Blocking TikTok Hashtags: How To Do It, And Why

One of the innovations that has made TikTok so popular is the “For You” feed, the one that’s viewed most often on the app.

As the TikTok algorithms see the content you watch and engage with, they determine the type of videos most likely to appeal to you and then display them on your For You page (FYP). The customized viewing experience was a revelation to users and has been copied widely by other social media platforms.

Computer algorithms aren’t omniscient, of course. When curating your For You feed, they’re essentially guessing at your interests based on the clues your viewing provides. However, sometimes the algos are very wrong — and some of the clues that might mislead them are the hashtags used to describe the TikTok videos you watch.

The Problem with TikTok Hashtags

When users add hashtags to a TikTok post, they don’t follow a set formula. It’s best to include relevant and trending hashtags to attract TikTok search traffic, but many people throw in every hashtag that comes to mind.

In short, many hashtags attached to the TikTok content you watch may have nothing to do with your interests. The algorithms can’t figure that out, though.

If lots of content creators use a hashtag that’s trending wildly on the platform to attract searchers, it’s quite likely to appear in many posts that you engage with — and it will be interpreted as a signal that you like content about that topic. The algos will show you more and more videos about that subject in your For You feed, even if you have no interest in it.

The only way to prevent that from happening? Blocking hashtags that are causing the problem. Once that’s done, you won’t see content that includes the hashtags, so you’ll see fewer irrelevant videos clogging up your feed.

How To Block TikTok Hashtags

Once you notice which hashtags appear to be causing the problem, it takes just a minute or two to block them.

1. Tap the “Profile” icon at the bottom right of your home screen to reach your TikTok profile.
2. Click the profile menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top right of the page.
3. A popup window will open; tap “Settings and privacy.”
4. Scroll down, click “Content preferences,” and then tap “Filter keywords.”
5. Click the red “Add keyword” button toward the bottom of the screen. You’ll then be able to enter a hashtag you want to block and choose which feeds to block it from. You can also make sure the “Smart filter” is turned “on” to block similar hashtags and variations.
6. Repeat the process if you want to block additional keywords.

Once you’re finished, you should find that your selected feeds are, more than ever, a pleasure to scroll and watch. It’s just one of the ways TikTok lets you customize your experience on the app.