TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. On TikTok, users can create and share short videos, and interact with other videos by liking, commenting, and sharing. Likes are an important metric that helps videos gain more visibility on TikTok. However, many users have noticed their like counts suddenly dropping on videos for no apparent reason. This can be frustrating and concerning for TikTok creators who rely on high engagement to grow their audience and get promoted by the TikTok algorithm.
In this article, we will explore the potential reasons why TikTok likes may disappear and provide tips on how to prevent like counts from dropping.
Reason 1: Glitch or Bug
One of the most common reasons likes may disappear from TikTok videos is due to a glitch or bug in the TikTok app. TikTok is still a relatively new platform and occasional issues are to be expected as developers work to improve the app. Bugs in the code can sometimes cause engagement numbers like likes to drop or fluctuate unexpectedly. This usually does not indicate anything wrong with the account itself.
Many users have reported sudden drops in likes, only to see the numbers restored after a short period of time. As explained on TikTok’s help site, “If you notice a significant drop in likes, comments, or views, don’t panic. This is usually a display issue and your stats will be restored soon” (source). Rest assured this is a known issue TikTok engineers are working to address.
If the likes do not reappear within a day or two, you may want to contact TikTok support. But in most cases, likes disappearing briefly is simply a symptom of a bug and the numbers bounce back quickly.
Reason 2: Account Deletion
One of the most common reasons for disappearing likes on TikTok is that a user has deleted their account. When someone chooses to delete their TikTok account, all of the likes and engagements associated with that account will be removed. This means that if a user you liked has deleted their profile, their videos will show zero likes – even yours.
There’s no way to recover the likes after a user has deleted their account, as all of that data is erased. The only way likes would reappear in this case is if the user reactivates their account. According to TikTok’s community guidelines, deleted accounts are removed from the platform entirely within 30 days.
So if you notice that likes from a certain user have disappeared, it likely means that they have deleted their TikTok account permanently. There is unfortunately no way to get those likes back unless that user decides to rejoin TikTok.
Reason 3: Shadowbanning
One common reason why likes may disappear on TikTok is due to shadowbanning. Shadowbanning is when TikTok secretly limits the reach and visibility of a user’s content without their knowledge (1). This is usually done by TikTok’s algorithms to accounts that violate community guidelines or terms of service in minor ways. Some signs of being shadowbanned include:
- Sudden drop in likes, comments and views
- Followers don’t see your content in their feeds
- Hashtags and sounds don’t work as well
When shadowbanned, your content may not surface in searches, hashtags or recommendations as much. This indirectly leads to a loss of engagement and likes. While explicit violations like hate speech or dangerous acts may cause an outright ban, minor infractions like spammy captions or mass following/unfollowing often lead to shadowbans. The duration can vary – some shadowbans last only a few days while others can persist for weeks (2).
If you suspect you’ve been shadowbanned, look for sudden unexplained drops in your usual likes and engagement. Try switching accounts and searching for your content – if it’s hard to find, a shadowban may be in effect. There are also third party shadowban checkers that can analyze your account (3). The only way to get rid of a shadowban is to stop any rule-breaking behaviors and continue posting high quality content consistently.
Reason 4: Violation of Guidelines
One potential reason your likes may disappear on TikTok is if you have violated the platform’s Community Guidelines. TikTok has rules against certain types of harmful or illegal content. If your video or account is found to violate these guidelines, TikTok may remove the video or ban the account.
According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, accounts may be banned for severe or repeated violations. When an account is banned, all associated likes, comments, and followers will also be removed.
Common violations that could lead to lost likes include:
- Hateful ideologies
- Illegal activities
- Violent extremism
- Harassment and bullying
So if your content went against TikTok’s rules, the platform may have taken action and removed engagements like likes in the process. Checking your account status and appeal options can help determine if a policy violation caused your missing likes.
Reason 5: Fake Likes Removed
One common reason for losing likes on TikTok is that the platform’s algorithms detect and remove engagement from fake or bot accounts. TikTok has strict policies against buying fake likes, followers, views, or comments. If their systems identify inauthentic activity on a video, TikTok may purge those invalid likes which can lead to a sudden drop in the like count.
