How To Change Your Age On TikTok

It might seem simple to change the age associated with your TikTok account; just edit it in your profile. Unfortunately, nothing is as simple as it seems these days. Prepare to submit proof of your birthdate and wait a while.

How Does TikTok Determine My Age?

You told them how old you were when you first signed up for an account on the social media platform. More accurately, you told them your birthdate, the app calculated your age, and that information was locked into the system. Data on TikTok users’ ages can only be changed manually by a TikTok support rep.

If you made a typing mistake when you first got your account, you’re stuck — unless you go through an annoying but necessary process.

Why Does My Age Matter to TikTok?

Anyone over 13 can open a TikTok account, but the platform checks users’ birthdates before giving them access to several types of content and features.

• The TikTok content filtering system blocks younger audiences from viewing some videos, not allowing those under 18 to see age-restricted content.
• Users between the ages of 13 and 15 have private accounts by default, preventing them from being seen by anyone other than approved followers.
• Content can’t be downloaded if the creator is younger than 16.
• Live streaming and direct messages aren’t available to users under the age of 16, and both 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds have to manually enable those features.

Needless to say, that severely reduces TikTok’s functionality for someone who may have mistakenly entered their birth year as (for example) 2012 instead of 2002.

Here’s how to fix the problem.

Changing Your Age on TikTok

As we’ve mentioned, you can’t easily change your age in the system. Your birthdate can only be changed by the TikTok support team once you’ve requested assistance and provided proof of your real age. These are the steps to take.

1. Visit your TikTok profile page by clicking the “Profile” icon on the bottom right of the screen.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines at the top right corner of your profile to open the menu popup, and then choose “Settings and privacy.”
3. When a new window opens, scroll to the bottom and choose “Report a problem” under the “Support & About” heading.
4. On the next screen, choose “Account and profile” > “Editing profile” > “Other.”
5. That opens a page with several listed options. Ignore them, scroll to the bottom, and tap the “Need more help?” button.
6. Again, ignore the options and look for the “Send a message” box at the bottom of the screen. Enter your request to change your birthdate there, and submit it.

Now, you’ll have to wait. It may take several days, but TikTok will respond with a request that you upload a copy of a valid legal ID proving your name and birthdate. After they review and approve it, your age in the system will be changed.

Don’t want to wait? If your profile is new and you haven’t built a substantial fan base, you can always delete your TikTok account and sign up for a new one. Otherwise, you’ll just have to be patient. Once your age has been corrected, you’ll hopefully remember to be extra careful the next time you’re typing important information on your phone.