Have you noticed the Go Live and Watch Live buttons missing from your TikTok app? You’re not alone. Many TikTok users have reported this issue recently, leaving them unable to broadcast or view live content.
The good news is there are several things you can try to get these buttons back. In this blog post, we’ll provide proven methods to fix the TikTok go live or watch live button missing problem.
From updating the app to clearing the cache, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions to resolve this TikTok annoyance.
Why Is My TikTok Go Live Button Missing?
Before diving into the solutions, let’s first understand why the Go Live and Watch Live buttons sometimes disappear from TikTok. There are a few common reasons for this.
Account Restrictions
If your account has been restricted due to policy violations, you may lose access to certain features like going live or viewing live streams.
Check your account status by going to your profile and tapping the menu icon. If your account access is limited, you’ll need to appeal the restriction before regaining full privileges.
App Issues
Problems with the TikTok app itself can also cause the buttons to vanish. From software bugs to performance issues, technical faults with the app may lead to glitches like missing features. Updating the app and restarting your phone are two ways to fix such app problems.
Region Limitations
TikTok availability and allowed features vary by region. While creating and viewing live content is possible in most places worldwide, some countries have restrictions. So your location permissions may control if you can go live or see live streams on TikTok.
Ways to Fix TikTok go live or watch live button missing
Now that you know why it happens, let’s get those buttons back! Here are 15 detailed troubleshooting tips for restoring your TikTok live streaming abilities.
1. Update Your TikTok App
An outdated version of the TikTok app is often the culprit behind missing buttons and other quirky issues. By installing the latest update, you can patch bugs and solve problems.
To update TikTok on an iPhone or Android phone:
For iPhone:
- Open the App Store.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Scroll down and find TikTok.
- If there’s an update available, you’ll see an Update button next to the app name. Tap Update to install the latest version.
- You can also enable automatic updates by going to Settings > App Store and turning on App Updates. This will automatically update all your apps, including TikTok, as soon as new versions are available.
For Android:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap on the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.
- Select My apps & games.
- Find TikTok in the list and tap on it.
- If there’s an update available, you’ll see an Update button. Tap Update to install the latest version.
Ideally, you should enable automatic updates on your device to always have the newest app releases. But manual updates can also keep TikTok working properly when problems occur.
2. Restart Your Phone
Before getting too technical, try the old faithful troubleshooting method – turn your phone off and back on! Restarting your device resets everything and clears out minor software glitches.
To properly restart an iPhone:
- Hold down the side/power button
- Slide to power off
- When the phone turns completely off, hold the power button again
- Power the iPhone back on
For Android devices:
- Hold the power button
- Tap “Restart” or “Reboot” to confirm
- Let your phone restart itself
- Unlock your phone when powered back on
Give TikTok a try after restarting to see if the missing buttons return. A quick reboot takes just a minute but works surprisingly often to fix app and performance issues.
3. Log Out and Back In
Sometimes simply logging out and back into your TikTok account also irons out buggy behavior in the app. By signing out and signing back in, you ensure your account syncs correctly.
Here is how to log out and log back into TikTok:
- Open TikTok and tap “Me” in the bottom right
- Tap the three dot menu icon next to your username
- Choose “Log out” to confirm and sign out.
- Close and reopen the TikTok app
- Input your username and password to log back in
- Navigate to the upload screen to check if buttons are back
This refresh of your account details could restore missing features like live streaming. Stay logged out for a minute or two before logging back into TikTok for the best results.
4. Enable Notifications Access
For live streaming properly, TikTok requires notification access on your device. If you’ve disabled TikTok notifications, it can sometimes make features like Go Live disappear temporarily.
Double-check that TikTok has notification access enabled:
- Open your phone Settings
- Tap Apps & Notifications (or Permission Manager on some devices)
- Locate TikTok in the apps list
- Make sure Notifications are toggled ON
While in your Settings, also check that TikTok has proper access to services like your Microphone, Camera, Location and more. Restoring full app permissions can get your missing buttons back in TikTok.
5. Clear Cache and Data
Over time, cached data and temporary app files build up in TikTok. Clearing this outdated cache and data from your app helps it run more smoothly. It also remedies odd quirks like vanished buttons in the process.
How to Clear TikTok cache On Android:
1. Accessing Settings:
- You can typically access the Settings app through the app drawer or by searching for it on your home screen. On some devices, it might be located within the notification shade.
2. Navigating to Apps:
- Within the Settings app, there’s usually a dedicated section for applications. It might be called “Apps & notifications,” “Applications,” or simply “Apps.”
3. Finding TikTok:
- Scroll through the list of installed apps alphabetically or use the search bar at the top to find TikTok.
4. Accessing Storage Usage:
- Tap on TikTok to open its individual settings page. Here, you might find specific sections like “Storage,” “Permissions,” or “App info.” Look for any option indicating memory usage or storage details.
5. Clearing the Cache:
- Once you reach the storage section, locate the button or option labeled “Clear cache.” Some devices might display additional information like the amount of space the cache occupies before offering the clear button.
