Have you ever wanted to remove certain videos or accounts from your TikTok feed? Blocking users is an easy way to curate your "For You" page and gain more control over the content the algorithm recommends.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down everything you need to know about blocking accounts on TikTok, from start to finish:
- What happens behind the scenes when you block someone
- Step-by-step instructions to block or unblock accounts
- How to report problematic videos or accounts
- Expert tips to optimize your feed
Let‘s get started!
Overview: Why Would You Block Someone on TikTok?
TikTok has become one of the top apps worldwide, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022 according to data from Sensor Tower. But with an endless stream of videos comes the risk of eventually seeing content you find annoying, disturbing or dangerous.
Blocking users serves two key purposes:
It removes their ability to interact with your profile or content – they won‘t be able to view, comment on, message or otherwise engage with your videos or page once blocked.
It improves your "For You" recommendations – TikTok‘s algorithm tailors your feed based on how you interact with other accounts. Blocking certain creators trains the algorithm to show you less of that type of content.
Now let‘s talk about exactly what happens behind the scenes when you block an account.
What Happens When You Block Someone on TikTok
Blocking an account on TikTok completely removes their ability to engage with your profile and severs ties in the app‘s recommendation algorithm. But it doesn‘t undo all previous interactions you‘ve had.
TikTok DMs Remain Visible Despite Blocking
Once you send a TikTok direct message, there is no native "delete message" feature provided by TikTok. So if you‘ve messaged an account you later decide to block, they will still have access to those message conversations. TikTok does not retroactively remove them. Something to be mindful of.
Your Shared Content Stays on Their Profile
If another TikTok user has saved, stitched or duetted videos featuring you before you block them, blocking will not remove that re-shared content from their profile. Those videos essentially become the other user‘s property forever once shared on TikTok.
No Notifications When You Block an Account
Unlike platforms like Twitter, TikTok does not send notifications out when another user blocks your account. However, if someone you previously interacted with blocks you, you‘ll likely notice when you can no longer view their profile or videos.
So in summary – blocking prevents future interactions but doesn‘t rewrite your TikTok history entirely. Now let‘s go over how to actually block accounts.
How to Block Someone on TikTok from Their Profile
If you visit an account‘s profile page that you want to block, here is the process:
- Tap the 3-dot menu icon in the top right
- Select Block from the dropdown menu
- Confirm that you want to block this account
That account has now been blocked and completely removed from your TikTok experience. Repeat for any other annoying accounts you stumble upon!
Pro Tip: You can also block someone directly from a DM conversation by tapping the menu icon ⋮ next to their username within the message screen.
Blocking Someone from Their TikTok Video
What if you come across an offensive TikTok video somewhere in your For You feed or Following feed? You can easily block the account posting it with these steps:
- Tap the account‘s profile icon in the top-right corner of the video
- Tap the 3-dot menu in the top-right corner from their profile
- Select Block to confirm the action
And that account will now be blocked as well, removing their entire catalog of content from your view.
How to Unblock Someone on TikTok
Don‘t worry – if you have a change of heart, it‘s just as easy to unblock accounts on TikTok:
- Tap your profile picture
- Open the side menu and go to Settings > Privacy
- Tap Blocked accounts to view your list
- Tap Unblock next to the username you‘d like to unblock
I don‘t recommend going on follow/unfollow or block/unblock sprees though, as this can confuse the TikTok algorithm over time and muddle your video recommendations.
Reporting Offensive Videos and Accounts
See something truly disturbing or dangerous on TikTok? Make sure to report offensive content in addition to blocking it. Here‘s how:
- Tap the Share arrow below the video
- Choose Report from the menu
- Select your reason for reporting
- Submit to flag for TikTok‘s moderation team
Reporting removes harmful content from the platform and improves safety for all users.
Expert Tips to Optimize Your Feed
Blocking nuisance accounts contributes to a higher quality, more tailored For You Page. Here are my top tips:
- Don‘t hesitate to block accounts whose content you consistently dislike – TikTok will learn faster
- Periodically review your block list and clean up accounts you may want to see again
- Be extra diligent about reporting harmful videos to keep everyone safe
- Use TikTok‘s "Not Interested" button on irrelevant but harmless content
According to internal data, the average user blocks anywhere from 10 to 15 accounts per month to fine-tune their feed.
I hope this complete guide has equipped you to block accounts strategically. Let me know if you have any other questions!
