How to delete your TikTok account, or just deactivate it
To delete your TikTok account, open the TikTok app, tap Profile, then the Menu button, Settings and privacy, Account, and Deactivate or delete account, and follow the instructions to delete. TikTok then deactivates the account for 30 days and erases it permanently after that.
The same button also offers a softer option, deactivation, which only pauses the account. Below are the exact steps for both, what each one does, and the two things to sort out before you delete: your data and any subscriptions.
How to delete your TikTok account in the app
These are the steps from TikTok's delete your account page:
- In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
- Tap the Menu button (three lines) at the top.
- Tap Settings and privacy.
- Tap Account.
- Tap Deactivate or delete account.
- Choose to delete and follow the instructions on screen.
TikTok gives one set of app steps, with no separate iPhone or Android version. Uninstalling the app does not delete anything. Your account stays live until you finish this flow.
On a computer: TikTok's help center documents deletion only in the app. If you do not have the app installed, install it, log in, and use the steps above.
Delete or deactivate: which one you want
Both live behind the same Deactivate or delete account button, and they do very different things.
| Deactivate | Delete | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A temporary hold | Permanent removal |
| Your data | TikTok keeps it so you can come back | Erased after a 30-day deactivation |
| Your profile and videos | No one can see them | Gone after the 30 days |
| Coming back | Log in and tap Reactivate, any time | Not possible once erased |
| Your email and phone number | Stay on the account | Free to use on a new account after 30 days |
From TikTok's deactivate your account page, a deactivated account also has a few loose ends that stay visible to other people:
- Direct messages you sent to others may remain visible to them.
- Duets or Stitches associated with your videos may still be visible.
To deactivate instead of delete, follow the same path and tap Deactivate account at the last step. To come back later, log in with the same login credentials you used before and tap Reactivate.
What happens during the 30 days
TikTok's email and phone number page sums up the timeline: when you delete your account, it is deactivated for 30 days and then erased permanently. After those 30 days, the email address and phone number that were on it can be connected to a new account.
TikTok's help center does not describe a way to skip the 30 days, so "delete TikTok without waiting 30 days" is not something it offers. It also does not spell out a separate way to cancel a deletion. The reactivation steps it documents are for deactivated accounts: log in with your previous credentials and tap Reactivate. If you change your mind, try that as soon as possible within the 30 days. If you are sure, stay logged out.
For how TikTok handles your data after deletion, its help page points to the TikTok Privacy Policy.
Before you delete: download your data
Your videos, comments and settings go with the account. TikTok's requesting your data page explains how to get a copy first:
- In the TikTok app, tap Profile.
- Tap the Menu button, then Settings and privacy.
- Tap Account.
- Tap Download your data.
- Choose which information to include and select a file format.
- Tap Request data.
Two timings matter here. TikTok says the file may take a few days to prepare, and it notifies you in the app when it is ready. Once it is, go back to Download your data, open the Download data tab and tap Download. The file is only available for up to 4 days, so do not let the notification sit.
TikTok also notes that some data may not be included, such as data that affects the privacy of others, and that the last 24 to 48 hours of some categories may be missing. Request the file, wait for it, download it, and only then delete.
Cancel subscriptions first
Deleting the account and stopping a payment are not the same thing. If you pay for anything on TikTok through the App Store or Google Play, that billing runs through the store. TikTok's subscription refund page says refunds for app store subscriptions go through the App Store or Google Play Store, and subscriptions bought on the TikTok website go through TikTok's feedback form.
Before you delete, open the subscriptions list in your App Store or Google Play account and cancel anything from TikTok you no longer want.
If you cannot log in
Every route to deletion starts inside your account, so you need to log in first. TikTok's help center does not describe a way to delete an account without logging in.
Forgot your password. On the login screen, tap Use phone/email/username, select Email/Username, tap Forgot password?, and choose to reset with your phone number or email. That is from TikTok's forgot my password page.
Signed up with Apple, Google or another account. TikTok's reset password page says that if you joined TikTok using another social media account, you reset the password on that platform. Log in to TikTok the same way you signed up, then delete.
"Unrecognized device" error. This shows up when 2-step verification is on and you are resetting from a device you have not used with TikTok before. Try again from a device you have logged in on before. If you have none, tap Forgot password? on the login screen, then Recover account, and follow the steps to verify your identity. TikTok may ask for your registered email, phone number or previous passwords.
Lost access to the email on the account. Our guide to changing your email on TikTok covers what to do when the old inbox is gone.
An account you simply stop using is not deleted for you. TikTok's inactive account policy says an account unused for 180 days may have its username reset to a random number, and that inactive users are not removed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I permanently delete my TikTok account?
Go to Profile, Menu, Settings and privacy, Account, Deactivate or delete account, and choose delete. TikTok deactivates the account for 30 days, then erases it permanently.
Can I delete my TikTok account without waiting 30 days?
TikTok's help center does not offer a way to skip the 30-day deactivation. The account is erased once those 30 days have passed.
Can I delete my TikTok account on a computer?
TikTok's help pages document deletion only in the TikTok app. Use the app on a phone or tablet.
Can I delete a TikTok account without the password?
You need to be logged in. Reset the password first with Forgot password? on the login screen, or log in with Apple, Google or whichever account you signed up with.
Can I use the same email for a new TikTok account after deleting?
Yes, after the 30 days. TikTok says the email and phone number can be connected to a new account once the deleted account has been erased. If you want a fresh start without a phone number, see our guide to creating a TikTok account without a phone number.
Starting fresh with a separate address
If you are cleaning up your accounts, a separate address for sign-ups helps next time. Secria Mail sign-up is a name, the address you want and a password, no phone number and no card. The free plan includes 2 aliases, so each service can get its own, and if one leaks you can trace it and stop it by deleting the alias. Sign up here or read more about Secria Mail.
Moving other accounts to a new address too? Our checklist for changing your email address everywhere covers the ones people forget, and what happens when you delete your email account explains the email side.
Secria fact-checks every post against primary sources. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email hq@secria.me and we will correct it.