If you think your TikTok account has been hacked, first, ask yourself these two questions:
1) Am I 100% sure I have not forgotten my password?
2) What makes me think I have been hacked?
Some typical signs include:
Blocked access— You may be suddenly logged out of your account and can no longer access it as your email, phone number and/or password are different.
Security email from TikTok— You have received an email that someone logged into your account or is trying to verify your email. The email should come from an address ending in "[email protected]" or "[email protected]."
Unusual login activity— You are constantly having to log back into the app, though you never logged out of your device.
High data usage— Like longer screen time, a higher-than-usual data usage on the app can signal an account breach.
Suspicious behavior— Your account username or nickname may have been changed. Videos could have been deleted or posted without your permission. Messages that you don't recognize were sent to or from your account.
The best way to review all of your profile information is to download your account data. It will allow you to examine every update or change made to your account, ranging from logins and logouts to search history. You can find your data in your TikTok settings. Tap Profile>Three line icon in upper right>Settings and Privacy>Privacy>Download your Data>Request Data.
If you think you have been hacked but can still access your TikTok, immediately:
Change your account password. Make it strong and unique, and do not share it with anyone. To change your TikTok password:
Tap Profile in the bottom right.
Tap the 3-line icon in the top right.
Tap Settings and Privacy.
Tap Manage account.
Select Password.
Change your password.
Sign out of all devices. Though this will sign you out of your TikTok account on recognized devices, it will also kick out the suspicious ones. To sign out of suspicious devices:
Tap Profile in the bottom right.
Tap the 3-line icon in the top right.
Tap Settings and Privacy.
Tap Security.
Select Your devices.
Remove unwanted or suspicious devices.
Verify your email and phone number. Make sure that the email and phone number associated with your account are accurate. This helps verify that your account belongs to you in case you ever lose access to it in the future. To link your phone number:
Tap Profile in the bottom right.
Tap the 3-line icon in the top right.
Tap Settings and Privacy
.Tap Manage account.
Select Phone number.
Link your phone number.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). You can do this directly from your account settings. Tap Profile>Three line icon in upper right>Settings and Privacy>Security and Login>2-Step Verification>Turn on. You'll be able to finish setting it up from there, using either email or SMS verification codes.
💡 Tip: If you already have 2FA activated but you selected SMS verification codes as your backup method, you could switch to a third-party authenticator app instead as the hacker may be able to intercept the code sent to your phone. However, if you use the authenticator app method and lose your phone, you will need to have access to your recovery codes or else you will be unable to enter your account. There are pros and cons to each method.
Secure your email account. Change your email password so that it is strong and also different from your TikTok one.
If you have been hacked and can no longer access your TikTok:
Secure your email account. If you lost access because the hacker has changed the password, you must contact your email provider in order to initiate an identification process to recover your account. This step is crucial to re-accessing your TikTok.
Initiate the TikTok account recovery process. Launch the TikTok app and begin the "Forgot Password flow. Tap Sign Up>Log In>Use phone/email/username>Forgot password?>Select the preferred password reset method – phone or email. You should receive a password reset request to your chosen method momentarily.
Things to keep in mind with TikTok:
You need access to either the email address or phone number linked to your account, otherwise you will not be able to immediately reset your TikTok password.
You can submit a support request if you're unable to recover your account through the traditional flow. TikTok can be contacted through its feedback form online.
Do not submit more than one support request, as that will only delay your account recovery. You can try sending a tweet or DM to @TikToksupport on Twitter if you believe your account recovery request has been lost.