TikTok is a popular short-form video app where users can like, comment on, and share videos. Liking a video is an important engagement signal on TikTok, as it can boost the video in the recommendation algorithm and signal interest to the creator. However, sometimes users may accidentally like a video by tapping the heart icon or mistakenly double-tapping the screen. This can lead to unintentionally showing support for a video the user did not mean to engage with. The scenario explored in this article is what happens when a user accidentally likes a TikTok video and then unlikes it shortly after.
Visibility of Likes
When you like a video on TikTok, your like is visible to the creator of that video. However, your likes are private by default and not visible to other users on TikTok (Mashable). You have the option to make your liked videos public and show them on your profile, but they will remain private unless you change the setting.
To control the visibility of your liked videos on TikTok:
- Go to your profile page
- Tap the menu (three horizontal lines) icon in the upper right corner
- Select “Settings and privacy”
- Tap “Privacy”
- Under “Liked videos” choose “Private” to hide your likes or “Public” to show them on your profile
So in summary, liking a video is only visible to the creator by default. You have control through your settings to keep your liked videos private or make them public (TikTok Help Center).
Notifications
When you like a video on TikTok, the original poster does not receive a notification if you later unlike the video. TikTok only sends notifications for new likes, comments, and other interactions – there is no notification sent for unliking a video.
As explained on Reddit, “its like it was never there. also, TikTok does not send notifications directly to home screens no matter the setting. so basically, if the [original poster] doesn’t check the likes tab they’ll never know you liked then unliked.” (Source)
TikTok’s Help Center also confirms that users must manually turn on push notifications in their settings to receive notifications for likes, comments, and new followers. There is no separate notification for undoing a like. (Source)
Undoing the Like
If you accidentally like a video on TikTok, it’s easy to undo it and unlike the video. Simply go to the video you mistakenly liked and tap the heart icon below it. This will unlike the video and remove your like from it. You can do this whether you’re on the video page itself or if you see the video in your feed or likes list.
According to Reddit users, TikTok will automatically unlike older liked videos as you continue liking new ones (https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiktokhelp/comments/gtc1k0/videos_and_comments_that_i_previously_liked_get/). So liking many new videos can cause some of your previous likes to be removed. However, manually going in and undoing accidental likes is the fastest way to unlike a TikTok video.
You can also unlike videos in bulk by going to your liked videos list in your profile. Tap and hold on a video to select it, then tap on as many other videos as you want to unlike. Once you’ve selected them, tap the heart icon at the bottom to unlike them all at once.
Like History
When you like a video on TikTok, it gets added to your “Liked videos” list that you can view in your profile. Even if you later unlike the video, it will remain in your liked video history. The creator of the video is notified when you initially like their content, but they are not notified if you later unlike it (TikTok Help Center).
You can view your entire like history by going to your profile and tapping the “Liked” tab. This will show you a feed of all the videos you have liked in chronological order (Dexerto). The video creator has no way to see if you’ve unlike their video – they will simply see that you liked it at some point. Unliking does not erase it from your history or remove the notification that was sent to the creator.
So in summary, if you accidentally like a video, the creator is notified regardless of if you later unlike it. You should be mindful that your like history is saved and accessible in your profile.
Video Recommendations
Accidentally liking a video on TikTok may cause that video, and other similar videos, to show up more often in your “For You” page recommendations for a short period of time. This is because TikTok’s algorithm looks at your likes and engagement to determine what content you might be interested in.
However, the impact of an accidental like on your recommendations is usually minor and temporary. If you unlike the video soon after accidentally liking it, the algorithm will quickly adjust and remove that video from your suggested feeds.
According to Reddit users, accidentally liking a video won’t lead to that content dominating your For You page for long [1]. The algorithm is sophisticated enough to discern between genuine and accidental likes in most cases. It focuses more on your overall watch time and engagement patterns.
You may see slightly more content similar to that video over the next few hours or days. But your recommendations should return to normal soon after unliking it, as you continue to watch and engage with other content.
Linked Accounts
TikTok allows users to link their accounts to other social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. When you link accounts, it connects your profile and can allow cross-posting. However, liking a video on TikTok does not automatically like or interact with the linked social media accounts in any way [1]. The platforms are separate and a like is only registered within TikTok, not on any linked external accounts. Simply liking or unliking a TikTok video will not directly impact your activity on any other social media profiles. The accounts may share some profile information, but actions like liking remain independent.
Liking Back
Many creators feel obligated to like back videos of users who have liked their content, as a common courtesy on TikTok. This is especially true when the user liking their videos is also a creator themselves. However, with larger accounts that have millions of followers, it becomes unrealistic to like back every single user’s content.
According to discussions on TikTok etiquette forums like Reddit (source), creators with smaller followings often try to like back videos as a reciprocal gesture, whereas creators with huge followings don’t feel the need to do so. The general etiquette seems to be that liking back is appreciated but not necessarily expected, especially from very popular accounts.
Some users point out that mass-liking or follow-for-follow behavior should be avoided, as it comes across as inauthentic. The main focus should be on liking content you genuinely appreciate or find interesting, not simply liking back every user who liked your video.
Privacy Concerns
Accidentally liking a TikTok video can raise privacy concerns for some users. Even if you quickly unlike the video, the original poster may still get a notification that you liked it according to Reddit users (source). This means they briefly see your profile picture and username. If you want to be extra cautious, you can block the user after unliking to prevent them from viewing your profile or finding you in the future (source). However, blocking only prevents future interactions – it doesn’t erase the notification they already received about your accidental like.
The best way to avoid unwanted privacy issues from accidental likes is to be careful when scrolling through videos. Pay close attention before tapping the heart icon. You can also enable an extra confirmation step in your TikTok settings to prevent reflex likes. If you do happen to accidentally like a video, unliking and blocking the user right away can help minimize privacy concerns.
Conclusion
In summary, accidentally liking a video on TikTok is easily fixable. The main ways to undo a like include tapping the heart icon again, removing it from your liked videos page, and tapping “Unlike” in the notifications tab if you receive one. Your accidental like won’t be a big deal or send the wrong message – the video creator likely won’t even notice. TikTok’s algorithm also won’t drastically change recommendations based on a single mistapped like. So don’t worry if you accidentally like something! Just tap the heart once more to undo it and move on.
The process of undoing a like is quick and straightforward on TikTok. With just another tap or two, you can remove a like and eliminate any traces of it. TikTok makes it simple to manage your likes and curate your feed. So go ahead and freely browse the app, knowing any slips of the finger can be undone.
