Mahesh Makvana · October 24, 2024 · 6 min read Are you experiencing issues using the TikTok app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone? There’s a good chance the app is facing a minor glitch, but there can be other reasons. We’ll tell you the most common causes of the issue and how to fix them.
Some other reasons you can’t use TikTok on your phone include your phone having a minor problem, your internet connection being unstable, TikTok’s servers having an outage, and more.
1. Relaunch TikTok on Your Phone
When you experience an issue with an app, regardless of what the app is, it’s always a good idea to relaunch the app to see if that fixes the issue. You can resolve many minor problems by giving your application a restart.
On iPhone and iPad
- Swipe up from your device’s bottom and pause in the middle.
- Find and swipe up on TikTok to close the app.
- Select TikTok on your home screen to launch the app.
On Android
- Press the Recents button to bring up your open apps.
- Swipe up on TikTok to quit the app.
- Select TikTok in your app drawer or home screen to reopen the app.
Related: Can’t get TikTok to connect? Learn how to fix a TikTok “No Internet Connection” Error.
2. Reboot Your Phone
If restarting the TikTok app didn’t fix your issue, restart your phone and see if that resolves your problem. Rebooting your device has many benefits, such as fixing many minor glitches with the system.
Don’t forget to save your unsaved work on your device before you begin to turn it off.
On iPhone
- Press either Volume Up + Side or Volume Down + Side buttons on your iPhone.
- Drag the slider to power off your phone.
- Power on your phone by pressing and holding down the Side button.
On iPad
- Press Volume Up + Top or Volume Down + Top buttons on your iPad.
- Swipe the slider to the right to turn off your device.
- Turn your device back on by pressing and holding down the Top button.
On Android
- Press and hold down your phone’s Power button.
- Choose Restart in the menu.
3. Check Your Internet Connection
TikTok is an internet-enabled app, meaning the app connects to the internet to find and fetch new content. If your internet connection is unstable or isn’t functional, that may be why you’re facing issues with TikTok on your phone.
You can check your phone’s internet connection by launching a web browser and opening any site. If the site opens, your internet connection is working fine. However, if the site doesn’t open, you may have an issue with your connection.
You can resolve most minor internet connection problems yourself, or seek your internet service provider’s help.
4. See if TikTok Is Down
Like many other online services, TikTok’s servers can go down, causing a platform-wide outage. These issues usually occur when the platform’s servers are facing technical difficulties.
That may be the reason TikTok isn’t working on your phone. In this case, you can head to a site like Downdetector to verify if TikTok is indeed facing an outage. If it is, you’ll have to wait until the company brings the servers back up.
5. Clear TikTok’s App Cache on Your Phone
One reason TikTok doesn’t work is that the app’s cache files have become corrupt. Various items can cause these files to go corrupt, including viruses and malfunctioning apps.
In this case, you can resolve the issue fairly easily, as all you have to do is clear the app’s cache files. Deleting these files doesn’t remove your login session or any other data in your account.
On iPhone, iPad, and Android
The TikTok app itself has the option to clear the cache files. You can use this option on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
- Open TikTok on your phone.
- Select Profile in the app’s bottom-right corner.
- Choose the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Free up space on the page that opens.
- Select Clear next to Cache to clear the app’s cache files.
- Choose Clear in the prompt.
- Close and reopen TikTok.
On Android
- Open your phone’s Settings app and head into Apps > App management.
- Select TikTok on the app list.
- Tap Storage usage on the app screen.
- Choose Clear cache to delete the app’s cached data.
- Open TikTok on your phone.
6. Update TikTok on Your Smartphone
Outdated apps usually don’t perform well and have bugs. Your TikTok app may be an old version, causing you all sorts of problems.
Luckily, you can resolve all those issues by updating the app on your phone. The latest app version should fix your problem and possibly add new features.
You can update TikTok for free on your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
On iPhone and iPad
- Open App Store on your device.
- Select Updates at the bottom.
- Choose Update next to TikTok.
On Android
- Open Google Play Store on your phone.
- Find and select TikTok.
- Choose Update to begin updating the app.
7. Reinstall TikTok on Your Phone
If your TikTok app continues to create problems, the app’s core files might be faulty. You can’t access or modify these files, so your only option is to uninstall and reinstall the app on your phone.
Doing so deletes the app’s existing files and installs working new files. You don’t lose any of your TikTok account files, but you’ll have to log back into your account when you re-download the app.
On iPhone and iPad
- Tap and hold TikTok on your home screen.
- Select X in the app’s top-left corner.
- Choose Delete in the prompt.
- Re-download the app by launching App Store, searching for TikTok, and tapping the download icon.
On Android
- Tap and hold on TikTok in your app drawer.
- Select Uninstall in the menu that opens.
- Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
- Launch Google Play Store, find TikTok, and tap Install.
8. Utilize a VPN App
One reason TikTok doesn’t work on your phone is that the service is banned in your region or country. In this case, the app won’t load any content as the access to its servers is restricted.
One way to get around that is to use a VPN app. Such an app transmits your data through a middle server, allowing you to bypass your country’s internet restrictions.
You can get a VPN app of your choice and select a country where TikTok is allowed. Then, launch the TikTok app, and you’ll see all your content as usual.
Getting Around TikTok’s App Problems on Your Smartphone
The TikTok app usually works very well. However, there are times when the app experiences hiccups. Once you identify the cause of the issue and follow the methods above, your issue should be resolved.
You can then load your video feed, like and comment on people’s videos, as well as perform all other activities within the app without any issues. Happy watching!
