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Why Is My TikTok Video Not Showing Up for Others?

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Have you ever felt the excitement of creating an amazing TikTok video, posting it, and eagerly waiting for your followers to start viewing, liking, and commenting? But when you check your profile, that brilliant video you spent time crafting is nowhere to be found.

I‘ve totally been there before. And I know exactly how frustrating it can feel.

You start wondering: Why is my TikTok video not showing up? Did I do something wrong? Is my account glitched? Will it ever go live?

Don‘t worry my friend, this is a common issue on TikTok that I‘ve helped many users fix. In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, I‘ll walk you through the top reasons a posted TikTok video may not show up, along with the best solutions to get your content seen again.

By the end, you‘ll have all the insider tips and tools needed to resolve TikTok upload problems for good. Let‘s dive in!

Why Your Uploaded TikTok Video Is Not Visible

Before jumping into specific solutions, it helps to first understand what exactly could be preventing your TikTok video from going live for others to see.

Here are the most common culprits:

Your Account Is Set to Private

If your TikTok account is configured as private in the settings, your videos will only be visible to users who follow you.

It‘s an easy mistake – you think since you can see the video, everyone else can too. But that‘s not the case if your profile is private.

TikTok Is Still Processing Your Video

Unlike photos which are near instant, it takes longer for TikTok‘s servers to encode, compress, and optimize videos for delivery through the app.

So after you upload, it‘s normal for a newly posted TikTok video to take around 10-15 minutes to fully process and publish to your profile.

Your Video Is Under Review by TikTok

TikTok has automated systems constantly scanning new video uploads for any content that may violate their rules.

If identified, your video will be put "under review" and hidden from your profile temporarily. A human reviewer will then check if it breaks guidelines before removing it or reinstating it.

There Was an Error Uploading Your Video

With any app, errors can happen during the upload process that corrupts or interrupts the video file. This prevents it from properly processing and publishing.

Your Connection Was Disrupted Mid-Upload

A shaky internet connection like weak WiFi, switching to airplane mode, or losing cellular service while uploading can lead to failed uploads.

Your App Needs an Update

An outdated version of the TikTok app with bugs or glitches can cause videos to get stuck and not show up correctly after posting.

Your Account Is Shadowbanned

In rare cases, accounts deemed as spammy or using engagement tactics that violate TikTok‘s terms of service can get shadowbanned, preventing content from being seen.

Now that you know what might be blocking your video, let‘s go over some step-by-step solutions to get it back up and running!

Make Sure Your TikTok Account Is Public

Let‘s start with the easiest potential fix. Double check that your TikTok account settings are actually public:

  1. Open your TikTok profile page
  2. Tap the 3-line menu icon in the top right corner
  3. Select "Settings and privacy"
  4. Tap on "Privacy"
  5. Check that the switch for "Private account" is turned off

If it was on, toggle it off to make your account public. Then your existing and newly posted videos will be visible to all TikTok users.

You can always switch it back to private at any time. But when public, you‘ll get the maximum visibility and reach for your amazing content!

Allow Time for TikTok to Process Your Video

Uploading a video is very different than posting a photo. It takes time for TikTok‘s systems to process that raw video file and get it live on your profile.

I‘ve tested this myself multiple times, and found that a newly uploaded TikTok video takes around 10-15 minutes to fully process and appear on my profile.

TikTok needs time to:

  • Receive and validate the upload request
  • Compress and encode the video file
  • Optimize it for delivery through the app
  • Generate thumbnails and preview images
  • Propagate it to their content delivery network
  • Update your profile and followers‘ feeds

Once you hit post, avoid continuously re-uploading the video during this phase. That will just put it further and further back in the queue.

Instead, my advice is to patiently wait 15 minutes after the initial upload, then check your profile again. I can almost guarantee your video will now be live for the TikTok world to enjoy!

Review If Your Video Is Under Review

TikTok wants a safe community, so they are constantly scanning video uploads for any rule violations using automated systems.

If their algorithms detect content that may break their guidelines, your video will be placed under review. This means it‘s temporarily hidden while a human moderator takes a closer look.

You‘ll receive an in-app notification if this happens. The review process normally takes 24-48 hours. All you can do is wait it out – avoid re-posting the video during this time.

Here are the most common reasons a video may trigger a review:

  • Sensitive content like violence, adult material etc.
  • Controversial subjects users often report
  • Potential copyright infringements
  • Scams, spam, or misleading information
  • Illegal activities like certain drug use

If your video does get removed, you can submit an appeal explaining why you believe it was a mistake. But in most cases, it‘s better to review the rules more closely and adjust your content approach accordingly.

Re-Upload the Problematic Video File

Sometimes there are hiccups when initially transferring the video file to TikTok‘s servers.

Issues like slow internet, app crashes, switching networks mid-upload etc can interrupt the process and corrupt the video file.

