Why Won’t My Tiktok Let Me Follow People

Man holding phone with tiktok

TikTok is a famous social media platform that has become home to many influencers, creators, and comedians.

Following users on TikTok is an important part of the TikTok experience.

If you are unable to follow people that you like, it can be frustrating.

Let’s track down the facts and learn what may be preventing you from following people on TikTok.

TikTok Won’t Let Me Follow Anyone (9 Causes, Fixes)

tiktok app on phone

There are two main reasons you may not be able to follow anyone on TikTok.

TikTok may prevent you or temporarily block you from following anyone if you have reached the maximum following limit, or you may have been shadow banned.

Apart from these main two reasons, there are many other reasons that could also be preventing you from following someone.

1. Reached The Daily Following Limit

woman using tiktok on phone

Most users are prevented from following on TikTok when they have crossed the maximum following limit for that particular hour or day.

According to research, TikTok allows new users to follow up to 140 accounts per day and 30 accounts per hour.

So, if you follow more than 140 accounts daily, your account gets temporarily restricted from following more.

And unfortunately, there is no solution or fix to this.

You will simply have to wait for the next hour or day.

A general rule of thumb is to slow down your daily follows so that the TikTok algorithm starts to mark you as a regular user, not a newbie! Moreover, be selective in who you follow to decrease the number of people you are following daily.

2. TikTok Suspects That You Are A Bot

confused man looking at smartphone

Another possible reason to restrict you from following accounts is that the TikTok algorithm has possibly categorized you as a bot.

Sometimes, TikTok cannot differentiate whether a robot or a human is using the account.

It happens when your connection is public.

The problem in connecting to public networks is that many users use the same IP address.

This makes the TikTok algorithm suspect and mark you as a bot.

So, if you have connected to a public network, the TikTok Al will recognize you as a spammer, restricting you from following any more accounts or performing normal account activities.

As soon as the doubt gets cleared, your account will regain the ability to follow.

An easy way to get the algorithm to stop seeing you as a bot is to change your account’s password or connect to a private connection.

3. Your Account Has Been Shadowbanned

man wearing hat looking at phone

There is also a possibility that you have been shadowbanned due to a policy issue.

When you are shadowbanned, your account gets less exposure and may have restrictions.

You get shadowbanned due to suspicious activities, such as breaking the community guidelines of TikTok.

For example, using hate speech repeatedly, promoting illegal products, or uploading violent content could all get you shadowbanned.

In these cases, there is a high chance you will be recognized by the TikTok team as a person who does not adhere to community guidelines, ultimately leading to a shadowban.

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Similarly, if you follow and unfollow the same account 4 to 5 times, you will be shadow blocked due to the wrong usage of TikTok features, just like on Instagram.

4. Processing Error

tiktok app logo on phone

If you are sure that you haven’t reached the maximum following limit and haven’t broken any of the rules and community guidelines of TikTok, try clearing the cache.

If your cache has been corrupted or heavy files have been there for a long time, the application becomes bulky and slow and can’t process your instructions correctly.

As a result, you won’t be able to follow anyone or use other TikTok features.

So, check your phone’s settings to see if the TikTok application’s cache needs to be cleared.

5. TikTok Server Is Down

Young interracial engineers with laptop

Servers go down due to routine maintenance or other issues.

If your TikTok is not functioning properly and not allowing you to follow anyone, check the server status of TikTok.

It might be that the TikTok app is down.

In that case, there is nothing you can do.

Wait for the platform to function properly again, and your problem will be solved.

6. Private Account

thinking woman while using phone

If you try to follow a private account, and you receive a message that says “You can’t follow this account due to privacy settings of the user”, it means the account you are trying to follow is private.

With private accounts, you have to wait for the account holder to accept your request.

There is nothing you can do except wait for the person to accept your request.

Similarly, if any user has blocked you from their TikTok account, you won’t be able to follow that account.

When someone blocks you, TikTok doesn’t inform you, so you can’t know if you are unable to follow someone due to a block or any other technical glitch.

In these two situations, where you are following a private user or you are blocked, you can’t do anything.

Even TikTok can’t help you out.

7. A Glitch Or A Bug Issue

holding phone while using tiktok

Sometimes soon after the app updates, it may glitch.

