TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in recent years, with over 1 billion monthly active users. One of the key features of TikTok is the ability to easily view content from different geographic regions around the world by changing your TikTok region.
However, sometimes the TikTok region change feature stops working properly. When you try to change your region in the app, it may not actually update to the new location.
This can be frustrating if you are trying to access region-restricted content or connect with a different global audience.
Let’s take a look at the main reasons why TikTok region change may not be working for you. We will also provide step-by-step troubleshooting instructions to help you successfully fix the region change problem on TikTok.
Why TikTok Region Change May Not Be Working
There are several potential reasons why changing your TikTok region may not be working properly:
Technical Issues
Sometimes there are simple technical issues with the TikTok app that prevent region change from working correctly. Closing and reopening the app, checking your internet connection, or updating the app can often resolve these types of problems.
TikTok’s servers could also be down for maintenance or experiencing outages which would temporarily prevent region change from working. Always check third party sites like Downdetector to see if TikTok is experiencing any known issues.
Glitched App
The TikTok app may enter a glitched state where region change gets stuck and stops functioning, even if there are no actual technical issues. This can often happen after an app update or if TikTok is having minor technical problems.
Restarting your device or force quitting the TikTok app will usually clear up a glitched state and get region change working again. Clearing app cache/data can also help resolve glitched apps.
Outdated App Version
Using an outdated version of the TikTok app could also result in region change not working properly. Old app versions may have bugs or lack more recently added region change features.
Updating to the latest TikTok app version in your device’s app store will ensure you have all the newest code fixes and features.
Restricted by TikTok
In some cases, TikTok may intentionally restrict the ability to change regions, especially when rapidly switching locations multiple times. This is designed to prevent abusive use of region change.
Trying again later or contacting TikTok support may help remove the restriction if you legitimately need to change regions.
Blocked by Device Settings
Some device-level restrictions could block you from changing your TikTok region. For example, if your phone carrier has location services disabled, the app cannot actually update your virtual location.
Checking that location access is enabled for TikTok in your device’s app settings will rule out this possibility. A VPN app could also potentially override device-level location blocks.
Now that we’ve covered some of the main reasons why TikTok region change might not be working, let’s go through detailed troubleshooting steps to fix the problem:
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix TikTok Region Change Not Working
Follow these steps below to troubleshoot and resolve any issues you may be having with changing your TikTok region:
1. Close and Reopen the TikTok App
The simplest initial troubleshooting step is to close and fully restart the TikTok app on your device. This will completely clear out the app from memory and reload it fresh.
- On an iPhone, double click the home button and swipe up on the TikTok app screen to close it.
- On an Android, open the app switcher and swipe the TikTok app screen upwards to close it.
- After closing the app, wait a few seconds and then restart TikTok normally.
Many minor glitches or connection issues can be fixed by fully resetting the app. Try changing your TikTok region again after restarting the app.
If the region change still doesn’t work, proceed to the next steps below.
2. Check Your Internet Connection
An unstable internet connection can cause all sorts of problems with apps and their ability to update data or connect to servers. Make sure you have a strong, reliable WiFi or mobile data connection before trying to change TikTok regions.
Some ways to diagnose connection issues:
- Run a speed test on your network using a tool like speedtest.net to check for high latency or slow speeds.
- Disable WiFi and try using mobile data, or vice versa. This will determine if it’s an issue with one network.
- Restart your router if on WiFi to refresh the connection.
- Check if other apps can access the internet normally without any connection errors.
Ideally, you want a minimum of 5Mbps download speed and 50ms latency or lower when testing your network connection.
If you have an adequate internet connection, you can rule this out as the issue stopping TikTok region change. Continue to the next troubleshooting steps.
3. Check If TikTok Is Down
Sometimes server outages at TikTok can prevent access to any features including region change. Check third party sites like Downdetector to see if other users are reporting problems with TikTok:
- Visit the TikTok Downdetector site and look at the user reports and outage map. Widespread issues will be obvious.
- Search for “TikTok down” on Twitter to see the latest updates reported.
- Try using TikTok without region change to see if other features work normally. If everything is broken, that indicates wider TikTok problems.
Major outages on TikTok are not extremely common but do happen several times a year. If TikTok is down, all you can do is wait for TikTok to resolve the outage which typically takes 1-2 hours at most. Once service is restored, region change should start working again.
4. Force Quit and Reopen TikTok
As mentioned previously, fully closing and reopening the TikTok app can clear out minor technical issues that may be preventing region change from working properly.
Follow these exact steps to force quit and relaunch TikTok:
On iPhone
- Double tap the Home button to open the app switcher.
- Locate the TikTok app preview and swipe up on it to force close it.
- After TikTok closes, open the app switcher again.
- Tap and hold the power button until the “Slide to Power Off” prompt appears.
- Let go of the power button and wait 30 seconds.
- Open the TikTok app normally from your home screen.
On Android
- Open the Recent Apps menu by swiping up from the bottom or pressing the Square button.
- Locate the TikTok app preview and swipe it upwards to close the app.