When this happens, TikTok is unable to properly process that damaged file leading to upload errors.

The good news is you can easily re-upload a fresh copy of the video to resolve.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open TikTok and start the upload process as usual
  2. Select the same video from your camera roll/gallery that had issues
  3. Tap "Next" and re-post the video again

Chances are high that uploading a clean second copy will work. However, if problems persist consider recording a brand new replacement video as a workaround.

Update to the Latest Version of TikTok

Having an outdated version of TikTok with glitches and bugs can definitely interfere with your uploads showing properly.

TikTok is constantly optimizing the app experience and fixing issues with new releases. So staying updated is really important.

Checking for and installing updates is easy:

On iOS devices:

  • Open the App Store
  • Pull down to refresh your installed apps list
  • If TikTok has a pending update, tap it
  • Tap "Update" to install the latest iOS version

On Android devices:

  • Open the Google Play Store
  • Tap your profile icon
  • Select "Manage apps & devices"
  • Under "Updates available" check if TikTok is listed
  • If so, tap "Update" to get the latest Android version

With an updated TikTok app, try uploading your video again. Also make sure your device‘s operating system is fully updated as well.

Verify Your Internet Connection

Upload issues can occur if there are network interruptions as the video file is transferring to TikTok‘s servers.

Instabilities like weak cellular signal, switching to airplane mode, WiFi disconnections, or using restricted public internet during the upload process can all prevent your video from posting properly.

Before your next upload attempt, make sure you have a strong, steady internet connection on both your mobile device and home network.

Here are some tips:

  • Connect your phone to a stable WiFi network or switch to cellular data
  • Disable battery saver/power saving modes that limit connectivity
  • Close down background apps that use bandwidth
  • Try toggling airplane mode on and off to refresh the connection
  • If on WiFi, restart your router and modem
  • Test your bandwidth speed to identify issues

A clean connection will ensure glitch-free uploads and happy viewing for your audience.

Contact TikTok Support If Needed

I hope by this point your video is back up and running smoothly. But if you still have no luck, it‘s time to bring in reinforcements.

Reach out to TikTok‘s customer support team for additional troubleshooting help:

  1. In the TikTok app, tap your profile to open the sidebar menu
  2. Scroll down and select "Report a problem"
  3. Tap "Something went wrong with my account"
  4. Choose the issue category that best fits your situation
  5. Fill in the details of exactly what is happening
  6. Submit your support ticket to TikTok

Provide as many specifics as possible – when you posted, what content it was, what you‘ve tried already, any error messages etc.

The more info you give TikTok support to work with, the quicker they can provide a fix or root cause analysis.

Avoid Future TikTok Upload Headaches

We‘ve covered a ton of troubleshooting tips today. Let‘s wrap up with some preventative advice to avoid upload issues in the first place:

  • Double check your video is public – Confirm the viewer settings immediately after posting before doing anything else.

  • Let new videos process completely – Give uploads 10-15 minutes to fully process before taking any action.

  • Review content rules carefully – Read guidelines closely so your videos don‘t get flagged for review.

  • Use reliable internet connections – Avoid spotty WiFi or mobile data when uploading new content.

  • Keep the TikTok app fully updated – Install the latest versions as soon as new updates are available.

  • Maintain your mobile device‘s storage – Clear out old videos and files to prevent storage errors.

  • Test uploads first – Try a quick test video upload to check if processing is working normally for you.

Following these best practices will help ensure your future TikTok uploads always process smoothly for the world to see!

FAQs About TikTok Videos Not Appearing

Here are some quick answers to common questions around resolving TikTok videos not showing up:

Why does my TikTok video have 0 views?

If just posted, give it time to register views. If it’s been a while, check if your account is private or video is under review limiting visibility.

How can I delete a TikTok draft?

In your profile, tap the draft thumbnail and look for the trash can icon to delete it. Drafts also auto-delete after 30 days.

Why did TikTok remove my video?

It likely violated their community guidelines in some way. You can appeal the decision if you believe it was a mistake.

How do I make my video public on TikTok?

In your TikTok settings, toggle your account from private to public so all can view your videos.

Can I repost the same TikTok video?

You shouldn‘t continually re-post identical content, but you can delete and re-upload a corrected version if needed.

Troubleshooting upload issues on TikTok can be annoying, but staying calm and methodically trying different solutions will help resolve them. The goal is to isolate the true underlying cause, whether it‘s your settings, the app itself, or the content.

With the tips outlined here, you‘ll be fully equipped recover lost videos and avoid future uploading headaches. Now get back out there and share your creative TikTok genius with the world!

AlexisKestler

Written by Alexis Kestler

A female web designer and programmer - Now is a 36-year IT professional with over 15 years of experience living in NorCal. I enjoy keeping my feet wet in the world of technology through reading, working, and researching topics that pique my interest.