TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps, with over 1 billion monthly active users. It allows users to create and share short videos, often set to music.
One of the key features of TikTok is its “For You” page, which uses an algorithm to recommend videos for each user based on their interests and engagement.
However, many TikTok users have recently reported experiencing a glitch on the app where their For You page gets stuck showing the same videos over and over again, without refreshing new content.
This “TikTok like glitch” can be incredibly frustrating, especially for avid TikTok users who rely on the app for entertainment and discovering new content.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through multiple methods and troubleshooting steps to help fix the TikTok like glitch on both iOS and Android devices.
What Causes the TikTok Like Glitch?
Before diving into the solutions, it’s helpful to understand what causes this annoying glitch in the first place.
Here are some of the potential reasons:
Bug in Latest App Update
Like any app, TikTok regularly rolls out updates to fix bugs and introduce new features. Sometimes a coding error in the latest update can inadvertently cause glitches and TikTok likes won’t work. It’s likely a server-side issue that TikTok’s developers need to identify and patch with another update.
Corrupted App Cache
The TikTok app stores temporary cached data and cookies on your device to load content faster. Over time, this cached data can become corrupted or bloated, preventing the app from running smoothly. Clearing the app cache forces TikTok to reload fresh content and data.
Connectivity Issues
Any disruptions to your internet connection when scrolling through TikTok can lead to videos freeze-framing or repeating. Check that your WiFi or mobile data signal is strong when this happens.
Restrictive Account Settings
TikTok allows you to restrict the content visible on your For You page, such as filtering out videos with certain sounds or hashtags. If your account settings are too limiting, it reduces the pool of content the algorithm can recommend.
Server Outages
During peak usage times, TikTok’s servers can become overwhelmed and temporarily go down. Server outages mean the app can’t retrieve new videos to populate your For You page.
Device Storage Issues
If your phone is low on storage space, it can affect how well apps like TikTok can function. Lack of storage creates lag when loading new videos.
Now that we know what’s behind the TikTok like glitch, let’s go through the various fixes and troubleshooting steps.
Fixes for TikTok Like Glitch on iOS (iPhone/iPad)
Force Close and Reopen the App
To force close TikTok on iOS, double click the home button to bring up the app switcher. You’ll see thumbnail previews of recently used apps. Find the TikTok preview, then swipe up on it to force close the app completely.
After closing TikTok this way, wait about 10-15 seconds. Then reopen TikTok by tapping the app icon on your home screen as normal. This gives the app a chance to fully reset before reloading it.
Update the TikTok App
Updating TikTok can deliver fixes for bugs that cause repetitive video issues. Follow these steps:
- Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- At the bottom, tap the Updates tab. This will show all apps with available updates.
- Look for the TikTok app in the list and tap the Update button next to it. If you don’t see TikTok, it means you already have the latest version.
- The TikTok update will download and install automatically. Once finished, you can open TikTok to see if the latest update resolved the glitch.
Clear the App Cache
Here are detailed steps to clear the TikTok cache on iOS to fix repeat video issues:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap General.
- Tap Storage & iCloud Usage.
- Under Storage, tap Manage Storage.
- On the next screen, find and tap TikTok from the list of apps.
- Tap Offload App on the next screen. This will temporarily remove TikTok while retaining your data and account info.
- Once TikTok has been offloaded, return to the App Store and reinstall TikTok.
- Sign back into your TikTok account once it finishes reinstalling. The fresh install forces TikTok to rebuild its cache and data from scratch.
Toggle Cellular Data
If your phone is using cellular data when you notice the glitch, try toggling cellular data briefly as a quick fix:
- Open Settings and go to Cellular.
- Turn the Cellular Data switch off and wait about 20-30 seconds.
- Flip the Cellular Data switch back on.
- Open TikTok to see if new videos now load normally in your feed.
This forces your device to reconnect to the cellular network, which can resolve temporary connection issues.
Uninstall and Reinstall the App
As a last resort, you can completely uninstall and reinstall TikTok:
- Delete TikTok by pressing and holding the app icon until it starts jiggling. Then tap the X icon to delete.
- Power your iPhone off completely, wait a minute, then turn it back on.
- Once rebooted, go to the App Store and redownload and install TikTok.
- Sign into your TikTok account again. Your account data is retrieved from TikTok’s servers after a full reinstall.
This wipes the app data completely and forces TikTok to start fresh again on your device.
Fixes for TikTok Like Glitch on Android
Here are more detailed steps for troubleshooting on Android devices:
Force Stop the App
- Open your Android device’s Settings app.
- Tap Apps or Application Manager (varies by device).
- Scroll and find TikTok in the list of apps installed.
- Tap the TikTok entry.
- Tap Force Stop on the next screen. This completely shuts down the app if it’s running in the background.
- Open TikTok again normally to see if forcing a stop resolved the issue.
Clear the App Cache and Data
Clearing cached data and app data helps resolve glitches on Android. Here are the steps:
- In your Settings, tap Storage.
- Tap Cached data.
- Look for the TikTok entry and tap it to clear the cached data.
- Return to the previous Manage apps or Application manager screen.
- Tap TikTok again.
- Tap “Storage and cache.”
- Tap Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons on the next screen.
- When prompted, confirm you want to delete the data.
- Open TikTok again and sign back into your account.
Restart Your Device
If TikTok is still glitching, restart your Android:
- Press and hold the Power button for approx. 30 seconds until the device gives you the option to restart or power off completely.
- Tap Restart to reboot the device.
- Once restarted, allow a minute for all apps and services to load up.
- Open TikTok again to see if the app functions normally after a reboot.
Toggle Airplane Mode
Toggling Airplane mode briefly can force a reconnection:
- Open your Settings and go to Network & internet.
- Turn on Airplane mode by swiping the slider.
- Wait about 30 seconds with Airplane mode enabled.
- Turn Airplane mode off again.
- This will disable connections briefly and force them to reconnect.
Uninstall Updates or Reinstall App
You can also roll back or fully uninstall/reinstall via the Manage apps screen:
- Tap the 3-dot menu next to TikTok.
- Choose Uninstall updates to revert to a previous version of the app.
Or choose Uninstall to completely remove TikTok if needed.
- To reinstall, go to the Play Store, search TikTok, tap Install to get the app again.
- Sign into your TikTok account after reinstalling.
Hope this provides more detail on effectively troubleshooting and resolving the TikTok like glitch on both iOS and Android! Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions.
Conclusion
Dealing with a repetitive TikTok feed that gets stuck showing the same videos can be truly aggravating. Thankfully, this common glitch can usually be resolved quickly on both iOS and Android devices using the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide.
Clearing cached data, updating the app, reinstalling TikTok, and restarting your device are the most effective ways to force the app to pull fresh content. TikTok’s servers will sort out the issues after a refresh.
Make sure to provide feedback to TikTok directly on any bugs you come across. And follow our tips to keep glitches at bay going forward. With this advice, you’ll be back to endless scrolling of new videos on your For You feed in no time!
