If your TikTok video is under review, your video is being assessed. The notification alone does not yet tell you why or what the outcome will be. So do not delete your video straight away. Read the entire notification first and take a screenshot. Then check whether the review is still in progress or whether TikTok has already made a decision.
Below, you will learn how to recognise the difference and what you can do in your situation.
What does under review mean on TikTok?
Under review means that the assessment is still in progress. It is not the same as a decision to remove or restrict your video.
Suppose you post a video of an afternoon of skating and see few views. That number does not tell you whether your video is being reviewed. To find out, you need to check the notification about your video.
Few views are not proof of a shadowban either. People use that word to describe a suspicion that their reach is being limited without receiving a notification about it. That is different from a notification saying that your video is under review.
Why is your TikTok video being reviewed?
According to TikTok’s explanation of content checks a review can take place after uploading, when content becomes popular or after reports. Possible outcomes include removal or exclusion from the For You feed.
The For You feed is the overview of recommended videos. Not being recommended is therefore different from being removed.
Is there no reason given in your notification? Then you cannot establish why your particular video is being checked. So do not randomly change your hashtags, music or caption. Save the notification first, so you can later check what TikTok indicated.
How do you check the status of your TikTok video?
Open the video concerned and check the notification you received. Follow the explanation and options shown to you in the app.
- Read the entire notification. Does it say that the review is still in progress? Or can you already see a decision with a reason?
- Check which video is meant. Compare the image and time with your upload. This is especially useful if you have posted multiple videos.
- Save the details. Take a screenshot. Note when you posted the video and when you first saw the notification.
- See what you can do. Is there a next step in the notification? Follow that guidance rather than a step by step guide for a different problem.
| What do you see? | What can you do? |
|---|---|
| A notification that the review is still in progress | Save the notification and check again later. |
| A decision with a reason | Compare the reason with your video and check which next step is offered. |
| Few views without a notification | Do not treat this as proof that your video is under review. |
| An error when opening or uploading | Note the error message separately. An error does not automatically mean that the content is being reviewed. |
What should you do if your TikTok video remains under review?
You cannot assume a fixed waiting time for your video. The times in the Creator Tribune guide to TikTok reviews are largely based on creators’ experiences, not on an official timeframe. An answer within 24 or 48 hours is therefore not guaranteed.
Leave your original upload in place for now and save the video file on your phone. If you keep uploading again, it becomes harder to track which notification belongs to which version.
Choose a time to check again, for example later in the day. That is an arrangement with yourself, not a prediction of how long the review will take.
Is the status still unclear? Use an available help option in TikTok. Briefly describe what you see and attach the saved details. Do not share a password or login code.
You can adapt this example message: “My video has been under review since [date and time]. I still cannot see a decision or explanation. Could you check the status? I have attached a screenshot of the notification.”
When can you appeal a TikTok decision?
Appealing is appropriate for a decision you disagree with. If the review is still in progress, you do not yet know which decision you would be appealing.
Have you received a decision and can you see an option to appeal? Read the reason first. Then explain what you believe was misunderstood.
- Name the video concerned.
- Respond to the reason in the notification, not to your number of views.
- Briefly describe what happens in the video.
- Only add explanations that are accurate and help people understand the video.
A fictional example: the notification mentions a dangerous action, but your video shows a still set. Explain that difference. Simply saying that your video is “just fun” does not make it clear why you believe the decision is incorrect.
Can you not see an option to appeal? Save the decision and ask through an available help option what you can do. First record what you want to respond to. Until then, do not delete or edit your only copy.
What can you check before your next TikTok video?
You cannot guarantee that your next video will appear without being reviewed. However, you can check beforehand whether the visuals, sound and text are clear.
- Watch the entire video. Also pay attention to short clips at the beginning and end.
- Read the text on screen and your caption. Is what you mean clear without extra explanation?
- Listen to the sound. Does the spoken text match what you are showing?
- Refer to an earlier decision. Check the aspect mentioned in it before making a new version.
- Save your original file. This allows you to compare later what you changed.
A new version is particularly useful if you have found a specific problem. There is no evidence that you can avoid a review simply by adding a filter or changing a word.
Is it a different TikTok problem?
Is the notification about a permanent block of your entire account, rather than one video? Then read about appealing a permanently blocked TikTok account.
Can you not use a particular video length? See why you cannot make a 10 minute video on TikTok.
Can you not save a video? Read what you can do if saving a TikTok video does not work. A failed save is not, by itself, proof that the video is under review. If you also publish your own content, our TikTok services includes packages for views and followers. The product pages show the available quantities and prices.
