How TikTok Profile Views Work
TikTok has been testing the feature since 2020, but they never did unleash it for the masses. The option made a comeback this year, though, and now users can once again see who viewed their profile on the social app. Note that in order for TikTok to register your presence on someone’s profile page, you’ll need to be signed up with your own account on the app. On top of that, both people need to have “Profile views” enabled to show up in each other’s lists. It’s a two-way street, like “Activity Status” on Instagram or “Last Seen” on WhatsApp. When the feature is enabled, TikTok will show you who has viewed you page in the last 30 days in chronological order. However, you won’t be able to see how often someone has visited your profile or the exact date they clicked on it. TikTok won’t send notifications to alert you when you get a new profile view, so you will need to check to see who dropped by recently. But remember, you need to have the option turned on first. Continue reading to learn how to do that.
How to Enable Profile Views on TikTok
Before you do anything else, make sure you’ve updated your TikTok app. The option is relatively recent, so an outdated version may not give you access to it. Once you’ve taken care of that, follow the steps below to enable profile views for your TikTok account. Keep in mind that you can do this only from the TikTok app and on desktop from your browser. While TikTok does not send notifications when someone has viewed your profile, you’ll be able to tell at a glance that a user has dropped by, as the eye-shaped icon in the upper-right corner will turn to a small profile picture (of the person who viewed your profile).
How to Check Who Viewed Your Profile on TikTok
With the option enabled, you can check who viewed your profile in the last 30 days. If you just turned on the feature, you’ll need to wait a bit before you check. Note: you won’t be able to see who viewed your profile if you access TikTok from your browser on your PC.
Control Who Can View Your Profile
If you’re not thrilled about the prospect of everyone viewing your profile, there are several steps you can take to prevent it.
Set Your Account to Private
Setting your account to private will prevent any user from checking out your profile and content you posted on your profile. You’ll have to manually accept their request to follow you, which you can easily ignore.
Block Specific People
Since TikTok doesn’t allow you to hide your profile from specific people, the only way to prevent them from checking out your profile is to block them. It’s a bit harsh, but if you really don’t want these folks stalking you, you can block them by following these steps:
How to View TikTok Profiles Anonymously
If you don’t want someone to know that you’re keeping tabs on them on TikTok, know that you can view profiles anonymously. There are two ways to go about that.
Turn off the Profile Views Feature
The easiest way to prevent someone from knowing you are viewing their profile is to turn off the Profile views option. This allows you to look at their profile without being spotted. However, a drawback to doing this is that you won’t be able to see who visited your profile. To prevent that, turn off the feature and check out the other person’s profile, then turn the feature back on before 30 days have elapsed, and you’ll reappear on their profile views history report.
Sign Out of Your Account
Fortunately, there’s a better way of doing things. TikTok lets you browse the app without problem even if you don’t have an account with the network, so take advantage of this. First, sign out of your account, then search for the profile you want to secretly view and do so anonymously. When you’re done, sign back in to your account again. Note: you can also browse anonymously by opening TikTok in the browser on your PC.
Want More Info? Get TikTok Analytics
If you want to have access to more data regarding how many people you’re reaching with your content and see which of your videos are performing better, you can get TikTok Analytics for your account. Of course, this is an option that is recommended mostly for business accounts, but if you’re curious, you can upgrade to a business account. To do so, go to “Settings & privacy -> Manage account -> Switch to business account.” However, TikTok Analytics doesn’t show you who viewed your profile or provide any additional info regarding individual followers. The tool is meant to provide a better understanding of your audience’s habits and preferences. Image credit: Freepik All screenshots by Alexandra Arici
