Why Is My TikTok Account Private?

There are two main reasons why your TikTok account may be set to private mode. But before we share what they are, and how to check, let’s first consider what private mode actually means.

What Happens if Your Account Is Private?

The private setting on TikTok allows users to control who can see and interact with their profile and their content.

When a profile or account is set to private, only those who are following the user can see their videos and their personal information such as their profile image and bio. What’s more, to follow a private account, you must submit a follow request that the user has to approve before you can see their content.

Content created by a private user cannot be shared publicly. If you send a private video to someone who does not follow the original poster, then they will be unable to view or engage with the video.

So, why might your account be set to private?

Reason 1: You’re Under 16

The first reason why your account might be set to private mode is because you are under the age of 16.

Any TikTok user who is considered a younger user will have their profile automatically set to private – at least until they turn 16. From there it’s up to the user to decide whether to change their profile to public or leave it private.

This setting is designed to protect younger users from potentially inappropriate content, and from being followed or contacted by unwanted users.

Reason 2: You’ve Set Your Account to Private

The second reason is that you’ve set your account to private in your settings – an action which is totally reversible if you wish your profile to be public.

To check and potentially change your account to public, follow these steps…

1. Navigate to your profile page on TikTok and click on the menu button in the top right hand corner, indicated by the three horizontal lines
2. Select ‘Settings and Privacy’ then ‘Privacy’ from the menu
3. The ‘Private Account’ toggle at the top of the menu will either be on or off. If it’s on, then your account is private – switch the toggle to off to put your account in public mode

And voila! The private account setting is a quick and easy way to control (or ease control over) who sees your profile and content. We hope this helps!