Have you ever searched for a TikTok user’s profile only to get the frustrating “Username not found” or “Couldn’t find this account” message? In other instances, the error message shows as “couldn’t find a TikTok account associated with this username.”
Not being able to locate a TikTok account can be annoying and confusing.
The good news is that there are several troubleshooting tips you can try to resolve this problem on your own.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top reasons why you can’t find someone on TikTok and actionable solutions to fix the TikTok username not showing issue.
Why Is My TikTok Username Not Showing Up?
Before jumping into the step-by-step troubleshooting process, it’s helpful to understand the reasons why TikTok usernames may not show up during searches.
Here are the most common explanations:
Typos in the Username
It seems obvious, but double check that you’re spelling the TikTok handle correctly without any typos or capitalization errors.
TikTok usernames are case-sensitive, so “JohnSmith” is not the same as “Johnmith” or “johnsmith”. Carefully check each letter when entering a TikTok name.
Server or Connectivity Issues
If TikTok’s servers are down for maintenance or you have a poor internet connection, it can interfere with search functionalities. Trying again later or switching to a stronger WiFi or cellular data connection may help.
Blocked Accounts
If the TikTok account holder has blocked you, their profile and posts will be hidden from your view. Checking with a mutual friend who follows that user can help determine if you’ve been blocked.
Restricted or Deleted Accounts
TikTok profiles with privacy settings enabled to limit visibility or those that have been removed from the platform won’t populate in search results for other users.
Region Locking
In rare cases, some TikTok profiles have geographical restrictions depending on the country, state, or age group they want to reach. Using a VPN connection can sometimes provide access.
Account Name Changes
If a TikTok user changes their unique username, their old handle will no longer work. Searching for alternative profile names they frequently use can help rediscover an altered account.
Third-Party App Glitches
Issues with the TikTok mobile app itself, unusual software bugs, or connectivity problems related to your specific smartphone can also contribute to the “username not found” dilemma.
Now that we’ve covered some reasons why TikTok usernames may not appear in mobile search results, let’s explore actionable troubleshooting suggestions to bring that missing profile back!
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix TikTok Username Not Showing Up
Follow this checklist below to troubleshoot and resolve the frustrating “Couldn’t find this account” or “Username not found” error messages:
1. Check for Typos in the Username
Carefully examine the TikTok username you’re searching for any spelling errors. Usernames on TikTok are case-sensitive, meaning capital and lowercase letters matter.
For example, @JohnSmith would be considered entirely different from @johnsmith in TikTok’s search algorithm. Check that every letter precisely matches the unique username. If you find a typo, re-enter the exact handle spelling.
2. Confirm Case Sensitivity of the Username
Along with spelling errors, ensure you are correctly entering uppercase and lowercase letters in the TikTok username. Double check your message history or screenshot if necessary to guarantee precise name matching.
If the account name utilizes a name like SarahTaylor, input the exact capitalized letters instead of casual lowercase spelling like sarahtaylor. Match the exact mix of upper and lower case formatting.
3. Refresh the TikTok Mobile App
Close the TikTok app completely by swiping it away in your smartphone’s app history/background. Reopen a freshly restarted TikTok app by clicking on the icon and search for the username again.
Restarting the app essentially refreshes it, clears temporary memory issues, and applies any recent updates. This can resolve random glitches preventing that user’s profile from loading properly in search.
4. Clear App Cache and Data
Within TikTok’s mobile settings, attempt clearing cached files and data to wipe corrupt temporary app files.
Here are step-by-step instructions:
- Open the TikTok app and go to your profile.
- Tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings and privacy.”
- Scroll down to the “Cache & Cellular Data” section and tap “Free up space.”
- Next to “Cache,” tap the “Clear” button.
- When prompted, select “Clear” again to confirm.
Wiping the cache and app data gives the app a fresh start, removing any problematic files that could be interfering with search capabilities for that username.
5. Check for TikTok App Updates
On both iOS (Apple) and Android devices, navigate to the main app store TikTok was downloaded from. Click your profile icon to access “Manage Apps”.
From there, you can review a list of installed apps with available updates shown. Check if TikTok has a fresh update and tap to manually update if so.
Keeping the app upgraded helps resolve bugs that sometimes prevent usernames from showing correctly.
6. Log Out Then Log Back Into Your TikTok Account
From within TikTok’s “Me” page, tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner. Select “Log out” to sign out completely from the mobile app.
Then re-launch TikTok fresh, input your login details like phone/email and password to access your account again.
This can reset any temporary glitches related specifically to your TikTok account preventing that user’s profile from appearing.
7. Verify Your Internet Connection Stability
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to fix TikTok username not showing up is to perform an internet connection speed test.
Speed tests provide valuable insights into your internet performance, helping you identify and address potential issues.
To perform a speed test, you can use websites such as speedtest.net or fast.com.
Check both WiFi and mobile data connectivity. Toggle Airplane mode on and off to refresh the connection. Close and relaunch TikTok to recheck username search ability.
Weak internet stability can negatively impact TikTok’s search index updates. Forcing a connection refresh may help load the desired profile if there are network issues like congestion slowing access.
8. Restart Your Mobile Smartphone Device
As silly as it sounds, completely turning off then powering your smartphone back on acts as a “power cycle” that can surprisingly resolve app glitches and mobile search problems like missing TikTok usernames.
Start by closing all apps open in the background. Then fully turn off your iPhone, Android, tablet or whichever device you use to access TikTok.
