Where Do I Find My System and Direct Messages On TikTok?

Messages on social media platforms aren’t as “important” as they used to be.

Before smartphones became ubiquitous in the early 2000s, the best way for people to send each other short messages was through direct messaging. There weren’t as many viable social apps back then, so most folks were active on services like AOL or Windows Live and could receive DMs instantly.

Once most of us began spending the majority of our waking hours attached to our phones, though, texting became a much more convenient way to stay in touch with family, friends, and (unfortunately for many of us) work contacts.

Many still find social media DMs useful, though, particularly since it’s an easy way to share content they’ve seen on the app.

TikTok Direct Messaging

DMs are commonly used to alert friends about TikTok posts they should check out, or simply to stay in touch with other frequent users of the app.

Messaging on the app is important for other reasons, too.

The system uses it to notify you about new interactions and upgrades to the platform. It’s where you see requests from potential followers if your account is private. If you’ve enabled the features, you can be notified about new TikTok posts from favorite content creators or receive suggestions for new TikTok users to follow.

Most importantly, the app sends system notifications about violations of TikTok’s terms and conditions and Community Standards, and about penalties that have been assessed against your TikTok account.

It’s smart to check your messages regularly, not just to see if friends have found great TikTok videos they think you should watch. Timely viewing of system notifications can help you understand whether you’ve been uploading unacceptable content or are in danger of being banned from the platform. And it’s simple to do.

How To Check Messages on TikTok

The process takes just a few seconds.

1. Open the app and tap on the “Inbox” icon at the bottom of the home screen. If you have new messages, you’ll see a red indicator on top of the icon.
2. You’ll see your messages sorted into categories for easy reading. Just hit the link for each type of DM and you’ll see a chronological list.
3. You can send a new message from the Inbox as well. If it’s someone you’ve exchanged DMs with in the past, just find an old message, tap their TikTok username, and type your message. If it’s a mutual follower, hit the “Chat” button at the top of the screen and select their name. If it’s someone who doesn’t follow you, use the search icon to find their username, go to their TikTok profile, and tap “Message” to ask them to accept your DM.

To be alerted on the TikTok screen whenever a new message arrives in your Inbox, just go to Settings and privacy > Notifications > In-app notifications > and turn the “Direct messages” toggle switch on.

Don’t ignore TikTok’s messaging feature. It doesn’t just enhance the user experience; it can let you know if you’re at risk of losing your TikTok account.