Is TikTok preventing you from following an account that you’re interested in?
With followers such a big part of the TikTok sphere and underlying algorithm, users are drawn towards following the accounts and creators that they want to support and back. But sometimes, the app can let you down – either limiting your account activity or experiencing a glitch.
In this article, we’re sharing some of the reasons why TikTok may stop you from following another user, and the fixes you can try to restore your account to normal activity.
1. You’ve Followed Too Many Accounts
If you follow too many accounts in one day, TikTok may cease any further activity for a period of 24 or 48 hours – forcing you to take a step back and wait until your block has been lifted.
Some users have suggested that following any more than 200 accounts in a day will lead to this limitation, though TikTok has never confirmed a set number.
2. Your Account is Presenting As a Bot
Following on from the last point, if you do too much on TikTok in a limited period of time, the app may start to consider your account to be behaving like a bot. This will also lead to a block on some activity, with the recommendation being to take a step away from the app until the suspicion has passed.
3. You’ve Broken Community Guidelines
One of the most common causes of a block or limitation being placed on your account is that you have been shadowbanned. This essentially means that you have broken some form of guideline, resulting in TikTok banning your account from further activity for a day or two.
4. TikTok is Down
We can’t escape the fact that all social media apps can and often do experience problems and underlying issues at HQ and within their server systems. If this happens, you might find that TikTok suddenly stops working properly or stops responding to an action you are trying to make.
If this is the case, you are facing a waiting game while the server reboots.
TOP TIP: Head over to X and search ‘TikTok’ for a quick update on what’s going on. You will often find that when something goes wrong on one social media app, users flood to another app to share the issue and find out if others are having the same problems.
5. You’re Trying to Follow a Private Account
Finally, if you are trying to follow an account but find that you still can’t see their videos or information, then it may be that you’re trying to follow and view a private account.
These account holders need to accept your request to follow them before you can see any of their content or their profile. So, if you request to follow and find that you still can’t access the profile, then it may be that they haven’t approved you yet – or have even denied your request.
Best Ways to Fix The Issue
If any of the above issues strike and you find yourself unable to follow an account, here are a few things you can try…
- Try a different connection, be it logging out of WiFi and accessing a local 4G network instead or connecting to a different WiFi
- Clear your TikTok cache via the app settings. This will unblock any issues that may have been accidentally downloaded or collected during your in-app browsing
- Sign out and back in again – the social media alternative to ‘switch it off and on again’
- Update the version of TikTok that you are using on your device
If none of these work, it could be that you have been blocked from activity for a period of time, or the app itself is facing issues. In both of these instances, you simply need to be patient and wait for the app to return to normal function.
We hope this helps! There’s nothing worse than being blocked from accessing an account or profile that you want to view – but sometimes the issues is temporary and will sort itself out.
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