What Does It Mean If You Can’t Search for Someone on TikTok?
When a TikTok user’s profile doesn’t show up in search results, it typically means their account is set to private. Private accounts on TikTok have increased privacy settings that prevent their content from being viewed by anyone they don’t approve as followers.
TikTok allows users to choose between a public account that anyone can see, or a private account where only approved followers can view their videos, likes, and follows. If someone has set their profile to private, their videos, likes, follower list, and other information will not be visible to users who are not approved followers.
Setting an account to private offers users more control over who can interact with their content. It essentially makes the account invisible to anyone not specifically approved to view it. So if you search for someone on TikTok and their account doesn’t show up, it likely means their profile is private and you would need to request to follow them in order to view their content.
TikTok Privacy Settings
TikTok offers a range of privacy settings to control who can view and interact with your account and videos. The main privacy setting is whether your account is public or private.
With a public account, anyone can view your profile information, videos, likes, and follower/following lists. Public is the default setting when creating a new account.
With a private account, you have to approve followers and only approved followers can see your posts, likes, and follower/following lists. Private is the default for accounts registered by users under 16 years old [1].
Other key privacy settings include:
- Suggested users – control whether your account is suggested to others
- Comments – control who can comment on your videos
- Duet and stitch – control who can duet with or stitch your videos
- Downloads – control ability to download your videos
- Contact info – show/hide contact info like phone number from your profile
You can access TikTok’s privacy settings from the app under Settings & Privacy. TikTok provides options to customize privacy based on your preferences.
Reasons a TikTok Account May Be Private
There are a few main reasons why you may not be able to search for someone’s profile on TikTok:
- The user chose to make their account private. On TikTok, users can decide whether they want their account to be public or private. With a private account, only approved followers can view your profile, videos, likes, followers list, and who you follow. According to TikTok’s support article, accounts for users under 18 are set to private by default (https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings/privacy-and-safety-settings-for-users-under-age-18).
- The account was banned by TikTok. If an account violates TikTok’s community guidelines, TikTok may ban the account. Banned accounts cannot be viewed or searched for on the platform.
- The user deleted their account. If someone decides to delete their TikTok account, their profile will no longer be searchable or viewable.
So in summary, if you try searching for a TikTok user and their profile doesn’t show up, it likely means they have a private account, deleted their account, or were banned from the platform.
How to Tell if a TikTok Account is Private
There are a few easy ways to check if a TikTok account is private or public:
- Search for the username in the TikTok app or on the TikTok website. If you get a message saying “User not found”, the account is likely private.
- Go directly to the profile link (e.g. tiktok.com/@username). If you see a message saying “This account is private”, then it is private.
- Look for a lock icon next to the username on their profile or posts. The lock icon indicates the account is private.
- Check if the account’s posts and followers/following counts are shown on their profile. Private accounts hide these stats.
- Try following the account. You’ll get a request sent if it’s private rather than being able to follow directly.
Essentially if you can’t view any posts or see the follower count, the TikTok account is private. This restricts public visibility and only approved followers can view private profiles.
Viewing Private TikTok Profiles
If someone has made their TikTok account private, it means their profile and all of their content is hidden from people who don’t follow them. As a non-follower, you won’t be able to see anything on their profile at all. Their bio, number of followers, likes, and videos will all be inaccessible.
However, if you already follow a TikTok user when they switch their account to private, you will still have access to their profile and posts. Existing followers are not blocked when an account goes private. You can view, like, and comment on their content as normal.
There are a few ways to potentially view private profiles as a non-follower:
- If you and the private account have a mutual friend, you may be able to ask the mutual friend to share specific videos with you.
- You can try searching their profile name on Google to see if any of their TikTok videos have been re-posted on other websites.
- Some third-party apps claim they can access private profile information, but it’s uncertain if they work and they may violate TikTok’s terms.
Overall, TikTok private accounts are designed to limit profile access to approved followers only. Without following the account directly or getting content shared from a mutual friend, there is no guaranteed way to view a private TikTok profile.
Making Your TikTok Account Private
Making your TikTok account private is a simple process that can be done directly within the TikTok app. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Open the TikTok app on your device.
- Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three dot menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Privacy and Settings” from the menu.
- Toggle the “Private Account” setting to on.
Once you toggle your account to private, your profile, videos, likes, and followers will no longer be visible to the public. Only your followers will be able to view your content. When your account is set to private, you will also have the option to approve or deny follower requests.
According to TikTok’s support article, making your account private allows you to have more control over your TikTok experience. Private accounts can help limit unwanted attention or interactions. However, it’s important to note that your profile photo, username, and bio will remain public even if your account is private.
Pros and Cons of a Private Account
There are advantages and disadvantages to having a private TikTok account. Some of the key pros of a private account include:
- More control over followers – You get to approve who can see your content, only allowing people you know and trust (https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings/making-your-account-public-or-private)
- Avoid unwanted attention – A private account prevents strangers from commenting on your videos or messaging you directly without permission
- Increased privacy – Private accounts keep your likes, followers, following list and videos private
However, there are also some potential drawbacks:
- Less discoverability – It’s harder to gain new followers organically without a public presence on TikTok
- Unable to participate in trends – You can’t duet or stitch public videos if your account is private
- Harder to collaborate – Collaborating with other creators becomes more difficult if they can’t see your account
Overall, the choice comes down to your priorities. If you value privacy and controlling interactions, a private account makes sense. But if building an audience and participating in TikTok culture is important, a public account may be better (https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-business-vs-personal/).
Troubleshooting Tips
Sometimes users may accidentally set their TikTok account to private when they meant to keep it public. This can happen if you click the wrong setting when adjusting your privacy options. Thankfully, it’s easy to reverse this change and make your account public again.
On your profile page, tap the three dot menu in the upper right corner and choose “Privacy and Settings”. From there, toggle the switch for “Private Account” to the off position. Your account will now be public again. Any new videos you post will be viewable by all TikTok users.
If your account is stuck on private even after toggling the setting, try fully closing and reopening the TikTok app. This forces the app to refresh and should update your account status. You can also log out and back into your account as another troubleshooting method.
Some users report videos getting stuck in processing if posted while the account was private. But don’t worry, the views should normalize again after you make your account public. Changing the privacy settings does not negatively impact the algorithm in the long run.
Overall, it’s easy to change your TikTok account back to public if you accidentally made it private. Just toggle the privacy setting and fully close the app. Your account and videos will be visible to all in no time.
Alternatives to a Private Account
While a private account is the main way to control privacy on TikTok, there are some other options users have to limit their exposure:
You can block other users which prevents them from viewing your content or interacting with you.
You can turn off comments on your videos or limit them only to people you follow or mention.
You can choose to make individual videos private even if your account is public.
You can decide not to show up in recommendations or remove the ability for others to duet or stitch your content.
While these settings don’t provide the full privacy of a private account, they allow you to limit your exposure in other ways.
Summary
If you are unable to find someone’s profile when searching their username on TikTok, it likely means their account is set to private. Private accounts on TikTok have increased privacy settings that make the account and its videos invisible to anyone the account owner has not approved to follow them.
There are several reasons TikTok users may choose to have a private account, such as wanting to limit their audience or avoid unwanted attention. The videos, likes, followers, and other information on a private profile are hidden from public view.
If you want to view a private TikTok profile, you will need to send a follow request. The account owner can then decide whether to approve or deny your request. If they accept, you’ll be able to see their private content. There is no way to bypass the privacy settings on a private account without the owner’s permission.
In summary, being unable to search for someone on TikTok likely indicates their account is set to private. This grants them greater control over who can interact with their profile and view their content.
