How To Recover A TikTok Account

The Internet (and social media platforms in particular) have become figurative lifelines for most of us.

They’re primary sources of news and entertainment, they’re often integral to our work, they’re we do much of our shopping, they’re how we stay in touch with family and friends on a day-to-day basis, and often, they’re a major component of our identities.

That’s why we panic if we lose connectivity, we panic if we lose our phones — and we panic if we lose one of our social media accounts.

Restoring our online presence becomes job #1. Most of us are bound to face the problem sooner or later, so it’s best to be proactive and understand ahead of time how to recover an Internet account.

If you lose access to TikTok, thankfully, it’s usually pretty simple to recover your account. Here’s how to do it.

Forgot Your TikTok Password?

This one’s generally easy. When you signed up for a TikTok account, you were asked for a phone number and/or an email address for several reasons. The most important is for password resets.

1. On the app’s login screen, tap “Use phone/email/username.” Choose “Email/Username” if you want password reset instructions sent to your email, or “Phone” if you want to receive a text instead.
2. Tap the “Forget password?” link and you’ll be sent a reset code via your chosen method. You’ll also be taken to a screen where you can enter the code you receive and then choose a new password.

Done.

If you no longer have access to the email and phone number you signed up with, you’ll have to contact TikTok support to reset your password. Since you can’t log into your account, the easiest way to do it is on the platform’s website, where you can first try to log in with the password that isn’t working.

Assuming you can’t get in, then click (in order) “Help,” “Contact us,” “Account,” and “I forgot my password.” You’ll see a form where you should provide your username, details of any other apps linked to your TikTok account, your new email and phone number, and a paragraph that explains why you can’t receive password reset information. You’ll be contacted with instructions.

Need to Restore a Deleted Account?

IMPORTANT: You can only restore a TikTok account if it’s been deleted within the last 30 days. After that, your account is lost and you have to set up a new one.

A recently-deleted account is simple to reset. Just log in with your old TikTok username and password, and you’ll see a button that’s labeled “Reactivate.” Easy-peasy.

What If Your Account Has Been Banned?

First, make sure you have a good argument why you didn’t violate Community Standards, or a good explanation of why you took the action that allegedly violated the rules (along with a heartfelt apology and promise never to do it again). Have an eloquent and persuasive friend help you prepare it, if necessary, and also have any evidence in your favor ready to submit.

Then open the ban notification you received from TikTok (it’s in your inbox) and click the “Appeal” button it contains. Follow all instructions to the letter, and enter your prepared argument or explanation along with any supporting evidence.

Your request for reinstatement will be considered and you’ll be notified of the results. If you were banned by mistake or your appeal was approved, your account will be completely restored.

Don’t Panic!

Even the largest social media platforms can have temporary technical issues. If you can’t get into your account, wait a little while and try again before launching your full-scale recovery efforts. It might be TikTok’s problem, not yours!