I Can’t Follow People; TikTok Automatically Unfollows Them

Following other TikTok users is supposed to be easy. You see a TikTok post that you like, you tap the follow button, and it’s done.

Except when the process doesn’t work.

We’re 25% of the way through the 21st century, and we expect social media platforms to be reliable and easy to use. When something doesn’t happen the way that it’s supposed to, it’s frustrating. And there’s no one you can text or call to ask, “Why is this happening?”

One of the most commonly reported problems on TikTok is trying to follow someone, just to see the system automatically reverse the process. Your follow becomes an unfollow in just seconds.

Since answers are difficult to come by, we’re happy to help. Here are the reasons your TikTok follows might not stick.

1. Technical Issues

Both individual devices and huge social apps can run into tech glitches, and they could be to blame for your problem. For example:

• TikTok is experiencing a technical issue. Those are usually resolved quickly, so wait a few minutes and try again.
• Your Internet connection may be down or unstable. Moving to a different location or trying to use a different network may help, as might restarting your WiFi or other connection.
• Your phone or app may have locked up. Try logging out of TikTok and then back in; if that doesn’t help, try restarting your device.
• Your TikTok cache (internal storage) may be full. Clear your cache by going to your TikTok profile, clicking on the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and then choosing Settings and privacy. Scroll down to and tap on “Free up space,” and hit the “Clear” button next to “Cache.”
• Your app may be outdated, which could cause it to work improperly. If you don’t have the latest version, visit the App Store or Google Play Store (depending on your phone) and download the latest TikTok version.

2. You’re Blocked or An Account is Set to Private

This is an easy one to explain. All TikTok accounts can block specific users from seeing their posts or following them. Accounts can also be made “private,” which means the owner must approve anyone wanting to become their TikTok follower.

If you’ve only tried following one or two people on the app, you may be running into those roadblocks; you simply aren’t allowed to follow them. Try following other users to see if the problem is a system-wide one, or if you just can’t interact with the accounts you’ve tried to follow.

3. You’ve Hit Your Limit

The TikTok algorithms have a lot to juggle. They’re programmed to make the user experience enjoyable, but they also have to prevent spammers, scammers, bot owners, and would-be influencers from taking advantage of the app’s systems. Adding lots of follows, even if you’re offering “follow for follow,” quickly raises serious red flags.

Some of the safeguards they enforce are limits on how many accounts you can follow per hour, per day, and in total. The numbers aren’t made public, but it’s believed that you’re allowed to follow about 30 users per hour, 150-200 per day, and 10,000 altogether. 

If you’re running into those limits and you haven’t followed 10K accounts yet, slow down. You should be able to follow the people you’re interested in after a few hours or a day have passed.

4. You’ve Violated the App’s Rules

Repeated, serious violations of TikTok’s terms and conditions or Community Standards can get your account suspended or banned. Less-serious violations can get you shadowbanned.

A shadowban essentially limits the visibility of your TikTok videos substantially, and prevents you from using some app features — meaning you might face stronger restrictions on following other accounts.

You’re not notified of shadowbans, so there’s no way to confirm if this is the problem. All you can do is obey the rules and wait; the penalty is usually lifted between 3-14 days after it’s been assessed.

If none of these issues seem to be causing your TikTok follower difficulty, you can try contacting the app’s support center by visiting support.tiktok.com on the web, or by going to your TikTok profile, tapping the menu icon (three horizontal bars), and then going to “Settings and privacy” > “Report a problem.” Provide as many details as possible, and you may get a helpful response.