- After closing TikTok, press and hold the power button until the power off prompt appears.
- Tap Cancel to exit the prompt and wait 30 seconds.
- Open the TikTok app normally from your home screen or app drawer.
This process completely clears the TikTok app from memory and reloads it fresh. Try changing regions again after force quitting. If it still doesn’t work, continue with further troubleshooting steps.
5. Update the TikTok App
Using an outdated version of the TikTok app can sometimes lead to issues with region change not working properly. Older app versions may have bugs that are fixed in newer updates.
Make sure you have updated to the latest version of TikTok in your device’s app store:
On iPhone
- Open the App Store app.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Scroll down and tap Update next to the TikTok app listing.
- Tap Update again in the popup to update TikTok to the latest version.
- Once updated, open TikTok and try changing regions again.
On Android
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner.
- Tap My Apps & Games.
- Under Updates, check if TikTok has a Pending Update.
- If so, tap Update next to TikTok.
- Once updated, open TikTok and try changing regions again.
Updating your app ensures you have the newest features and stability improvements for region change. If updating does not resolve the issue, continue on below.
6. Restart Your Device
Restarting your iPhone or Android device will completely refresh the operating system and connected services like location services that TikTok relies on.
Follow these steps to restart your device:
On iPhone
- Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off your device completely.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button again to turn your device back on.
On Android
- Press and hold the Power button until the power off prompt appears.
- Tap Power off to fully power down your device.
- Wait at least 30 seconds and then press the Power button again to restart your device.
Once your phone has restarted, open TikTok and try changing regions again. A restart can refresh many system processes that may resolve the region issue.
7. Clear the TikTok App Cache and Data
Over time, corrupted temporary data in the TikTok app can cause problems like region change not functioning. Clearing the cache and app data completely deletes this temporary data and resets TikTok to a clean state.
Follow these instructions to clear cache/data:
On iPhone
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap General.
- Tap iPhone Storage.
- Wait for the storage usage to load.
- Locate the TikTok app and tap on it.
- Tap Offload App near the bottom. This will clear all TikTok data.
- Go back to your home screen and reinstall TikTok from the App Store.
On Android
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Apps or Application Manager.
- Tap TikTok in the app list.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear Cache and then Clear Data.
- Open TikTok and try changing regions.
This wipes the existing TikTok data and starts fresh. Region change issues caused by corrupted data will typically be resolved after clearing app data.
8. Reinstall the TikTok App
If no other troubleshooting steps have worked so far, completely uninstalling and reinstalling TikTok is the next step. This guarantees you have a 100% clean version of the app free of any bugs.
Follow these instructions to reinstall TikTok:
On iPhone
- Press and hold the TikTok icon on your home screen until the icons start wiggling.
- Tap the X icon on the TikTok app to uninstall it.
- Confirm the deletion in the popup prompt.
- Open the App Store and search for TikTok.
- Tap Get and then Install to download TikTok again.
- Once installed, open TikTok, accept the terms and try changing regions.
On Android
- Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
- Tap TikTok.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Confirm the uninstall in the popup.
- Open the Play Store and search for TikTok.
- Tap Install to download TikTok again.
- Launch the freshly installed TikTok app and test region change.
Reinstalling the app gives you a completely clean version which will work correctly in most cases. This step resolves any underlying bugs in the app installation itself.
9. Use a VPN
If all else fails, using a VPN service can change your virtual location and force TikTok to switch to a different region. However, it’s important to note that using a VPN to access restricted TikTok region content is prohibited under TikTok’s terms of service.
Here is how to use a VPN to change regions:
- Download and install a VPN app on your device. Some popular options are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or ProtonVPN.
- Launch the VPN app and connect to a server located in the region you want to access. For example, connect to a U.S. server to view American TikTok.
- Once connected, open TikTok. It should now display content based on the VPN server location.
- You can then post and engage with videos in that geographic region.
- Keep the VPN connection active in the background while using TikTok.
While using a VPN does work, bear in mind that TikTok may ban accounts caught using VPNs against their terms. Only use this method at your own risk.
10. Contact TikTok Support
If you still cannot get TikTok region change working after trying all troubleshooting steps, you can get in touch with TikTok support directly:
- Go to your Profile in the app.
- Tap the Menu button (three lines) in the top right corner. Select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Report a problem. Choose the relevant topic for your issue and follow the provided steps. This might not address your specific need to contact support, but it could potentially offer solutions based on the issue you’re facing.
- Explain your region change problem and submit the ticket.
The TikTok support team may be able to diagnose why region change is not working for your specific account and potentially restore access or lift restrictions.
Conclusion
Changing your TikTok region is normally a straightforward process but can occasionally stop working due to glitches, bugs, or technical problems.
By carefully applying the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to resolve any issues and successfully change your TikTok region again.
The key steps to try are restarting the app, updating it, clearing cache/data, reinstalling it, and checking for connection issues or TikTok outages. If all else fails, contact TikTok support for additional assistance with region change problems.
