TikTok may not work mainly due to issues with its installation or as a result of network restrictions. The issue is reported on all the TikTok-supported platforms like Android, iOS, Windows, browsers, and emulators (like BlueStacks), etc.
For some, a device’s operating system update triggered the problem. The problem is also reported by people who use a VPN to use TikTok. The issue is noticed when either the app does not launch, does not fetch content, or crashes when doing an action e.g., liking or commenting on a video.
1. Restart your Device and Networking Equipment
Due to an internal glitch, your device or networking equipment may not let the TikTok app access essential online resources. Here, restarting your device and networking equipment may resolve the issue. Before moving on, make sure the TikTok servers are not down.
- Firstly, exit the TikTok app and remove the app from the recent apps list.
- Now launch the TikTok app and check if it is working fine.
- If not, power off your device and related network equipment (like a router, Wi-Fi extenders, etc.).
- Now, wait for a minute, and then power on the router.
- Once the router lights are stable, power on your device and launch TikTok to check if it is working fine.
2. Update TikTok App to the Latest Build
If the TikTok app is missing the latest patches from the developer, then its incompatibility with the OS may not let the app execute properly and thus cause the problem. Updating the TikTok app to the latest build may resolve the issue. For illustration, we will go through updating the TikTok app on an Android phone.
- Open the Google Play Store and search for TikTok.
- Now check if a TikTok update is available. If so, tap on the Update button.
- Once updated, press Open and check if the TikTok’s working problem is cleared.
- If not, check if updating the device’s OS to the latest build clears the error.
3. Disable IPv6 in the Router’s Settings
If TikTok is only not working when using the Wi-Fi or using a particular network (like the office’s Wi-Fi), then the IPv6’s incompatibility with TikTok servers or your device’s configurations could be the root cause of the issue. In this scenario, disabling IPv6 in the router’s settings may resolve the issue. The general guidelines are as under:
- Head to the management portal of your router (either through an app or browser) and if required, log in using your credentials.
- Now steer to its Settings page and open Advanced Settings.
- Then select IPv6 and in the resulting menu, set the dropdown of the Internet Connection Type to Disabled.
- Now save the changes made and restart your router.
- Then restart your device and upon restart, launch TikTok and check if it is working fine.
4. Re-log into the TikTok App
If TikTok servers fail to authenticate your TikTok session properly, they may not respond properly to the queries from your device, resulting in the problem under discussion. Here, re-logging into TikTok may resolve the issue.
For illustration, we will go through the process for an Android phone, but you can also try this method on other platforms. This method may not be viable for every person facing the problem. Do not forget to keep the credentials available to re-log into the TikTok app.
- Launch the TikTok app and switch to its Profile tab.
- Now tap on the hamburger menu (near the top right) and open Settings and Privacy.
- Then scroll down to the bottom and, afterward, tap on Logout.
- Now confirm to log out of the TikTok app and restart your device.
- Then launch/log into the TikTok app and check if it is working fine.
- If that did not work, then without logging out of the current device, log into TikTok on another device (like another phone or browser on your system) and check if TikTok is working fine on both devices.
- If it only works fine on the second device, log out of the first device and like a video on the second device.
- Now log into the TikTok app on the first device and check if the issue is resolved.
5. Reset the TikTok App (Android)
If the cache and data of the TikTok app are corrupt, then the app may fail to load the data and thus essential components might not work. In such a case, resetting the TikTok app or clearing its cache or data may clear the issue.
- Launch Settings of your Android phone and head to its Apps.
- Now select TikTok and tap on Force Stop.
- Then confirm to stop the TikTok app and open Storage.
- Now tap on the Clear Cache button and afterward, launch the TikTok app to check if it is working fine.
- If not, repeat the above steps to steer to the Storage section of TikTok in the phone’s Apps’ Settings.
- Now tap on the Clear Data button and then confirm to delete the data of the TikTok app.
- Once done, restart your phone, and upon restart, launch TikTok and check if its working problem is cleared.
6. Reset the Network Settings of Your Device
The TikTok app may also fail to work if your device’s network settings are misconfigured. Due to this, the application fails to access essential online resources. In this context, resetting your device’s network settings to the defaults may resolve the issue. Before moving on, make sure to note down the network credentials, proxy settings, VPNs, etc. (things related to networks) as these will be wiped clean from your device.
For Android Devices
- Go to Settings of your Android phone and select the General Management option.
- Then open Reset and tap on the Reset Network Settings option.
- Now confirm to reset the Android phone’s network settings.
- Once done, restart your phone and upon restart, add a network to your phone.
