Having videos not show up after posting them on TikTok can be incredibly frustrating. You took the time to create and post engaging content, but no one can see it because of some glitch or error.
Don’t worry – there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to get your TikTok videos appearing properly again. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the potential fixes to try when your TikTok videos are posted but not showing up.
Check Your Internet Connection
The most obvious first step is to check that you actually have an internet connection. If you posted the video using mobile data, try connecting to a Wi-Fi network and refreshing the app. Poor mobile connections can sometimes lead to videos failing to upload or process correctly.
Similarly, if you’re on Wi-Fi, try disconnecting and reconnecting to refresh the connection. Power cycling your modem and router can also help resolve any network issues that may be preventing your video from going live.
Restart the TikTok App
If you’re sure internet connectivity isn’t the problem, try fully closing out of the TikTok app and restarting it. This will clear any cached data that could be preventing your videos from uploading or processing correctly.
Completely power down your device, then turn it back on again before launching TikTok. This “fresh start” can knock out glitches that a simple app restart cannot.
Check Video Privacy Settings
Sometimes videos don’t show up because your privacy settings are too restrictive. In the TikTok app, go to your profile page and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
Select “Settings and privacy” then choose “Privacy”. Here you can adjust options like:
- Private account – Toggle this off to make your account public so anyone can view your videos.
- Suggest your account to others – Enable this to allow TikTok to recommend your account to new users.
- Allow others to find me – Turn this on so your account is searchable/discoverable by other users.
Make sure none of these options are disabled, or else your videos will only be visible to people you directly share them with.
Check Video Visibility Settings
You can also set visibility options on a per-video basis. To check this, go to the video in your profile that isn’t showing up. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the bottom-right corner of the video, then choose “Edit video”.
In Edit Video mode, tap “Visibility” and make sure it’s not set to “Private”. The “Friends” setting will also limit visibility, so set it to “Public” if you want everyone to be able to find and view the video.
Delete and Re-Upload the Video
If all else fails, delete the posted video from your TikTok account and try uploading it again from scratch. This will reset any issues that may have occurred during the initial upload process.
To delete a video:
- Go to your profile page
- Tap the three-dot menu next to the video
- Choose “Delete”
Now try uploading the video again and see if it shows up as expected. You may also want to try uploading from a different internet connection on another device, in case the issue is isolated to your phone or home network.
Use TikTok’s Support Options
If you’re still struggling to get your video to appear after trying all troubleshooting steps, it’s time to go directly to the source and contact TikTok support.
In the TikTok app, go to your profile and tap the three-line menu icon in the top-right corner. Choose “Support” then select the type of issue you need help with.
You can fill out a form describing your video upload problem or connect with live chat support. TikTok may be able to diagnose and resolve the issue on their end, especially if it’s an internal technical problem.
Wait for Video Processing
Keep in mind that it takes some time for TikTok to process and generate thumbnails for newly uploaded videos. It’s normal for videos to take a few hours to fully publish after you hit upload.
Be patient and wait up to 24 hours before assuming there’s an issue. Refrain from deleting and re-uploading the same video repeatedly, as this can confuse the processing system and delay your video from going live.
Check Account Standing
In rare cases, your TikTok account may have been temporarily suspended or banned, preventing videos from showing up. This usually only occurs if you violated TikTok’s community guidelines with video content or account behavior.
Go to your profile, tap the three-line menu and choose “Settings and privacy”.
Scroll down and check if there are any alerts about your account being banned or suspended. If so, you’ll need to appeal the violation or wait out the temporary suspension.
Video Too Long
TikTok has a maximum video length of 10 minutes. If your video exceeds that, it will fail to process and show up on your profile. Trim your video to 10 minutes or less and try uploading again.
Low Engagement
If you have an extremely new account or low engagement in general, TikTok may throttle your video’s reach to just your existing followers at first. As your account grows, your videos will start hitting the For You Page and being shown to a wider audience.
Post consistently, engage genuinely with others, and make shareable content to start building your TikTok presence.
Content Violates Guidelines
TikTok will prevent videos from publishing if they detect content that violates their community guidelines. This includes nudity, illegal activities, dangerous stunts, copyrighted material, and more prohibited content.
Carefully review the video to ensure you didn’t accidentally film anything banned by TikTok. You can appeal video takedowns if you believe they were removed unfairly.
Server Outages
During periods of widespread TikTok server issues and outages, newly posted videos may fail to appear. Check sites like Downdetector to see if others are experiencing TikTok problems around the same time your video failed to show up.
Retry uploading after a few hours once TikTok resolves any temporary technical problems on their end.
