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How to Delete or Deactivate Your TikTok Account: Step-by-Step

By Lauren Lietzow 6 October, 2022, 4 mins read

Are you starting a social media fast or trying to go off the grid? Or maybe you ran into some issues with your account and just want a fresh start. Luckily, deleting your TikTok account doesn’t have to be a complicated process.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps of backing up your data to permanently deleting your account. We’ll also cover some frequently asked questions and troubleshooting issues, so you can know exactly what to expect.  

What you should know before deleting your TikTok account

Before you make the decision to delete your TikTok account, you should bear in mind that it will be permanent after 30 days. In that 30-day window, you can choose to reactivate, but once the time has passed, your account will be gone and you will have no way to access it again. 

Because it is an irreversible decision, let’s explore some of the reasons why you might consider deleting your TikTok profile, and some alternative options. 

Should you delete your TikTok account?

How To Delete Or Deactivate Your Tiktok Account Step By Step

There are a few reasons why someone might consider deleting their account on TikTok. 

The first one might be simply to cut down on time spent on social networks. In fact, global TikTok users spend almost 20 hours a month on the app.

Another common reason is privacy concerns. TikTok is often accused of having privacy issues, especially with minors on the platform. 

One other factor could be wanting a fresh start with a new TikTok profile. Maybe you had a bad experience with your current account, or ran into some trouble with another user or with the TikTok team, and you want a way to reset your page.

How To Delete Or Deactivate Your Tiktok Account Step By Step

What happens when you delete a TikTok account?

When you delete your profile on TikTok, all of your account data and content will be removed from the platform. 

Once your account is deleted, you will no longer be able to log in or find your profile or videos by searching. 

What happens to your videos

If you have posted any videos, they will all be automatically deleted at the end of the 30-day period.

What happens to your messages

Any direct messages and conversations should be automatically deleted at the end of the 30-day period as well, but keep in mind that some content outside of your profile, such as outgoing direct messages to other users, might still be visible.

How to deactivate a TikTok account instead of deleting

If you want to temporarily take a break from TikTok without deleting, you can just select Deactivate account instead.

This will make your profile and content invisible, but will retain all of your data should you decide to reactivate at any time.  

How to delete a TikTok account

1. Backup your data first. Just in case you want to reactivate your account or need to reference any of your data or content, you should make sure to backup your profile first. 

2. From your profile, tap the hamburger menu and choose Settings and privacy.

3. Next, select Manage account.

How To Delete Or Deactivate Your Tiktok Account Step By Step 1

4. From the list of options, choose Download your data.

How To Delete Or Deactivate Your Tiktok Account Step By Step 2

5. Another screen will pop up, and you can choose what format you’d like your data to be in. It will take a few days to process your request, and you’ll be able to access your data for four days after it completes.

6. Go back to the Manage account screen. 

7. Tap Deactivate or delete account. On the next screen you can choose between these two options. 

How To Delete Or Deactivate Your Tiktok Account Step By Step 3 1

8. If you want to proceed with deletion, select Delete account permanently. A screen will pop up with an optional survey asking for your reason for leaving, and a button to confirm your choice. 

How long does it take to delete a TikTok account?

You have 30 days to either reactivate or it will be deleted completely. 

How to recover a deleted account

If you want to recover or reactivate your account at any point within the 30-day period, simply log back in and hit reactivate.  

Frequently asked questions

1. Can you instantly delete a TikTok account?

No, the 30-day period is mandatory. 

2. Can you delete a TikTok account you don’t have access to?

No, you have to be able to log in to the account. 

If you’re having issues with this, you can contact support for help.

Related: Check out our guide to TikTok support, including how to email and troubleshoot common account issues. 

3. How do you know if your TikTok account is deleted?

You’ll know your account is gone for good when you aren’t able to log back in or find it by searching TikTok.

4. Why can’t I delete my TikTok?

If you’re having difficulty deleting your account, there might be a glitch in the app or you might be missing contact information. You can contact support for help. 

Conclusion

There you have it—common reasons for why you might want to leave TikTok behind for good, and the exact steps you can take to deactivate or delete your account permanently. If you decide that you want to stick around the platform a bit longer, consider working with a TikTok marketing partner like Megaphone to boost your content creation.

Be our next success story.