My TikTok Likes Keep Disappearing! What’s Causing It?

To many TikTok content creators, likes are like oxygen. They need a constant stream of likes and other engagements with their TikTok videos to “breathe,” letting them feel energized enough to keep producing more content.

Those who regularly upload great TikTok posts aren’t accustomed to seeing a drought in likes, views, and comments; they just flow in, day after day. Many keep a close eye on their engagement numbers, too. High view and like counts, and lots of comments, provide both psychic rewards and a reassurance that their videos are resonating with their TikTok fan base.

Some may be lulled into a false sense of security, though. It’s not common, but it’s possible for likes to accumulate — and then vanish. Did the TikTok users who liked the video all change their minds at once? Did the creator do something wrong?

Let’s find out.

Why Do My Likes Disappear on TikTok?

A few unlikely problems may cause weird fluctuations in TikTok like counts. One is a system glitch, which might temporarily affect the number of likes and other engagements shown on a video. A problem with the creator’s TikTok app might also be to blame; it might be frozen or locked on a previous display. Restarting or updating the app should solve the issue.

However, there’s probably a different, much more common explanation. We’ll start with the one that most often occurs.

TikTok Has Removed Fake Likes

What’s a “fake like?” It’s an engagement from a TikTok account that the system believes is a bot.

They’re seen often when a user buys likes from an unsavory website in an effort to boost their posts’ popularity and audience.

Scammers use bots and fake accounts to create these so-called “fake likes,” which the TikTok algorithms detect and quickly remove. When fake engagements are delivered, like counts rapidly increase — and the likes disappear just as quickly. Only reputable social media services deliver real likes from real TikTok users, and those likes don’t vanish.

You may not have realized that you were buying fake likes and that they’d be rapidly removed. Or you may not have purchased likes at all, but since the algorithms constantly wage an aggressive campaign to remove fake accounts and bot-generated engagements, some organic viewers who liked your posts might look like bots to the algos.

Either way, that’s the most common reason why likes disappear.

You’ve Been Penalized

If you’ve committed serious violations of TikTok’s terms and conditions or Community Standards, you probably already know. The app sends out warning notices and tells you of possible penalties for your misdeeds.

For lesser violations, though, there are no notifications. You may simply be “shadowbanned,” meaning your content’s visibility on the platform is temporarily but sharply reduced. That can cause a significant drop in the number of likes your videos receive, or even a drop in your existing like counts.

The good news: if you avoid buying fake likes and behave yourself on the app, shadowbans expire and things return to normal.

And if you’re looking to purchase real TikTok likes that won’t disappear, please check out iDigic’s social media growth services. We can help you boost your TikTok presence and importance quickly, without vanishing engagements or penalties.