On iPhone:
- Go to your iPhone Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Find TikTok and tap into the app details
- Select “Offload App” to clear cached files.
Once cache and data reset, reopen TikTok. Navigate to upload and Live tabs to see if all missing features are back as intended.
6. Delete and Reinstall TikTok
A common go-to for troubleshooting mobile app issues is fully removing and re-downloading the problem app.
By completely deleting and then reinstalling TikTok, you give yourself a clean slate. This method essentially forces the buttons to reload correctly.
To delete and reinstall TikTok:
- Hold finger on the TikTok app icon until it starts wiggling
- Tap the X icon displayed on the corner of the TikTok app
- Confirm deletion when prompted
- Open your device app store
- Download a fresh version of TikTok
- Log into your account once installation completes
Sometimes the nuclear option is needed! Deleting and re-adding TikTok provides a fresh app state which often fixes missing features.
7. Toggle Airplane Mode
Mobile connectivity issues occasionally interfere with proper app functionality. By briefly enabling Airplane mode on your device, you disrupt this connectivity – essentially letting your phone reconnect and signals reset.
Give it a try for the TikTok live streaming button:
- Open your device Settings
- Toggle on Airplane mode
- Wait 30 seconds with connection disabled
- Turn Airplane mode back off
- Launch TikTok and check for the buttons again
Toggling Airplane mode only takes a minute and serves as a device connectivity reset. This can prompt system refresh where TikTok buttons reappear.
8. Enable Live Streaming Access via Family Pairing
The parental controls and Family Pairing feature in TikTok allows parents to restrict features for their childrens’ accounts. Sometimes access to live streaming gets categorized as a “digital wellbeing” setting and disabled by parents.
If your TikTok account is managed under a parent’s Family Pairing:
- Ask them to open Family Pairing in their TikTok app
- Have them enable the “Go Live” permission for your account
- The update syncs and should restore live stream abilities
Regaining the proper Family Pairing access permissions lets live streaming features show correctly. Check on this if your TikTok account is parent-managed.
9. Rectify Age or Date of Birth Issues
TikTok has age minimums for accessing certain features, including live streaming. You typically need to be at least 18 years old. If your age or date of birth saved in TikTok is incorrect, this can block features.
To check and update your age/birthday:
- Tap Profile > Settings and privacy
- Tap Manage my account > Personal information
- Enter your correct Date of birth
- Tap “Next” and follow any prompts
Setting this accurately matches your details to content permissions. If previously wrong, updating it now prompts TikTok to enable live streaming access correctly matched to your actual age.
10. Double Check App Permissions
Along with notifications access mentioned earlier, there are other device-level app permissions needed for all TikTok features. Double check that TikTok has microphone, camera, location and additional access granted.
- Go into your main device Settings > Apps
- Select TikTok from the apps list
- Review all permission toggles and confirm they are enabled
Restore full permissions access as needed if any options were previously disabled. This ensures TikTok has all it needs to activate missing buttons issue.
11. Update Your Device Software
Just like updating the TikTok app itself, keeping your iPhone, Android or other device software up-to-date is important.
Outdated operating systems often harbor bugs and compatibility issues leading to glitchy app behaviors.
Install pending system updates to see if that resolves the missing TikTok buttons:
On iPhone
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update
- Download and install any iOS updates shown
On Android
- Open device Settings > System > System Update
- Review available updates and install if any pending
Recent software updates sometimes include specific fixes for TikTok performance. Upgrading can optimize how the app runs and displays all features appropriately.
12. Adjust Battery Saver Settings
Battery saver and power saving modes help extended battery life on phones over time. But they do this by limiting app activity and performance in the background.
For apps like TikTok, this can inadvertently hide certain features.
Try adjusting power saver settings:
On iPhone
- Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health
- Make sure “Reduce Performance” is disabled
On Android
- Open Settings > Device Care > Battery
- Tap Power mode and select “High performance”
Reconfigure restrictions to see if buttons reload correctly without battery saver interferences.
14. Force Stop the TikTok App
Sometimes applications start misbehaving when left open in the background for too long. Try force stopping the TikTok app to see if it helps jolt the buttons back into working order.
On iPhone
- Double tap the Home button to open multitasking
- Locate TikTok in the app preview list and swipe up to close
- Reopen TikTok freshly after force stop
On Android
- Open Settings > Apps > TikTok
- Tap Force Stop button
- Confirm to force close the app
- Relaunch TikTok again after
Essentially gives TikTok app a fresh start when reopened.
15. Contact TikTok Support
If all else fails, get in touch with the TikTok technical support team directly to report the missing buttons. They can further troubleshoot or file a bug report regarding the issues.
- Open TikTok > Tap Me > Settings and Privacy.
- Scroll down and tap Report a Problem.
- Choose relevant options and tap Next
- Input details and any troubleshooting done
- Submit the issue to TikTok support
Reporting problems directly enables them to escalate and address ongoing bugs hiding access to features like Go Live.