As a result, it fails to function properly, restricting you from following anyone, liking, and adding a comment on someone’s video.

Since a glitch is any unknown problem in software, an easy solution is to uninstall the app and reinstall it.

You can also try checking to see if there are any pending updates.

Glitches may be due to using an older version of the app.

If updating or reinstalling doesn’t help, try using the web version of TikTok.

This will help you troubleshoot if the problem is in the app or the server.

If it works on the web, then the problem is the app.

8. You Are Following Too Fast

confused woman on phone

One of the reasons that TikTok temporarily restricts you from following accounts and can even ban your account forever is that you have followed too many people too fast.

If you have followed too many people within 10 to 15 minutes, TikTok shows up an error message saying:

“The following feature has been disabled.”

Usually, this error gets solved in no time, hence, the block lasts only a few minutes.

Be careful about following any more people after this.

If you continue to follow users after receiving the error message, it will cause the TikTok algorithm to suspect you are spam or an automated account.

It will block your account for a comparatively extended time.

To avoid this situation, make sure to follow limited accounts per day.

9. The App Is Out of Date

tiktok app on apple store

Last but not least, your app may be out of date.

As a result, it will start to slow down and eventually crash.

In this case, you need to update the app.

Go to your mobile app store, search TikTok in the search bar, and press update.

As soon as the app is updated, the problem will be solved too.

TikTok Won’t Let Me Follow Anyone (10 Fixes)

Confused muslim couple with smartphones looking at camera with frustration

When TikTok doesn’t let you follow anyone, it may be due to various reasons as discussed above.

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Now, let’s look at some ways to fix this.

There are different fixes you can try even when you aren’t sure what the cause is, like using the website version, updating the application, clearing the cache, etc.

Let’s explore further.

1. Wait For Some Time

The first fix is just to wait for a while.

Wait for a few hours or a day, and see if the problem goes away.

If the restriction is just because you have crossed the daily follow limit, it will be solved within a few hours or at maximum a day or two.

This fix works most of the time.

But if this doesn’t work, there are many more fixes to try!

2. Update Your TikTok Application

Another fix that works is to simply update your TikTok application.

Most of the time, TikTok uses updates to fix bugs and errors.

There are chances that many other people are also facing the following restriction problem.

As a result, TikTok may have given the fix in an update.

Try it, and see if you can follow people or not.

3. Clean The Cache And Storage

Cache stores all the previous data in your TikTok directory to make things load quicker.

Moreover, when you repeat a certain action, the cache helps make it smoother and faster.

But problems arise when the cache becomes too bulky and starts to interfere with the normal functioning of TikTok.

You can resolve this problem by clearing the cache.

Here are the simple steps to clear your cache if you are an android user:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Click Apps and Notification. Select the TikTok app.
  3. Select Storage and Cache.
  4. Tap Clear Cache option.

If you are an iPhone or iOS mobile user, here are the steps to clear your cache:

  1. Go to the Settings, and select General.
  2. Open iPhone Storage, and select the TikTok app.
  3. Select the Offload app option, and the cache will be cleared.
  4. Reinstall the TikTok Application

Sometimes upgrading the app to the latest version doesn’t work properly as some files from the older version may still be there, which prevents TikTok from functioning properly.

Therefore, one fix for TikTok not functioning properly is to delete and reinstall the app.

Simply press the app, select the uninstall option, and download it from either Google or the App Store.

4. Check The Server Status

If the TikTok application is down, none of the above solutions and fixes will help you.

In that case, you have to wait for the app to be functional again.

Only then will you be able to use it properly.

Servers go down occasionally due to maintenance or other security-related issues.

You can use various websites to confirm if the app is down.

However, one of the most trusted websites is DownDetector.

It is virus-free, and no other security threads are present.

5. Use The TikTok Website

Most users aren’t aware of the fact that the app version and the website or desktop version of TikTok have different codes and therefore are different.

You can simply log in to the desktop version of TikTok, i.e., Tiktok.com, and enjoy using all the features until the app issue is resolved.

6. Log In Again

If bugs are the prime reason behind restricting you from following anyone on TikTok or using its other features, an easy way to fix it is to log out of your account, wait for a few minutes, and try logging in again.

