TikTok is a fun and engaging way to express yourself. So when your account β and all your content β suddenly goes up in smoke, itβs pretty distressing. So, why would your account be deleted, and how can you get it back?
You can recover a deleted TikTok account within 30 days as long as you have the original email address and password. After that, it will be permanently deleted. If TikTok deleted your account by mistake, youβll have to contact customer service. If you were banned from the platform due to a violation, your account may be unrecoverable.
How to Recover a Deleted TikTok Account
If you deleted your own account β intentionally or by accident β recovering it is simple. Just open the TikTok app and attempt to log in as you normally would. When you do, youβll be taken to a screen that tells you your account has been deactivated.
To restore your account, click the button that says βReactivate.β At this point, your account will be restored and youβll be able to use it as normal.
Keep in mind that TikTok will only save your account for 30 days after deletion. If itβs been more than 30 days, the account will be gone for good. Moreover, the username will no longer be available. So even if you wanted to create a new account with the same name, you wonβt be able to.
What if I Forgot my Password?
If you forgot your password, it can be a little bit trickier. Youβll have to click the βForgot your passwordβ link on the login screen after entering your email address or username. Then youβll have to wait for a reset link, after which youβll be able to reactivate your account.
If you somehow lost access to your email address or phone number, youβll need to contact TikTok support. Depending on the exact issue, they may be able to help you, or your account may be permanently lost.
What if TikTok Deleted My Account?
If TikTok deleted your account, itβs a whole different matter. When you try to log in, instead of getting the option to reactivate, youβll see a banner message. This message will tell you that youβve been banned, and give us the option to submit an appeal.
To do that, first tap the banner to open the notification. Then tap βAppeal,β and follow the instructions. Be patient. TikTok may take several days to review your appeal. Eventually, someone will get back to you.
This isnβt technically an account deletion. Itβs just a banning, which is ultimately reversible. TikTok will only normally delete accounts outright if thereβs a series of repeated violations.
Why Did TikTok Delete My Account?
Like most social media platforms, TikTok has a variety of rules regarding their content. They also have legal obligations to meet. If your content β or even your whole account β violates their rules, your account could be deleted.
Normally, youβll have some sort of warning before this happens. TikTok will typically ban your account temporarily first as a way of warning you. That said, there are a number of reasons your account may ultimately have been deleted. Here are some possibilities.
1. TikTok Thinks Youβre Too Young
In the year 2000, Congress passed the Childrenβs Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Among other things, this law forbids online platforms from allowing people under the age of 13 to sign up.
Most platforms only enforce this rule very loosely. The number of children posting on YouTube is unreal. But TikTok got into hot water because children on the platform were becoming victims of abuse and bullying. Eventually, the FTC stepped in and fined TikTok $5.7 million for COPPA violations.
TikTok responded by deleting almost 7.5 million accounts belonging to users under the age of 13. When you sign up and select your age, it wonβt let you continue if youβre under 13. But as other platforms illustrate, asking users their age isnβt foolproof. So TikTok has also implemented algorithms to remove accounts that appear to belong to underage users.
Normally, these algorithms are pretty smart, but they can sometimes generate false positives. For example, you might post a lot of videos of your kids.
In this case, youβll have to contact TikTok support. They may ask you to provide some form of age verification before reinstating your account.
2. You Posted Sensitive Content
On TikTok, βsensitive contentβ falls into a couple of categories. To begin with, thereβs the type of content that would be banned on any online platform. You canβt post content thatβs abusive of other users, and illegal content is also banned. This means no videos promoting illegal behavior, including the use of illegal drugs.
But TikTok is also meant to be a family-friendly site. This means you canβt post any X-rated content or anything with graphic violence. Youβll either need to stop posting that kind of material, or find a different platform to post it on.
Along the same lines, TikTok bans accounts that use hate speech or promotes self-harm. It even bans accounts that promote legal but controversial activities like sex work and gambling.
There are huge quantities of videos that are constantly being posted on TikTok. Thatβs why they use algorithms and artificial intelligence to identify banned activity. This AI can occasionally misidentify a video as banned when itβs actually not. In this case, youβll need to submit an appeal.
3. Copyright Violations
Like any platform, TikTok has to be careful about distributing copyrighted content. This can include music in the background on your videos. In most cases, youβll receive a warning or your account will be muted rather than deleted. But repeated violations can get you into hot water.
Unfortunately, this can often be unintentional. Letβs say youβre recording a video in the car and the stereo is on in the background. Depending on whatβs playing and how loud it is, the algorithm might flag the video for a copyright violation. The best you can do here is to be careful about whatβs playing in the background while youβre recording.
4. You Violated an Advertising Policy
This probably wonβt happen to you unless youβre an influencer. Otherwise, youβre not going to be doing any advertising to begin with. But if you are, youβll have to follow TikTokβs advertising policies. Along with limitations on sensitive content, there are additional rules for ads.
Ads canβt be misleading, and any links have to be both mobile-friendly and genuine. In most cases, TikTok wonβt delete an account for an ad violation. Theyβll simply refuse to run the ad in the first place. But if something slips through the cracks, you might find yourself getting banned. Violate the rules enough, and TikTok will eventually delete your account.
This can sometimes land you in trouble even if you tried your best to follow the rules. For example, a sponsorβs website may get hacked, and the link you posted could suddenly become malicious. In these cases, youβll have to file an appeal.
5. Your Account Got Mass-Reported
When someone reports your content, that doesnβt automatically trigger any action by TikTok. However, TikTok will act on reports and take action if your content violates their policies. Not only that, but a sufficient number of reports will cause TikTok to review your entire account. If you violated a rule in the past β even inadvertently β you could get in trouble.
As we said, most rule violations wonβt lead directly to account deletion. Youβll instead be suspended for a few days or have your account deactivated. But if you keep posting the content that got reported in the first place, expect it to get reported again.
How Do I Delete My Own TikTok Account?
Of course, you can always delete your account on your own. Maybe youβre tired of using it, or maybe you find some of your older content embarrassing. Whatever the reason, itβs easy to delete and move on with your life.
Keep in mind that an account deletion is permanent. Once itβs been deleted for 30 days, itβs gone forever. That said, hereβs how itβs done:
- Open the app and log into your TikTok account.
- Go to your profile, and tap the three dots at the top right corner.
- Find and select the option to βManage my Account.β
- Tap βDelete account,β and follow the on-screen instructions.
Thatβs it! Your TikTok account has now been deleted.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons your TikTok account may have been deleted. Oftentimes, itβs as simple as a glitch in the algorithm. You posted something totally inoffensive and it got flagged. Or maybe you inadvertently fell afoul of copyright or advertising rules. In any of those cases, you can appeal to try and get your account back.
If you deleted the account yourself, things are even more straightforward. Just log back into your account and click the button to restore it. As long as it hasnβt been more than 30 days, youβll be good to go.