Wait at least 30 seconds (or up to 5 minutes to be safe). Then restart normally and reopen TikTok and check if you can find that user profile again upon searching their unique handle.
9. Check TikTok’s Social Accounts for Server Outages
TikTok occasionally suffers downtimes where certain account features are disabled globally. Sometimes profile searching can be impacted after TikTok updates its servers.
Check TikTok Support on Twitter as they often post updates regarding known technical issues after performing website maintenance. Similarly, you can visit TikTok’s status page on Down Detector for real-time server reports.
This will confirm if the “username not found” problem is widespread across TikTok, or an error on your side. If global issues are confirmed, simply wait for TikTok engineers to complete fixes before rechecking username search ability.
10. Attempt Searching the TikTok Profile URL Directly
Every TikTok user account has a personalized profile URL web address, even if not customized. The format is typically https://www.tiktok.com/@username.
So @johnsmith would have a URL https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmith for example. If you have this full profile link, attempt directly visiting it in your mobile browser instead of searching by handle.
Sometimes inputs via the main app fail while simply accessing that account’s unique URL will correctly load their profile, posts and bio data successfully.
11. Check for Possible Account Blocking
In rare cases, the TikTok profile owner has intentionally blocked your account/device from viewing their content or interacting. Ask a close friend that follows that user if they can still search/load the profile normally from their smartphone.
Or sign into TikTok from a different unrelated device like a friend’s phone and try searching the problematic username. If it loads fine elsewhere, chances are you’ve been blocked specifically on your smartphone or tablet.
Without mutual connections to request an explanation for the blocking, this can be difficult to resolve unfortunately unless blocking was accidental.
12. Consider Region Limitations Imposed
In special circumstances, TikTok profiles can impose geographic restrictions based on countries, cities or age demographics they wish to reach with their videos.
Logging in via VPN router connections allows modifying your virtual location which can sometimes provide access to region-limited profiles depending on restrictions configured.
Additionally, creating an extra TikTok account using a different location setting can display region-locked profiles your main account fails loading. Check with other local friends to see if anyone can successfully access that profile natively to confirm limitations.
13. Check for Possible Account Deletion
In some cases, the frustrating “Username not found” notice appears simply because that TikTok account has been deactivated or removed.
Ask mutual connections on other social platforms like Instagram or Snapchat if they’ve noticed that user disappearing recently across multiple apps/sites which signals deletion.
Without notice, there’s unfortunately no way to recover or trace permanently erased TikTok profiles unless the owner someday rejoins under the same unique username.
14. Search for Profile/Account Name Changes
Over time, some TikTok users reformat or completely change their personalized public username/handle. What was once @janedoehappy could be now listed under @jane_so_happy or even @jane.videos based on rebranding.
Manually trying searching common username variants you’ve seen that particular user associate with in the past could help rediscover their profile after an update.
Hashtags, emoji patterns, name initials or abbreviations are tendencies to check when attempting to identify possible renamed accounts.
15. Leverage Alternative Search Methods
If you’ve followed that TikTok user across multiple other social media apps like Instagram, Twitter or YouTube, you can leverage those connections to rediscover profile name changes.
Scan their bio links, posts, channel names, etc in their externally linked platforms for any references to a rebranded TikTok handle they now associate themselves with after changing the username.
In some cases, if both accounts still exist, you’ll need to reach out directly through those platforms requesting their updated TikTok handle if all typical troubleshooting checks fail.
16. Reinstall the TikTok Mobile App
As a last resort, completely uninstalling then fresh reinstalling TikTok removes all cached data that could be locally interfering with that account in particular loading in your searches.
- Delete TikTok app
- Reboot your smartphone
- Visit app store & redownload TikTok
- Login to your profile
- Try searching the missing username again
If the handle still won’t populate in fully refreshed searches, you’ll need to contact TikTok Support for additional specialized troubleshooting assistance based on your unique situation.
And that’s everything you need to know about resolving the common TikTok “username not showing” or “couldn’t find this account” issues!
With this comprehensive guide, you’re fully equipped to troubleshoot and fix missing accounts by yourself without waiting for TikTok’s limited customer support team.
17. Contact TikTok Customer Support
If no explanations we’ve covered match your unique “Couldn’t find this account” situation after extensive troubleshooting, it’s best directly consulting TikTok for specialized support.
To contact TikTok support:
- Open the TikTok app and visit your Profile
- Tap the three Lines menu icon (☰).
- Tap on “Settings and Privacy.”
- Choose Report a Problem from the menu.
- Look for the “Submit a report” link at the bottom of the TikTok help page and tap on it.
- Complete the support request form with details on the problem.
Detail when/where the “username not showing” error appeared and what troubleshooting steps you’ve tried already without success. Provide the specific TikTok handle not populating so their engineers can investigate why it may not appear in search results.
Here’s a quick recap of effective troubleshooting checks before requesting TikTok’s deeper technical support:
- Carefully check username spellings & capitalizations
- Refresh TikTok app cache/data
- Update to latest TikTok verison
- Toggle Airplane mode off/on
- Switch between wifi and cellular data
- Log out and back into your TikTok account
- Leverage linked social profiles for name change hints
- Consider region limitations imposed
- Check for account blocking or deletion
- Reinstall fresh TikTok app instance
With persistence testing the above username search fixes, you should once again find that formerly missing TikTok profile and view fun videos from that user.
Thanks for reading and good luck resolving your unique case of the frustrating “Username not found” error message!
