When you sign up for a TikTok account, you have to include your birth date in the information you provide.
That’s an unimportant detail for most TikTok users. They probably don’t even remember telling the social media platform when they were born, and they’ll never receive a special welcome if they sign into the app on their birthday.
It’s a crucial detail for TikTok, though. Many of the platform’s functions are designed to be age-appropriate, and a user’s birthday determines the type of experience they have.
- No one can open an account until they’re 13.
- Those between the ages of 13 and 16 can only have private accounts with limited access to some features, they can’t receive or send direct messages, they can’t host TikTok Live streams, and they’re not shown TikTok content that’s considered “mature” in nature.
- Those between 16 and 18 also can’t view “mature” TikTok videos, and they can’t send or receive gifts in TikTok Live. They also have to manually change their accounts from private to public.
Needless to say, some teens would love to change the birthday that TikTok has on file for them so they can access restricted features. The app doesn’t make it easy, though, and that could mean repercussions for some adults as well.
Can You Check Your Birthday on TikTok?
People make mistakes, and apps experience occasional glitches.
A couple of examples: people joining TikTok might type in the wrong birth year when signing up for an account, or a user just turning 16 (or 18) might find that they’re still not getting the access that their age entitles them to.
It would be nice if those folks could just go into their TikTok settings and make the necessary change — but that would also allow a 13- or 14-year-old to “cheat” the system and change their birthday to make them seem older.
That’s why you’re not allowed to manually change your birthday on TikTok. You have to contact support and submit documentation proving your true age before a rep will make the change or give you the access you deserve.
For the same reason, users aren’t allowed to check the birthdate that the app has on file. That information is only accessible internally, to prevent younger users from realizing that their age is what’s preventing them from using features or seeing content not appropriate for their age.
In short, you can’t check your birthday on TikTok. If you suspect that it’s been entered incorrectly in the system, you have to submit a support request (by tapping on the “Support” link on the “Settings and privacy” page of your TikTok profile) and describe the issue you’re having in detail. If the birthdate that’s on file is the problem, they’ll tell you how to resolve it.
Oh, and happy birthday (if appropriate)!
About the Author
Peter Hasselworth is a contributor at iDigic, sharing valuable insights about Instagram growth and social media marketing strategies.