- Now launch TikTok and check if its working problem is cleared.
For iPhone Devices
- Open your iPhone Settings and select General.
- Then tap on Reset and select Reset Network Settings.
- Afterward, confirm to reset your iPhone’s network settings, and once done, restart your iPhone.
- Upon restart, add a network to your iPhone and then launch TikTok to check if it functioning normally.
7. Try Another Network Type/Network or Use a VPN
If there is a network hindrance in TikTok’s communication between your device and TikTok servers which is not letting the app execute properly, then that could also be the root cause of the issue. For example, your ISP is using an APN located in a country where TikTok is banned. Here, trying another network type/network using a VPN may clear the issue.
- Firstly, check if using the mobile data only (after disabling Wi-Fi) or vice versa solves the problem.
- If not, check if connecting your device to another network (you can use a hotspot from another phone on a different network where TikTok is working) and using TikTok resolves the issue.
- If that did not work, download, install, and launch a VPN app.
- Now connect it to a country where TikTok is not banned (like Canada) and check if it clears out the TikTok problem.
8. Reinstall the TikTok App
TikTok might also fail to work if its installation is corrupt and the device’s operating system is limiting the execution of the corrupt app components. Here, reinstalling the TikTok app may solve the problem. A point to remember is that you may lose your drafts. Also, keep the login credentials available before reinstalling the TikTok app. For illustration, we will discuss the process of reinstalling the TikTok app on an Android phone.
- Launch Settings on your Android phone and open its App Management utility (like Apps).
- Now tap on TikTok and press the Force Stop button.
- Then confirm to force stop the TikTok app and clear its cache/storage (discussed earlier).
- Now tap on the Uninstall button and afterward, confirm to uninstall the TikTok app.
- Then restart your phone and upon restart, reinstall the TikTok app.
- Now launch the TikTok app and check if it is working fine.
- If not, uninstall the TikTok app and restart your phone.
- Upon restart, launch a web browser on a PC and head to the Google Play Store website.
- Now log in using a Google account that has the phone number of the country (like Canada) where you want to use TikTok and search for TikTok.
- Then click on Install and afterward, select your Android phone.
- Now, wait till the TikTok app installs on your phone, and afterward, launch it to check if it is working normally.
- If that did not work, check if installing TikTok into your phone’s Secure Folder (like on a Samsung phone) clears the error.
9. Disable the Device’s Location and Change its Region
If you have traveled abroad and a change in your location/phone’s region is hindering TikTok’s algorithms, then that may cause TikTok not to work. Moreover, if you are in a banned country, then that could also stop TikTok from running.
Here, disabling the device’s location and changing its region may resolve the issue. In the case of a banned country, you may need a VPN to make it work. For illustration, we will discuss the process for an iPhone but you can use the same technique on other TikTok-supported platforms.
- Launch Settings of your iPhone and select Privacy.
- Now open Location Services and disable it by toggling the switch to off.
- Then uninstall the TikTok app (discussed earlier) and launch the iPhone Settings.
- Now open General and select Language and Region.
- Then open Region and set the Region as per your requirements (like Canada).
- Now power off your iPhone and take out the SIM (must).
- Then power on the iPhone without reinserting the SIM car), launch a VPN app (you may need to install one if not present), and connect it to your desired country (like Canada).
- Now install the TikTok app and then launch it to check if its issue is resolved.
10. Reset Your Devices to the Factory Defaults
Your device’s operating system plays a vital role in the proper execution of an application like TikTok. If the OS itself has become corrupt, then it may not let the app execute and cause the issue. In this scenario, resetting your device to the factory defaults may clear the TikTok issue. Before moving on, make sure you have backed up your device.
Reset an Android Phone
- Open the Android phone’s Settings and select the System option.
- Now open Reset Options and then tap on Erase All Data (Factory Reset).
- Then confirm to start the reset process by tapping on Erase Data and wait till the process completes.
- Once done, set up your Android phone as a new phone (without restoring from a backup) and then install TikTok.
- Now launch the TikTok app and hopefully, it will be working fine.
Reset an iPhone
- Open the iPhone’s Settings and select General.
- Then press on the Reset option and tap on Erase All Contents and Settings.
- Now confirm to reset the iPhone and wait till the iPhone is restored to its factory default.
- Once done, set up your iPhone as per your requirements but without restoring a backup, and then install TikTok.
- Now launch the TikTok app and hopefully, it will clear the problem.
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TikTok
FAQs
Why is TikTok not working on my Android? ›
We recommend restarting the app and your device as the first step in troubleshooting. Weak data or Wi-Fi signal can also impact your experience on TikTok. Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data to troubleshoot whether or not the issue is related to connectivity.
