If TikTok seems to unfollow someone immediately, your follow action may not have been saved. The app may also still be showing an old status. An app error, poor connection or temporary restriction could be involved. Reopen TikTok and check whether the account appears in your list of followed accounts. A button that switches back does not by itself show what is going wrong.
Below, you can read how to check the difference and what you can try afterwards.
Check whether TikTok is really unfollowing automatically
You tap Follow, but a little later the same Follow button appears again. Do not immediately tap it again. First check whether the button and your list of followed accounts show the same thing.
- Write down the username of the account you want to follow.
- Close TikTok completely and reopen the app.
- Go to your own profile and open the list of accounts you follow. It is often called Following.
- Find the account in the list. Then open that account’s profile and check what the Follow button indicates.
Is the account in your list while the button lets you follow it again? Then the list and the button are showing different things. You therefore cannot rely on the button alone. If the account is also missing from your list, your follow action is not visible in either place.
The explanation from Freedom251 about disappearing follow actions mentions app errors, connection problems, temporary restrictions, following quickly and the status of the other profile as possible causes. This still does not tell you which cause applies to you.
Do you also want to know who can view your list? Read whether others can see who you follow on TikTok.
Does following on TikTok fail with one profile or with several?
First look at what you have already noticed. Does it happen with the same profile every time, or with other accounts too? If you have tried only one profile, test at most one other account that you genuinely want to follow. Do not do this if TikTok displays a warning.
| What do you see? | What do you do next? |
|---|---|
| Following one profile does not work, but following another does. | Check whether you can still open the first profile and whether a notification appears. |
| You see a notification about a follow request. | Read the notification. A request does not mean that you also follow the account. |
| Your follow action disappears for multiple profiles. | Consider whether you followed many accounts shortly beforehand. Then check the app and your connection. |
| The account is in your Following list. | Save a screenshot of the difference with the profile button and check again later. |
Does it fail with only one profile? That does not prove that you have been blocked. A Follow button that reappears does not give a clear answer. Do not create another account to test this or bypass a possible block.
Can you not follow any account? Read why you cannot follow anyone on TikTok. That article covers this broader problem in more detail.
Does following disappear after you follow many TikTok accounts?
Have you just followed many accounts in quick succession? Stop trying to follow new accounts for now. Tapping repeatedly does not make it clear whether your earlier attempt was saved.
Write down the warning exactly or take a screenshot of it. If TikTok gives you an indication, follow it. Without a clear notification, you do not know whether your account is temporarily restricted. Therefore, do not immediately call it a shadowban: a hidden restriction on your account.
There is no fixed waiting time that can be given for your situation. Try once more later, not every few minutes. Do you get the same warning? Stop trying and save the notification in case you ask for help.
Check the app and your internet connection if TikTok does not save your follow
Change only one thing at a time. That makes it easier to see which step makes a difference.
- Check your internet connection. For example, open a regular web page. If it also loads poorly, check your connection first.
- Try a different connection. Switch between your own WiFi and mobile data if you can use both. Keep your data allowance in mind.
- Check whether an update is available. Open your phone’s official app store and check whether a TikTok update is available.
- Restart your phone. Then open TikTok. First check your Following list before tapping Follow again.
You can also check whether you can clear temporary files. These are called the cache. Use only an option that clearly says it will clear the cache. If you do not see one, skip this step. Do not simply choose to delete all app data.
A hypothetical example: you follow a cooking account, but the button switches back. After reopening TikTok, the account is in your Following list. Do not immediately tap Follow again. First save a screenshot showing that the list and the button indicate different things.
What not to do if TikTok automatically unfollows
- Repeatedly following and unfollowing. This makes it harder to see which action has remained in place.
- Relying on a fixed follow limit found online. Such a number does not tell you why your follow action disappears.
- Using a tool that follows automatically. Also never give your password or login code to anyone who promises to solve this problem.
- Immediately deleting the app. First check whether there is work in the app that is stored only on your device and that you want to keep. Start with the checks above.
When should you report disappeared follow actions to TikTok?
Report the problem if it keeps happening after these checks, occurs with multiple profiles or you receive an unclear error message. You do not have to wait a fixed number of days to do so.
The TikTok help on reporting a problem refers you to your profile and then to Settings and privacy. There, look for the option to report a problem.
Include the following in your help request:
- The date and approximate time when it happened.
- Whether it happens with one profile or with multiple profiles.
- Whether the account is in your Following list after you reopen TikTok.
- The exact error message you see, if there is one.
- What you have already checked and which device you are using.
If possible, add a screenshot of the button switching back and any notification. Make private information unreadable.
Describe what you see. For example: “After I tap Follow, the Follow button appears again. When I reopen TikTok, the account is not in my Following list.” This gives more useful information than simply saying “TikTok automatically unfollows”.