TikTok messages allow users to directly communicate with each other on the platform. Users can send direct messages to other users, even if they don’t follow each other. TikTok messages are similar to direct messages on other social platforms like Instagram or Twitter.
There are a few key reasons why TikTok users may want to access their messages:
- Connect with friends, followers, creators and others in the TikTok community
- Have private conversations outside of public commenting
- Receive messages from potential collaborators or business opportunities
- Get notifications when favorite creators message them
- Manage incoming message requests
Being able to find and respond to TikTok messages is important for fully utilizing the interactive features of the platform.
Viewing Messages in the App
To access your messages and direct messages (DMs) on TikTok, you’ll need to open the messaging inbox in the app. Here’s how:
- Open the TikTok app on your mobile device.
- Tap the “Inbox” icon at the bottom of your screen. This looks like a paper airplane.
- This will open up your messaging inbox. Here you will see a list of your current message threads and conversations.
To view the messages in a specific conversation, simply tap on the name of the person you are messaging. This will open up your message thread with that person.
You can scroll up and down to view your full message history with that TikTok user. The most recent messages will be at the bottom.
This is where all of your exchanged messages, photos, videos, and other content will be visible within that conversation thread. TikTok stores your ongoing conversations so you can access them in your inbox.
Messages from Followers
Messages from people who follow you on TikTok can be found in the Direct Messages section of the app. To view messages from your followers:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap the Inbox icon in the bottom right corner.
2. This will open the Direct Messages screen. Here you will see any messages you’ve received from people who follow you.
3. Tap on any message thread to view the full conversation with that follower. You can scroll up to see older messages.
4. To reply to a follower’s message, simply tap on their latest message and type your response in the text box at the bottom. Tap the send button when you’re ready to reply.
The Direct Messages section is the only place where you can view and reply to messages from your TikTok followers. Keep in mind you’ll only receive messages here from accounts that follow you – if someone who doesn’t follow you tries to message you, it will go to the Message Requests section instead.
Messages from Non-Followers
Messages from users who do not follow you on TikTok are sent to your “Message Requests” folder. To view messages from non-followers:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the “Inbox” icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Select the “Message Requests” tab at the top of your messages.
3. You will see a list of messages from users who do not follow you. Tap on any message to view its full text.
By default, TikTok does not allow non-followers to directly message you. This prevents spam and unwanted messages. Users must first send you a message request, which you can choose to accept or ignore. Accepting the request will let that user message you freely in the future.
To adjust your messaging settings, open your profile, go to Privacy and Safety, and edit the “Who Can Send You Messages” setting. You can limit messages to “Friends Only” or open them to “Everyone.”
Message requests from non-followers are a way to filter incoming messages on TikTok. It gives you full control over who can reach you directly on the platform.
Deleted Messages
If you accidentally delete a message on TikTok, you may be able to recover it by checking your Trash folder. TikTok stores all deleted messages there for 30 days before permanently deleting them.
To access your Trash folder on the TikTok app:
- Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings and privacy.”
- Tap on “Privacy.”
- Select “Message settings.”
- Tap on “Trash.”
Here you will find any messages you’ve deleted in the past 30 days. You can tap on a message to view it or tap “Restore” to move it back to your inbox. However, after 30 days deleted messages are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
If you’ve deleted a message from another user, they will not be notified or see that the message was deleted on their end. Deleting only removes the message from your view.
While deleted messages can be temporarily recovered from the Trash folder, it’s important to be mindful of what you send via TikTok messaging. Once a message is seen by another user, deleting it will not erase it from their inbox or memory.
Sources:
https://socialtypro.com/retrieve-deleted-tiktok-messages/
Saving Messages
There are a couple options for saving your TikTok messages if you want to keep a record of conversations:
Take a screenshot – The easiest way to save TikTok messages is to take a screenshot. Open the message thread in the TikTok app, then take a screenshot using your device’s screenshot function. This will save an image of the messages to your camera roll.
Download your TikTok data – You can request a download of your TikTok data which will include your message history. According to TikTok’s support article, this data will be available as a ZIP file containing JSON files.
Save individual messages – When viewing a message thread, tap and hold on an individual message bubble. This will give you the option to save that specific message to your camera roll.
Keep in mind TikTok messages are deleted after a year unless you take action to save them outside of the app. Taking screenshots or downloading your data are the best options for preserving your message history long-term.
Replying to Messages
Replying to messages in the TikTok app is easy. Here are the steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the Inbox icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the message thread you want to reply to.
3. At the bottom of the screen, type your reply in the text box.
4. Once you’ve typed your message, tap the arrow icon on the right side of the text box to send your reply.
Your reply will be sent instantly to the other person. You’ll see your reply appear in the message thread.
To keep the conversation going, the other person can simply reply back to your message. You’ll get a notification when they respond.
Replying is a great way to have conversations with other TikTok users through direct messaging. It allows you to communicate one-on-one with followers, friends, creators you admire, and more.
Message History
TikTok saves and stores your past messages and conversations so you can reference them later on. Your entire messaging history remains available in the app unless you manually delete a conversation. As long as either person involved in the conversation does not delete the thread, the messages will remain accessible.
To view your message history, open the TikTok app and tap on the Inbox icon at the bottom of the screen. All of your message threads will be visible here. You can scroll up to see older messages exchanged within each conversation. According to ClevGuard, TikTok retains chat history indefinitely as long as the messages are not deleted.
The message history also remains available even if you block another user. You will still be able to view past conversations with that user unless you take the additional step of deleting the thread. TikTok’s message storage allows you to easily reference and search through previous conversations as needed.
Troubleshooting
If your TikTok messages seem to have disappeared or are not working properly, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:
First, close the TikTok app completely and restart your device. This can help clear any temporary bugs or glitches (TikTok Help Center).
Check that you have an stable internet connection. Connect to Wifi or toggle Airplane mode on and off to refresh your connection. Weak connections can cause messages to fail to send or be retrieved properly.
Make sure you have the latest version of the TikTok app by checking your App Store/Google Play for any available updates. Installing the newest version may fix messaging problems.
If your messages have disappeared, try logging out and back into your TikTok account. This forces your message history to resync and could restore missing conversations (Alphr).
You can also try clearing the cache and data for the TikTok app. Go to your device settings, find the TikTok app, and choose to clear cached data and clear storage. This will reset the app and usually fixes message issues.
If nothing seems to work, you can reach out to TikTok support through the app or their help center website. They may be able to further troubleshoot and identify any problems.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the key points to keep in mind when accessing your TikTok messages:
- View new messages from your followers and non-followers in the Messages tab of the TikTok app.
- Deleted messages disappear after 30 days. Make sure to save any important messages you want to keep.
- You can reply directly to any message through the app and access message history.
- If you’re having trouble loading messages, check your internet connection, restart the app, or contact TikTok support.
With the TikTok app, your messages are just a tap away. Open the app and check the Messages tab to view new messages from your followers and anyone else on TikTok.