Why does TikTok keep saying something went wrong? ›Just as the message describes, it is probably due to server errors. Then, you have nothing to do but wait for TikTok to fix the issue and make its servers come back to work. Usually, you only need to wait for a few minutes. Yet, sometimes, you may need to wait for several hours or even days to get TikTok running again.
How do I reset my TikTok? ›Tap the menu icon in the top right corner of your profile page. Tap Settings and privacy. Scroll down and tap on Free up space. Tap the Clear button beside the area labeled Cache and your cache will be reset.
Why is my TikTok not working at all? ›If TikTok is not working, try restarting the app, checking for updates, testing your internet connection, or clearing the app data and cache. If you are still having problems, contact TikTok support for assistance.
What Android version do you need for TikTok? ›Getting started. Below is a quick start for you to apply the TikTok SDK to your application. You should confirm that your project has a Minimum API level of 16: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or higher.
What is going on with TikTok? ›Negotiations between TikTok and the U.S. government have been delayed due to ongoing U.S. national security concerns due to the app's ownership by Chinese company ByteDance, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Why does TikTok keep getting stuck? ›Most often, TikTok lags or does not work because of our lousy wifi connection. A slow wifi network causes difficulty in downloading, watching, and saving videos and results in lag TikTok. And even a lousy network causes the app to hang or crash down.
Will clearing TikTok cache delete drafts? ›If you're worried about having to say goodbye to your drafts and videos when you hit clear cache TikTok, don't worry! That is not the case. In fact, you probably won't miss your TikTok cache all that much.
How do I restart TikTok without deleting it? ›- Select the Login, and follow the steps you would take to login to your original account normally.
- Once you've done this, you'll see the “Reactivate your Tiktok account” window. Tap the “Reactivate” button and you'll be taken back to Tik Tok and your profile will be restored.
When you "clear cache" on TikTok, you're removing trivial data from the app—not referring to your saved videos and drafts. Tiktok cache memorizes the videos you've watched. Every time you watch a video, the cache number gets highter until you clear it.
How do I clear my TikTok cache? ›
- Step 1: Open phone Settings and find TikTok under Manage apps or wherever apps are listed on your phone. ...
- Step 2: Tap on Clear data at the bottom of the screen to select Clear cache and Clear all data.
Captioned “here's how to find that TikTok that you accidentally refreshed”, it shows that videos can be found with one quick search. All you need to do is head to the discover page, which can be found by clicking on the menu buttons at the bottom of the app.
What happens if I uninstall TikTok? ›If you delete TikTok app, you can still access your account via a web browser. In contrast, if you delete TikTok account, your profile, videos, and information will be deactivated for 30 days, during which you can reactivate it. After 30 days, your account will be permanently removed.
How do I update TikTok without App Store? ›Tap your account icon at the top of the screen. 3. In the Available Updates section, scroll to see the apps with updates waiting to be installed. Look for TikTok, and if you see it in the list, tap Update.
What app should I use for TikTok? ›VideoShow is an all-in-one TikTok video editing app that is available on both Android and iOS. It has great video editing features that make it nearly effortless to create the perfect TikTok video and comes with more than 50 themes, background music, fonts, filters, and more.
What iOS does TikTok require? ›Requires iPadOS 11.0 or later.
What iOS does TikTok run on? ›TikTok iOS SDK requires iOS 9.3 and Xcode 4.5 or later.
Why TikTok will stop working? ›If your internet connection is unstable or isn't functional, that may be why you're facing issues with TikTok on your phone. You can check your phone's internet connection by launching a web browser and opening any site. If the site opens, your internet connection is working fine.
Why is the US shutting down TikTok? ›In February, another member of the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), asked Apple and Google to remove TikTok from the app stores in a letter to the companies, again citing national security concerns and the app's links to China.
Can TikTok watch you? ›TikTok has a long history of tracking its users' online behavior without their consent, and in 2021 it started automatically gathering biometric data. Further, according to The Ruck, in 2022 “an independent researcher found code allowing TikTok to log keystrokes.”
What's the latest version of TikTok? ›
...
More than a billion people worldwide have installed either the TikTok app or its China-only sister app Douyin.
- Is TikTok safe? ...
- Best parental control apps for Android and iPhone.
Is TikTok safe? It's as safe as just about any other social media platform. It doesn't infect your phone with malware, but it comes with some safety risks like scams and saved user data.
