TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. With such a massive user base, it’s common for TikTok users to suddenly lose access to a profile they previously followed.
There are many reasons you may no longer be able to view someone’s TikTok account. The user may have decided to delete their account, gotten banned from the platform, blocked you, set their account to private, or their content may have been age restricted. Technical issues can also cause profiles to temporarily disappear.
In this article, we’ll explore the most common reasons you can no longer see someone on TikTok and provide tips for troubleshooting the issue.
Account Was Deleted
One of the most common reasons you may no longer be able to see someone’s TikTok account is because the user chose to delete their account. According to TikTok’s support page, deleting your account is a permanent action that cannot be reversed (source).
There are a few reasons a user may decide to delete their TikTok account entirely:
- They no longer want to use TikTok or be active on the platform
- They want to take a break from social media in general
- Privacy or security concerns
- To remove embarrassing or problematic content they previously posted
When a user deletes their TikTok account, their username is removed and their videos, likes, followers, and all other account information is permanently deleted. Their old username also becomes available for anyone else to claim if they want. There is no way to recover a deleted TikTok account.
So if you notice someone’s TikTok account has mysteriously disappeared, it’s likely they chose to delete it and you won’t be able to find it or that username anymore.
Account Was Banned
If you can no longer see someone’s TikTok account, it may be because their account was banned by TikTok for violating community guidelines or terms of service. TikTok has rules against certain types of content and behavior, such as hate speech, nudity, harassment, dangerous challenges, and spam. If TikTok determines an account crossed the line, they may impose a temporary or permanent ban.
According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, if an account gets banned, the user will receive an in-app and/or email notification explaining the reason. Banned accounts cannot post, comment, or like on TikTok. TikTok says bans are enforced to maintain a safe and positive environment on the platform.
There is an appeals process for banned accounts. The user can appeal the ban within 30 days by providing additional information that shows the content removal or account ban was a mistake. However, if the ban was for a severe violation, TikTok may not accept an appeal.
If you can no longer view someone’s TikTok account, it’s likely they violated rules and got banned. This results in their account being completely removed for other users.
Blocked By The User
If someone has blocked you on TikTok, you will no longer be able to view their profile or any of their videos. Here are some signs that indicate you may have been blocked:
When you tap on their username or profile picture, their profile will appear empty. None of their information or videos will be visible. Instead, you may see a message like “Couldn’t find this account” or “This account doesn’t exist.”
If you try to search for their username, their account will not show up in the search results.
Any comments you’ve left on their videos will disappear. Their videos will also disappear from your “Liked” list if you had liked their content.
You will not be able to view their live streams or send them direct messages. Any past conversations will no longer be accessible.
If you had been following them before, their account will no longer show up under your “Following” list.
You may also notice that your follower/following count suddenly dropped – this could indicate they blocked you if they had previously followed you back.
Overall, their entire presence will be erased from your TikTok account. You will have no access to anything related to their profile or videos after being blocked.
There is no notification sent out when someone blocks you on TikTok. The only way to know is if you suddenly lose access to their profile. If you notice the signs above, chances are you have been blocked by that user for unknown reasons.
The blocking is permanent unless that user decides to unblock you. There is no way to get around someone blocking you on TikTok. Your only option is to try contacting that person on another platform if you want to find out why you were blocked.
Shadowbanned
A shadowban is when TikTok algorithmically limits the reach and distribution of a user’s content without any notification. This means the user’s posts, likes, comments, and other interactions have their visibility restricted by TikTok’s systems. According to a TikTok report, shadowbanning accounted for a 16% decrease in average view rates in 2023.
There are a few potential reasons an account may get shadowbanned. Violating community guidelines, spamming content, or using bots/fake engagement can trigger a shadowban. Even excessive posting when starting out on the platform can sometimes lead to reach being limited. According to sources, a TikTok shadowban typically lasts around 2 weeks before the restrictions are lifted.
The main sign of being shadowbanned is a sudden unexplained drop in views, likes, and comments. The content still remains visible to the user’s current followers but does not get pushed out to new audiences by the algorithm. Checking view sources and analytics can confirm the limited reach.
To get rid of a shadowban, it’s recommended to lay low and not post as frequently until the restrictions are lifted. Posting quality content that provides value and engages viewers is key to regaining full distribution after a shadowban.
Age Restricted Account
If the user you are trying to view is under 18 years old, their account may have additional restrictions. TikTok automatically sets accounts belonging to users under 18 to private by default (https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-features-for-teens-and-families-on-tiktok-us). This means only approved followers can view their content.
Additionally, accounts for younger teens under 16 are given limited features. Direct messaging is turned off for accounts belonging to 13-15 year olds (https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/user-safety). TikTok also limits screen time to 60 minutes per day for accounts belonging to users under 18 (https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-features-for-teens-and-families-on-tiktok-us).
So if you are unable to view a TikTok user’s account, it may be because they are under 18 and have restrictions in place. You would need to send them a follow request in order to view their content.
Private Account
One of the most common reasons you may no longer be able to see someone’s TikTok account is that the account has been set to private. According to TikTok support, users have the option to make their account private or public. When an account is set to private, only approved followers are able to view the account’s content.
If someone has made their TikTok account private when you were previously able to view it, you will no longer be able to access the profile or videos unless the user approves you as a follower. This is a privacy setting users often enable if they want to limit their audience and maintain a more exclusive follower base.
One report indicates that over 25% of TikTok accounts are set to private. If you can no longer view someone’s profile that you had access to previously, there is a good chance the account was made private.
Regionally Blocked
Sometimes TikTok may not be available to users in certain countries or regions due to government restrictions. According to Reddit, TikTok works largely based on geolocation, so the app knows the user’s location and can block access if they are in a restricted area.
If you try to access someone’s profile and get an error message that the service is unavailable, it likely means that TikTok has imposed regional blocking for that country. This is often done to comply with local laws and regulations. There may be ways around regional blocking by using a VPN, but this violates TikTok’s terms of service.
The only way the account will become accessible again is if the geolocation restrictions are lifted. Unfortunately there is nothing the individual user can do if TikTok has imposed regional blocking for their country.
Technical Issues
Sometimes TikTok accounts can become inaccessible due to technical issues on the platform. TikTok, like any social media site, can experience occasional glitches or bugs that cause disruptions.
Some common technical issues that can make an account unavailable include:
- The TikTok app crashing or freezing when trying to load the user’s profile or videos
- Error messages appearing when trying to view the profile, such as “content unavailable” or “page not found”
- Delays in new posts appearing on the user’s profile due to an app bug
- The user’s profile photo, bio, or other account details briefly disappearing
- Videos on the account not loading despite having an internet connection
In most cases, these types of technical glitches are temporary and typically resolve themselves within a few hours as TikTok works to address issues. If an account seems to be experiencing persistent technical problems, reporting the issues through TikTok’s feedback form can help bring awareness to get them resolved sooner.
Conclusion
There are several possible reasons why you may no longer be able to see someone’s TikTok account. The most likely explanations are that the account was deleted by the user, banned by TikTok for violating community guidelines, or set to private. You may also have been blocked by the user, which prevents you from viewing their profile and videos. Less common reasons include shadowbanning, regional blocking, or temporary technical issues.
In summary, if a TikTok account has disappeared from your view, it’s generally because of an intentional action by the user or TikTok. With privacy settings, violations of terms of service, or blocking, users have control over their visibility on the platform. If the account is important to you, periodically double-checking whether you can view it again may reveal if any restrictions have changed.