It could resolve your problem.

If the problem persists, try logging in using a different device.

7. Check Your Internet Connection

Another cause of issues is a weak internet connection.

With weak internet, TikTok can’t process your request correctly, restricting you from following anyone.

If the other fixes aren’t working, check your Internet connection to see if it is strong.

If not, turn it off, and wait for 2 to 3 minutes before turning it back on. Or, if you are on Wi-Fi, switch to mobile data and vice versa.

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If the problem persists, call your provider to check if the internet is down in your area or if your Wi-Fi device has an issue.

8. Restore Network Settings

If you think the problem is at your end and not with TikTok, another fix you can try is restoring the network settings.

Resetting the network will clear all the optimized settings previously set to that network.

To restore network settings:

  1. Go to the Settings.
  2. Search for General Management or System on android and General on iOS mobiles. Options like reset, restore, and factory reset will appear.
  3. Select Reset Network Settings, and confirm. As soon as you press yes, it will reboot your mobile.

Rebooting or resetting the network settings should resolve the issue, and you will be able to use the TikTok app again.

This reboot will likely solve the problem of not being able to follow anyone.

9. Email TikTok Support

If you have tried all of the mentioned fixes, waited for 24 hours, and the restriction remains, it is time to contact the TikTok support team.

The app developers have a fully competitive team of workers at the backend to help their users.

Contact them, and they should be able to resolve your problem in a timely manner.

For personal account support, contact one of the following emails:

  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]

For a business account, contact this email:

  • [email protected]

10. Practice Safe Measures On The App

Since precaution is better than treatment, keeping some pointers in mind for next time will prevent you from facing the same issue.

Here are some tips and safety measures to practice in the future when using the app.

  1. Only follow the accounts you like.
  2. Thoroughly check the profile before following.
  3. Keep the following process slow.
  4. If you are a new user, it is best not to follow more than 20 accounts per hour.
  5. Don’t follow and unfollow the same account again and again.
  6. Stick by the rules of the community guidelines.

How Long Do You Remain Restricted From Following People On TikTok?

tiktok app with logo

There is no specific time for which TikTok blocks or restricts users from accessing the following option.

It depends on the cause that led to the restriction.

A general review claims that TikTok users can get blocked from following anyone for nearly 24 hours to even three days.

However, if the TikTok algorithm interprets you as a bot or spam account, the restriction can last longer.

So, keep your TikTok activity minimal, and don’t follow anyone for some time or else there are chances of your account getting blocked.

A general rule of thumb is that:

  • The newer the account, the longer the restriction time.
  • The older the account, the shorter the restriction time.

This is all because of the TikTok algorithm.

It knows that the older account is at least a real account and not a bot.

However, the same can’t be said for a relatively new account.

TikTok does this to ensure that there is less spammy activity on the platform.

Many new accounts are used solely for spamming people with content related to products they are selling or simply to trick people with fraudulent schemes.

Does TikTok Specify Any Follow Limit?

holding phone with tiktok logo

There is no specific follow limit that TikTok has mentioned in their community guidelines.

However, according to research, per day following limit is 140, and the per hour limit is 30.

Still, some people claim that they follow more than 140 people in one day, and some claim that they get restricted after crossing the limit of 120.

So, maybe the following limit depends on how old and legit your account is.

If you want to risk it and find the exact following limit for your account, you can test it yourself.

Keep following 20 to 25 accounts every hour and keep a count of them until you get restricted.

Calculate the total number of accounts you followed, and you will know the maximum following limit of your TikTok account.

However, we do not recommend doing this.

If you are unsure of the following limit, contact TikTok.

This would be easier, and it would prevent your account from getting banned or restricted.

Conclusion

TikTok is a popular social media platform that allows people to watch content related to their interests.

Following people on TikTok is essential to not just users but also influencers.

If TikTok prevents you from following any accounts, it can be frustrating and discouraging.

Sometimes due to bugs or some problem at the backend like a glitch or shadowban, the following feature of TikTok gets disabled.

Other times, an outdated app can cause this issue.

If your problem is not resolved after trying the various fixes in this article, contact the TikTok support team and they will be able to find the root cause.

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