues.

However, if all video search results remain broken indefinitely specifically for your account, potential reasons for concern include:

• Account restriction – Shadowban or pendings review status.
• Security issue – Account hacked or compromised.
• Ban or termination – Violating TikTok rules and policies.
• Corrupted account data – Glitched personalized recommendations.

So try the troubleshooting steps first. But if videos remain entirely hidden in search for days, reach out to TikTok support in case your account needs attention.

Key takeaways

• TikTok search results are personalized based on your watch history and engagement.
• Check your location and language settings if you only see local accounts.
• Use natural keywords over specific usernames to find more videos.
• Clear your account data and switch regions to reset results.
• Contact TikTok if videos remain hidden – could signal an account issue.
• TikTok is always optimizing search, so behaviors will evolve over time.

With troubleshooting, you can coax TikTok search to show you more than just accounts. But expect your previous activity to guide recommendations to an extent.