As noted on Quora, if TikTok detects that a user has engaged in buying fake engagement, they may remove those inauthentic likes retroactively. This allows them to crack down on artificial inflation of popularity metrics and maintain the integrity of their platform. Losing a significant number of likes unexpectedly may be an indication that fake engagement was purged from your videos.
The best practice is to avoid using third-party services that promise likes or views from bot accounts. Focus instead on creating compelling content and cultivating an authentic audience. While buying engagement may deliver vanity metrics temporarily, it violates TikTok’s terms of service and may result in negative consequences.
How to Tell if Likes are Real
There are a few ways to determine if the disappearance of likes on your TikTok videos is a glitch or error versus a real loss of engagement:
- Check if the like counts on your other videos have also dropped. If it’s isolated to just one or two videos, it’s more likely a glitch. But if you notice lower engagement across the board, it could be a real issue.
- Look at your view counts. If views remain steady or increasing but likes are dropping, it points to a potential error rather than loss of interest.
- Compare to your older videos. See if recently posted videos have lower like ratios than your overall average. A drastic change could signal something is wrong.
- Use a third-party analytics site like Social Blade to assess changes over time. This gives you an unbiased perspective beyond TikTok’s metrics.
- Toggle between accounts and watch your videos as a viewer. This reveals the public perspective.
Analyzing metrics from different angles helps determine if a loss of likes stems from a technical issue or actual drop in user engagement. Contact TikTok support if data clearly points to a glitch.
What to Do if Likes Disappear
If you notice likes starting to disappear from your TikTok videos, there are some steps you can take to try to address the issue:
First, refresh your feed and profile page to see if the likes reappear. Sometimes a glitch may cause likes to temporarily disappear, so refreshing can help (Source 1).
Check if the videos with missing likes were removed or made private. Likes will be removed from videos that you delete or make private (Source 3).
See if you are shadowbanned by posting from a different account. If your posts have suddenly stopped getting engagement, you may be shadowbanned. Use a secondary account to view your profile and test if your new videos still get likes (Source 2).
Review TikTok’s community guidelines to check if you violated any policies. TikTok may remove likes if you breach their rules. Read through their policies carefully to make sure your content complies (TikTok Guidelines).
Contact TikTok support if the issue persists and you cannot identify the cause. They may be able to look into what is causing likes to disappear from your account and videos.
Preventing Loss of Likes
While there is no foolproof way to prevent losing likes on TikTok, here are some tips that can help minimize the chances:
Follow all of TikTok’s community guidelines to avoid potentially violating policies that could lead to shadowbanning or account deletion.
Avoid buying fake likes or followers, as TikTok often removes these inauthentic engagements.
Turn off any unauthorized third-party apps or services that claim to get you more views or likes. These could be detected as spam.
Engage genuinely with your followers by responding to comments and participating in duets. Authentic engagement helps affirm you are a real user.
Post consistently high-quality, original content that provides value for your audience. Low-quality or repetitive content could be perceived as spam.
Use relevant hashtags so your content surfaces for users interested in your niche. This leads to genuine engagement.
Analyze your analytics to identify posting times when your audience is most active and engaged.
While out of your control, try to avoid app glitches by keeping the TikTok app up-to-date.
Do not stress excessively over fluctuations in likes. Focus on creating great content and fostering authentic engagement with users.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several potential reasons why your likes may disappear on TikTok, including glitches, account bans, shadowbanning, guideline violations, and fake like removals. The best way to prevent losing likes is to ensure you follow all TikTok guidelines and avoid buying fake likes from third-party services.
If you notice your likes suddenly dropping, first check that your account and videos are still active and accessible. If so, the issue may resolve itself after some time. You can also contact TikTok support if you believe your account was penalized unfairly.
While losing likes can be frustrating, focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with real TikTok users. Authentic engagement always wins out over fake or bought interactions in the long run. Stick to best practices, and your account will continue growing its true fanbase over time.
