With just a few quick steps, you can download your data and permanently delete your TikTok account using options available in the app and on the web.
Should I delete my TikTok account?
Have you watched one too many bite-sized clips that make the rounds on TikTok? Do you feel that abstaining from social media use could benefit your well-being?
Whatever the reason for deleting your TikTok account, we promise not to judge you. Instead, we’ll walk you through the easy steps of suspending or deleting your TikTok account and teach you crucial things about how the service manages your data.
How to delete your TikTok account
You have a choice. You can either permanently delete your TikTok account or suspend it temporarily via account settings available in the app and on the web.
In the app:
- Open the TikTok app on your iPhone
- Touch the Profile tab in the bottom right
- Now tap the 3-line icon in the top right
- Choose Settings and privacy from the menu
- Choose Account in the root settings list
- Hit Deactivate or delete account
- Choose Delete account permanently
- On the next screen, select Skip in the top right
- Tick a box at the bottom, then choose Continue
- Touch another Continue button
- Confirm your identity when prompted
- As the last step, touch Delete account
You’ll see a message when your account is marked for deletion. If you don’t log in within 30 days, TikTok will permanently delete your account. The prompt offers an option to deactivate your account, allowing you to take a break from TikTok without permanently deleting your data. You’ll also be nudged to download a copy of your account data, just in case.
On the web:
- Log in at tiktok.com/login in a browser on your computer.
- Click your profile image in the top right, then select Settings.
- Click Manage Account on the lefthand side.
- Click Delete under Account control on the righthand side.
- Click Continue.
- Type a six-digit verification code sent via SMS, then hit Delete account.
- Choose Delete to confirm the action or Cancel to abort.
TikTok will mark your account for deletion and log you out. After 30 days without any login attempts, your TikTok account will be permanently deleted.
Backing up your TikTok data
TikTok allows you to download an archive of your profile so you can browse your activity even after you no longer have an account with the service.
You can also back up your downloaded TikTok data for safekeeping. Among other things, a TikTok archive includes your username, video history, comment history and privacy settings. But first, you must request your TikTok data through the app.
To request your TikTok data:
- Open the TikTok app on your iPhone
- Touch the Profile tab at the bottom
- Hit the 3-line icon at the top
- Choose Settings and privacy from the root list
- Touch the Account option
- Finally, choose Download your data and follow the onscreen instructions
It may take up to three days to prepare your TikTok data. Once your file is ready, TikTok will notify you. You can download your prepared profile archive through the app’s Download your data section. The file will be available to download for up to four days. After that, it’ll be deleted, so you’ll need to request your data again.
To access your TikTok data:
- Open the TikTok app on your iPhone
- Touch the Profile tab at the bottom
- Hit the 3-line icon at the top
- Choose Settings and privacy from the root list
- Touch the Manage account option
- Choose Download your data
- Select Download data at the top
You can save the archive on your iPhone or iCloud Drive, making it readily accessible on all your other devices using the same Apple ID account, such as your Mac.
What to know about TikTok’s data retention policy
Like with other online services, deleting your TikTok account won’t instantly wipe the data the company has collected on you. Instead, your profile is deactivated for 30 days, making it publicly unavailable but still saved on TikTok’s servers.
After the 30 days have passed, however, TikTok will permanently delete your account. A deleted account cannot be recovered. You’ll need to create a new TikTok account to rejoin the service in the future.
If you delete your TikTok account:
- You won’t be able to log in and use TikTok with that account
- You will lose access to all your videos in that account
- Data stored on the device, like drafts, will be removed.
- You won’t be able to get a refund on any bought or received items.
- Information that is also stored on other people’s devices, such as direct messages, may still be visible to others on those devices
Further information and legal documents pertaining to the company’s data security and retention practices, privacy policy and so on is available on the TikTok website.
Recovering an account under deactivation
This lets you sign in using your account credentials in the mobile app or the web, then click the Re-Activate button to reinstate your account.
It may take a few minutes to recover all of your content. The only catch: You must do this within the 30-day retention window. When the retention period lapses, TikTok will delete your data from servers and you’ll no longer be able to revive your account.
Well, that was easy-peasy
TikTok has made account deletion a simple procedure that anyone can finish in just a few minutes. Accidental deletion is not possible without entering a one-time verification code TikTok sends to your mobile phone number. You can opt to temporarily deactivate your account instead of deleting it entirely.
Even if you choose the nuclear option, you’ll have a safe window of 30 days to change your mind. And finally, TikTok makes it easy to download an archive of your profile data, messages, videos and so on to keep forever.
Deleting other online accounts
If you’re wondering about deleting your Instagram account or your Snapchat account or an account with another popular service, you may want to take a look at these:
- How to delete your Snapchat account
- How to delete your Instagram account
- How to delete your Twitter account
- How to delete your Telegram account
- How to delete your Viper account
- How to delete your Skype account
We updated those tutorials in 2022 with revised instructions and relevant screenshots.