How do I update iOS version? ›Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Automatic Updates, then turn on Download iOS Updates. Turn on Install iOS Updates. Your device will automatically update to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
How do I search TikTok virus? ›Go to the search function at the top of the screen. Search for “viral sounds” (or any other similar keyword). Once results are loaded, hop on over to the “sounds” tab. You'll see a list of trending sounds on TikTok and the number of times they've been used in TikTok videos.
Where is the virus hashtag on TikTok? ›To search hashtags on TikTok, open the TikTok app and tap “Discover” on the bottom of the screen. This page will show you previews of videos tagged with hashtags that are trending.
What does clear cache mean? ›When you use a browser, like Chrome, it saves some information from websites in its cache and cookies. Clearing them fixes certain problems, like loading or formatting issues on sites.
What is a hidden cache? ›What are hidden cache files? Android's hidden cache saves pictures, files, and other scripts from apps and websites you visit frequently so that you don't have to download these files again every time you visit. This helps apps and websites load faster, but over time cache data can build up and clog your device.
Does deleting TikTok drafts give you more storage? ›Delete your drafts
TikTok allows users to save videos as drafts, and some people can rack up hundreds of videos that all take up space on your device. If you want to clear some space, it may be a good idea to go through all of your drafts and delete the ones you don't want.
Deleting the app is a simple process for iOS and Android. Remember that deleting the app won't delete your data. To have your data removed from TikTok, you'll need to delete your account.
Is it better to start a new TikTok account? ›Now one of the biggest reasons to have a separate account for your consuming is because when you consume and interact with content on TikTok, the algorithm will start showing you more content of what you consume.
When should I start over on TikTok? ›
If your videos get 100 or fewer views, you're going to have a zombie account, so delete and start again. Videos that get between 1000–3000 views mean you have a mid-tier account. Videos that get 10,000+ views mean you have a “head” account.
Does resetting cache delete? ›All the cache files in Windows Store will be cleared if you perform a reset or the cache files of Windows Store. It will permanently delete the app's data on your device including your sign-in details.
What is clear mode on TikTok? ›Clear Mode is a relatively new feature on TikTok that allows users to temporarily remove that visual clutter for a more streamlined, less cluttered viewing experience. (Though it should be noted that when enabled, Clear Mode doesn't remove all of TikTok's usual icons, just most of them.)
What is the number next to Clear cache on TikTok? ›Head to your profile to find it, tap on the vertical or horizontal ellipsis in the top right, then scroll to the bottom to "Clear cache." Here, you'll likely see a number with an "M" next to it, which many people believe stands for "millions." What M really stands for is megabytes.
How do I check TikTok history on Android? ›Open the TikTok app and tap on the menu icon in the top-right corner. Next, tap on Settings and Privacy. Under the "Settings and Privacy" section, tap on Watch history. Now, you can see a page full of videos you have watched during the last seven days.
What is happening with TikTok? ›Negotiations between TikTok and the U.S. government have been delayed due to ongoing U.S. national security concerns due to the app's ownership by Chinese company ByteDance, The Wall Street Journal reported.
How do I update TikTok on Android? ›- Start the Play Store app on your Android.
- Tap your account icon at the top of the screen.
- Tap Manage apps & device.
- With the Overview tab selected, tap Updates available.
- Look for TikTok, and if you see it in the list, tap Update.
TikTok for Android TV app is now available on the Google Play Store and it works a lot like the app that the TikTok users are used to seeing on their smartphones. This means that a vast majority of the videos that users see on TikTok for Android TV will be short videos in a vertical format.
Why is TikTok starting and stopping? ›TikTok is not exceptional and can experience issues from time to time, just like other Android apps around. When TikTok keeps stopping on your Android phone, it is triggered by software/system problems. These problems include low storage space, heavy/too many background apps/processes, software bugs, and more.
How to update an app? ›- Open the Google Play Store app .
- At the top right, tap the profile icon.
- Tap Manage apps & device. Apps with an update available are labeled "Update available."
- Tap Update.
Can you TikTok without the app? ›
To browse TikTok and watch videos without an account or app, the easiest method is to simply visit the TikTok website. Here's how to use the TikTok website to search for videos and watch them. You can even browse TikTok on an Xbox or PlayStation video game console by using a web browser app like Microsoft Edge.
Why does TikTok crash Android? ›Clear TikTok's Cached Data on Your Phone
Sometimes, these files become corrupt, for various reasons. TikTok's corrupt cache may be the reason you're experiencing app crash problems. In this case, you can clear the app's cached data and resolve your issue.
Funimate
Funimate is popular with TikTok users who make 60-second videos. The app is also particularly known for its plethora of emojis, stickers, and video effects. It offers the usual video editing features, such as merging, cropping, and trimming.