TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among teenagers and young adults. The app allows users to create and share short videos, and connect with friends and followers.
One of TikTok’s key features is the ability to send direct messages to other users. Direct messaging allows you to have private conversations and interact with your connections.
However, direct messaging is disabled by default for new users on TikTok. You have to manually turn it on before you can start sending and receiving direct messages. The process to enable direct messages is simple and easy to do on both Android and iPhone devices.
In this comprehensive guide, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to turn on direct messages on TikTok for Android and iOS.
Requirements to Meet Before Enabling Direct Messaging on TikTok
Before you can enable direct messaging on TikTok, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Have the TikTok app installed on your Android or iOS device. Make sure you have the latest version of the app.
- Be logged into your TikTok account. If you don’t have an account, you will need to sign up first before turning on direct messaging.
- Your TikTok account must be public. Direct messaging is currently not available for private accounts.
- You need to be at least 16 years old to use direct messaging on TikTok.
- Your device should be connected to the internet to complete the steps given in this guide.
Once you meet these prerequisites, you can proceed to turn on direct messaging by following the steps outlined below. The process is very similar on both Android and iOS, with only minor differences.
How to Turn on Direct Messages on TikTok on Android
Follow these steps to enable direct messaging on TikTok if you use an Android device:
Step 1: Launch the TikTok app
- Open the TikTok app on your Android phone or tablet.
- If you are not automatically logged in, enter your TikTok username and password to log into your account.
Step 2: Go to your profile
- Tap on the “Me” tab at the bottom right of the screen.
- This will open up your TikTok profile page.
Step 3: Tap on the three-dot menu
- On the upper right corner of your profile screen, tap on the three horizontal dot icon to open the menu.
Step 4: Select “Settings and privacy”
- From the menu that opens, choose the “Settings and privacy” option.
Step 5: Tap on “Privacy”
- Under the app settings menu, tap on “Privacy”.
Step 6: Tap on “Messaging”
Under the “Interactions” tab, tap on “Messaging.” Here, you should see if your TikTok direct messaging is enabled or not.
Specifically, these options are what TikTok allows you to choose from:
- Everyone
- Suggested friends
- Friends
- No one
If yours is currently set to “No one,” proceed to step 7 below.
Step 7: Enable Direct Messages for TikTok
- Tap on the messaging tab and select under “Who can send you messages” any option you deem fit (obviously except “No one.’)
And that’s it! Direct messages are now turned on for your TikTok account on Android.
If you want everyone to be able to directly message you on TikTok, you can change your settings to allow direct messages from all users, instead of just people you follow.
Learn how to allow direct messages from everyone on TikTok by adjusting your privacy settings in our guide on allowing DMs from everyone on TikTok.
How to Turn on Direct Messages on TikTok on iPhone
Here are the steps to follow if you want to enable direct messaging on TikTok for your iPhone or iPad:
Step 1: Open the TikTok app
- Launch the TikTok app on your iOS device.
- If prompted, log into TikTok using your account username and password.
Step 2: Go to your TikTok profile
- Tap on the “Me” tab located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Your TikTok profile page will open.
Step 3: Tap on the three lines icon
- On the top right of your profile, tap on the three horizontal lines icon to access the menu.
Step 4: Tap on “Settings and privacy”
- From the menu, choose “Settings and privacy” to open the app settings.
Step 5: Select “Privacy”
- Under the Settings menu, tap on “Privacy”.
Step 6: Enable “Direct Messages”
- Under Privacy settings, find the option “Direct Messages” and tap on it.
- Slide the switch next to Direct Messages to the right to enable it.
- The switch will turn green once you have enabled direct messaging.
After completing the above steps, direct messages will be turned on for your TikTok account on iPhone.
How to Start a Direct Message on TikTok
Now that you have successfully enabled direct messaging on TikTok, let’s look at how to actually start a direct message to another user:
On Android:
- Open the profile of the user you want to message.
- Tap on the three dot menu icon at the top right.
- Select “Message” from the menu.
- This will open up the direct messaging screen with that user.
- Type your message and tap the send icon.
On iPhone:
- Go to the profile of the user you want to message.
- Tap on the three lines menu icon at the top right.
- Choose “Send Message” from the menu.
- The direct messaging window will open with that user.
- Type out your message and tap the blue send arrow to send it.
And that’s all there is to it! You can now have private conversations with your connections on TikTok.
Tips for Using Direct Messages on TikTok
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind when using direct messaging on TikTok:
- You can start group messages by selecting multiple users before tapping the message icon.
- To find your existing conversations, tap on the inbox icon at the top right of your feed.
- You can send text messages, emojis, stickers, images and videos through direct message.
- Tap and hold a message to react, forward, copy, or delete it.
- Unsend messages quickly by tapping “Undo” right after sending a message.
- Block users who send inappropriate messages or spam by going to their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting “Block”.
- Your direct messages are encrypted for privacy. Enable additional protection with Face/Touch ID or passcode.
- Turn on read receipts in Settings > Privacy to see when your messages have been seen.
- If you have notifications enabled, you will get notified when receiving new messages.
- Delete conversations you no longer need by swiping left on the message thread and tapping “Delete”.
One common issue that many users face is getting the error “Messages cannot be sent since this user isn’t following you” when trying to message someone.
If you encounter this error, don’t worry – there are a few things you can try to fix it. Read our guide on how to send a TikTok message when not followed.
Learn all about TikTok’s message request feature and how to properly send requests in our detailed guide on sending and accepting message requests on TikTok.
Troubleshooting Direct Messages on TikTok
If you are having issues using direct messages on TikTok, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Problem: Can’t find the Direct Messages option in Settings.
Solution: Make sure your TikTok account is public. Direct messages are not available for private accounts currently.
Problem: Sent messages show “Pending”.
Solution: The recipient may have disabled their Direct Messages. You can’t send messages to users who have disabled DMs.
Problem: Not receiving any messages from others.
Solution: Check that Direct Messages are enabled in your Privacy settings. Also ensure notifications are allowed for TikTok so you get notified about new messages.
Problem: Blocked someone but still seeing their messages.
Solution: Try blocking them again. Close the app and restart it. This should stop messages from blocked users.
Problem: Messages out of order or missing.
Solution: This is usually a connection issue. Force close and relaunch TikTok to refresh your messages.
Problem: Can’t send or receive messages.
Solution: Make sure you are connected to the internet and try toggling Airplane mode on/off to reset the connection. Also try reinstalling the TikTok app if needed.
Conclusion
Direct messaging is a great way to have more private and deeper conversations on TikTok. By turning on direct messages, you can directly interact with your friends, favorite creators, and new connections on TikTok beyond just commenting on videos.
Enabling direct messages only takes a few taps in your app settings on both Android and iOS. We hope this step-by-step guide was helpful for you to turn on direct messaging on your TikTok account. Now you can start chatting away easily on TikTok!
Let us know if you have any other questions in the comments!