Restricted Hashtags
Using banned or restricted hashtags can also block your video from reaching an audience. TikTok moderates hashtags that are used for inappropriate or dangerous content.
Avoid hashtag stuffing with random or unrelated hashtags just to try and increase reach. Only use relevant hashtags that directly apply to your niche and video topic.
Shadowbanned Hashtags
In rare cases, you may have used an innocuous hashtag that TikTok has “shadowbanned” due to misuse by other accounts. Your video won’t show up when filtering for these types of blacklisted hashtags.
Research the main 1-2 hashtags you used on the video and see if others are reporting issues with that hashtag not working. If it seems to be shadowbanned, avoid using it.
Try Switching Accounts
As a test, try posting the same video from a different TikTok account you own. If the video shows up fine on the other account, the issue is isolated to your main profile.
You may need to submit an appeal or wait out a temporary ban on your main account before videos will publish again there.
Fresh Video Upload
Rather than duplicating the same video file, consider recording a brand new video to upload. This essentially resets any potential issues with the original video file itself that may be preventing TikTok from processing it.
Film the new video on a different device if possible and avoid using the same music track. See if uploading an entirely new video bypasses the problem.
Outdated App Version
Using an outdated version of the TikTok app can introduce bugs that affect video uploads and publishing. Make sure you have updated to the latest version of the TikTok app from your device’s app store.
Deleting and reinstalling the app can also clear out any corrupted cached data that may be interfering with video uploads.
Free Up Phone Storage
If you’re getting errors about uploading failures due to file size, your phone may be running too low on storage space. Offload large files and apps you don’t need to make more room for TikTok to save and process video uploads.
Alternatively, use the TikTok web interface on your computer if possible to avoid phone storage limitations altogether.
Disable Video Effects
Certain filters, effects, and edits applied to your video may fail to process properly. As a test, upload a raw video without any effects, stickers, or edits applied. If it goes through, then narrow down which overlay may be causing issues.
Stick to basic edits and effects until any bugs are resolved – complex layers and elements can sometimes confound the upload algorithm.
Clear TikTok Cache/Data
Over time, corrupted cached data on your device could build up and affect TikTok’s ability to post videos.
In your phone settings, find the TikTok app and choose to clear its cache and data.
Give the app full permissions again after resetting it. This wipes the slate clean, which may resolve any lingering issues interfering with video uploads.
Double Check Audio Settings
TikTok videos get muted if you use copyrighted music without permission or attribution. If you licensed a song, make sure you input the track information properly during upload so TikTok’s copyright detection system doesn’t mistakenly flag and mute it.
Also confirm the audio recorded properly – if your video is just silent after uploading, the sound may have failed to record or process.
Avoid Peak Usage Times
TikTok servers get slammed during popular hours for the app, like after school and work hours on weekdays. Videos may struggle to upload and process during peak congestion times.
Aim to post during off-peak hours like early mornings and late nights to give your videos the best chance of publishing without issues.
What’s Trending Effects
If your video relies on a popular TikTok effect, that effect may get overloaded and fail during peak usage periods. Trending effects often see temporary glitches at the height of popularity.
Try using different effects and consider avoiding ones that are blowing up worldwide for the time being – at least until bugs settle down once usage dies back down.
While “posted but not showing up” errors are super frustrating, don’t get discouraged. Keep experimenting with solutions until your video gets seen. Some uploads require trying different tweaks and waiting patiently.
Every TikToker encounters these headaches eventually – just stick with it and you’ll get your videos back on track sooner than later. Consistency and persistence pay off in the long run!
So there you have it – a comprehensive guide to troubleshooting TikTok videos that are posted but not showing up for whatever reason. With the right fixes and workarounds, you can get your TikTok profile back up and running smoothly again.
The key is being methodical – don’t make multiple changes at once or you won’t know what resolved the issue. Try each fix one by one until your videos once again populate your profile as intended.
Troubleshooting Recap
Here’s a quick recap of the key troubleshooting steps covered in this guide:
- Check internet connection
- Restart the TikTok app
- Confirm account and video privacy settings
- Delete and reupload the video file
- Contact TikTok support if issues persist
- Allow plenty of time for video processing
- Review posting guidelines and account standing
- Test video on alternate accounts
- Try recording a brand new video
- Update the TikTok app
- Clear cached data and free up device storage
- Tweak video effects and audio
- Post during off-peak usage times
- Avoid overloaded trending effects
Don’t get discouraged – with a systematic approach, you can overcome most TikTok video issues. Just be patient and persistent until your awesome content is up and visible to all.
Good luck resolving those glitchy uploads – now get back out there and start making some killer videos!
