Can’t send TikToks to friends? It could be due to the video, the contact, your messaging settings or the app. First, send another video to the same friend. Then try sending the original video to another friend. This gives you an initial clue about where things are going wrong, without immediately changing all sorts of settings.
Follow the steps below that match what you see on your screen.
Test where sharing TikToks goes wrong
First, look at exactly what happens. Is your friend missing from the list? Do you get an error message as soon as you send the video? Or does your friend receive the message but cannot watch the video? Each problem requires a different check.
Try the tests below. For the second test, choose another friend you would normally send something to as well.
| Test | What can you check next? |
|---|---|
| Send another video to the same friend. | Does that work? Then check the original video first. |
| Send the original video to another friend. | Does that work? Then check the contact and your messaging settings. |
| Send a short text message in your existing conversation, if possible. | Does that not work either? Then the problem does not appear to be limited to sharing videos. |
The results provide clues but do not prove the cause. Therefore, change one thing at a time and test again afterwards.
A fictional example: you send your sister a cooking video and a cat video. Only the cat video arrives. Check whether you can still open the cooking video yourself. Also ask what your sister sees: is the message missing, or can she simply not play the video? In the latter case, sending may actually be working.
Why is a friend missing from Share on TikTok?
Is one friend missing from the Share list? That does not necessarily mean they have blocked you. First, check the account and your conversation.
- Find the correct profile. Compare the username. If in doubt, ask which name your friend is currently using.
- Open your existing conversation. Can you still find it? Try sending a short text message there, if that option is visible.
- Ask what your friend sees. Can they find your profile and send you a message?
- Look at other contacts. Is only this friend missing, or can you not choose anyone?
Can’t you find the profile at all? Then check together that you are looking for the correct account. Repeatedly sending the same video will not help you work this out.
Check who can send you TikTok messages
On TikTok, you can choose who is allowed to send you direct messages. This is explained in the official explanation of direct messages . A direct message is a private message, also called a DM.
In your settings, look for privacy and messages. Check which option is active there. Ask your friend to do the same, so you can check the settings on both accounts.
Also check that you have not accidentally blocked each other. You do not need to allow messages from everyone to investigate this.
Is the direct messages option missing, or does your friend see different choices? The options may vary by account, age and app version. Note what is missing for you. You can pass this on later when asking for help.
Can’t you send a regular text message either? Read why you can’t send a DM on TikTok . This explains messaging in general. The tests here are mainly intended for sharing videos.
Test the TikTok app and your connection
Can’t you share multiple videos with multiple friends? Then check the app and your connection. Complete these steps in order:
- Fully close TikTok and reopen the app. Then try sending one video.
- Check your internet connection. For example, open a web page. Does that not load properly either? Then try another trusted network. If you use mobile data, this may use data from your allowance.
- Check whether an update is available. Open the app store on your phone and check whether you can update TikTok.
- Restart your phone. Then try sending the same video to the same friend.
These steps help you check whether there is a temporary problem. They do not change who is allowed to send messages according to the messaging settings.
Do not delete TikTok straight away. First check that you can still log in and save any work stored only on your phone. Reinstalling is no guarantee that sharing will work afterwards.
Get help if you can’t send TikToks
Is sharing still not working? TikTok offers an account status check for problems with account features. View the information about your account status before reporting the problem.
Then use the available help option in TikTok. Provide as much detail as possible about what is going wrong:
- Does it concern one video or multiple videos?
- Is one friend missing, or can you not send anything to anyone?
- Do regular text messages arrive?
- What exact error message do you see, and when did you see it?
- Which tests have you already carried out?
- Which phone and app version are you using, if you can find those details?
If necessary, attach a screenshot of the error message. Make names and private conversations unreadable if they are not needed for your question. Also include the results of your tests, so it is clear what does and does not work. Once your account is working as intended, you can explore our TikTok services to compare packages for followers and likes for your public profile or content.
