TikTok Not Letting Me Like Videos: What’s the Deal?

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: May 21, 2024

TikTok 101
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Engagement is part of the fun of watching TikToks. Do you like a video? You tap the heart or double-tap the video. You can express your appreciation further with a comment. But, “Why is TikTok not letting me like videos?” 

The why is often simple and easily fixable! Let’s discover the potential answers together. 

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Why Can’t I Like Anything on TikTok?

Why is my TikTok not letting me like videos? It’s most likely because of technical issues within the TikTok app. Another likely answer is that you’re liking too many videos too fast. Let’s go through the possible reasons one by one. 

Why Does TikTok Not Let Me Like Videos? A Glitch in the TikTok Matrix

If you’re unable to like videos on TikTok, it’s probably because of technical issues, which may be any of the following:

  • An outdated app or device OS: App glitches often occur after TikTok launches an update, and users don’t update their app right away. App updates are necessary to fix bugs, improve app efficiency, and introduce new features. If your mobile device is not set up to automatically download updates, you might experience compatibility issues that affect certain app functions. The same applies to your device’s OS. Make sure your app and device OS are up-to-date. 
  • Deleted or corrupted videos: If the creator just recently deleted the video you’re trying to like, your like won’t go through. You’ll receive an error message saying you can’t like the video. This may also occur when you try to like corrupted videos.
  • Full app cache: To make the app run faster and save data, TikTok temporarily stores files in your app cache. These files include images, videos, user profiles, the app’s layout, etc. If you use TikTok a lot, your app cache may get full quickly. A full cache may cause the exact opposite of what the feature is supposed to prevent. So, remember to clear it often.

Red sparklers form the shape of a heart.

Why Is TikTok Not Letting Me Like Videos? You’re Liking Too Fast

Why is TikTok not letting me like new videos? You may be double-tapping videos indiscriminately. If you receive a “Tapping too fast” error message, this means you’ve been liking content too quickly. TikTok flags this as spam-like activity and may deactivate your account for 24 hours. 

If you add fake likes to your videos and TikTok detects the fake numbers, the platform will remove these likes. If you’re a repeat offender or you frequently use a like botter, TikTok may impose longer penalties on your account. Make sure you’re familiar with the platform’s Community Guidelines to avoid committing violations. 

Are You Browsing as a Guest?

You don’t need to create a TikTok account or sign into yours to watch TikTok videos. TikTok offers the option to browse the platform as a guest. However, browsing as a guest has limitations, one of which is the inability to like posts. You also won’t be able to post comments, follow accounts, and send DMs. 

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Are You a Minor Between the Ages of 13 and 17?

If you’re between the ages of 13 and 17, TikTok sets your daily screen time limit to one hour. This means you won’t be able to use TikTok again until the next day. Your parent/s can modify your daily limit via the Family Pairing feature. 

TikTok’s daily screen time management feature allows you to set a daily limit for your TikTok use. You can set the same time limit every day or set a custom limit per day. You can also turn off this setting at any time. 

For example, you can set your daily screen time limit to one hour and 30 minutes. After one hour and 30 minutes of continuous or cumulative TikTok use, TikTok will notify you that you’ve reached your daily limit. You can then choose to close the app or enter a passcode to continue browsing. 

What Can You Do if You Can’t Like Videos?

When you like a video, TikTok adds it to your Liked folder so you can rewatch it any time. If you’re unable to like videos, there are other ways to “tag” it for replaying later. Try these alternatives:

  1. Tap the Share button: You can share the video via DM or other channels. This means you can email the video to yourself or send it to your Facebook inbox. 
  2. Copy the video URL: This is another way to share or save the video. 
  3. Download the video: Save the video to your device so you can access it at your convenience. 

A string of white paper hearts.

Where Can You Find Your Liked Videos?

Your Liked videos are in a folder on your page. It’s the tab with the heart icon. You can make your Liked videos folder private. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Go to your Profile and tap the three-line icon in the upper right. 
  2. Select Settings and privacy
  3. Tap Privacy
  4. Under Interactions, tap Liked videos
  5. Tap Only you

What Can You Do If You Don’t Like a Video on Your Feed?

TikTok does a pretty good job of recommending content you’ll enjoy. However, to add diversity to your feed, it also recommends new types of content that may not align with your interests. If you don’t like the video and don’t want to see similar content again, here’s what you should do:

  1. Long-press on the video.
  2. Tap Not interested.

Letting TikTok know what you’re not interested in also helps the algorithm fine-tune its recommendations. 

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Give Likes and Get More Engagement

Social media engagement is a two-way street. And simply acknowledging likes or replying to comments can keep your engagement rate high for hours or days. 

Your relevance on any platform is directly proportional to how long people are talking about your content. So, always take every opportunity to give likes and interact with your audience. 

Remember that liking videos also helps curate your TikTok experience. As your video recommendations get more personalized, your audience matches will become more accurate. Getting matched with the most suitable audiences guarantees their follows and engagement.

Why is TikTok not letting me like videos? If you’re unable to like videos, address the problem immediately. Any issues with TikTok’s functions may have adverse effects on your reach and engagement and impede your progress. If you want a tailor-made content strategy that ensures an upward trajectory, sign up for a High Social plan!

Always deliver your videos to genuinely interested viewers with High Social’s advanced, proprietary AI technology. Get guaranteed engagement and grow your community with active fans. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok 101