You can delete your own TikTok videos in under a minute from your phone or computer

Open TikTok and go to your profile. Tap or click the video you want to remove. Press the three dots (menu icon) in the bottom right corner of the video, then select "Delete". TikTok will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" again, and the video is gone from your account within seconds.

Once deleted, the video no longer appears on your profile, in your followers' feeds, or in search results. However, if someone downloaded or screenshotted your video before you deleted it, they still have a copy. Deletion only removes it from TikTok's platform, not from devices where it was already saved.

Key Takeaways

  • You can delete a video from your profile menu in under one minute on any device.
  • Deleted videos disappear from your profile and feeds when ready, but people who downloaded them beforehand still have copies.
  • If you want to hide a video without permanently removing it, you can make it private instead of deleting it.
  • TikTok does not notify your followers when you delete a video, so no one sees a deletion announcement.
  • If you delete a video by accident, you cannot recover it — TikTok does not have an undo or restore option.

The difference between deleting and making a video private

Deleting removes the video entirely from your account. Making it private keeps the video on your account but hides it from everyone except you. Use private if you want to keep the video but do not want people to see it right now — you can always make it public again later.

To make a video private instead of deleting it, open the video, tap the three dots, and select "Privacy settings". Choose "Private" from the options. The video stays in your drafts or on your account but does not show up in feeds or search. You can change it back to public whenever you want.

What happens to comments, likes, and shares when you delete

When you delete a video, all comments, likes, and shares attached to it disappear as well. Anyone who commented on the video will see that their comment is gone, though TikTok does not send them a notification explaining why. If the video had thousands of likes or was shared widely, all of that engagement vanishes.

If you are deleting a video because of a specific comment or interaction, deletion removes the whole conversation. If you only want to remove one comment, you can delete individual comments without deleting the entire video — tap the comment, press the three dots, and select "Delete".

Deleting videos on different devices

The steps are the same whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, or a computer. On mobile, open your profile, tap the video, tap the three dots, and select "Delete". On a computer, log into TikTok.com, go to your profile, click the video, click the three dots, and select "Delete".

If you are using TikTok Studio (TikTok's creator dashboard on desktop), you can also delete videos from your video list. Click the three dots next to any video and select "Delete". The process takes the same amount of time on any platform.

Why you might want to delete a video

You might delete a video because you changed your mind about what you posted, because it did not perform the way you wanted, or because you no longer want that content on your account. You might also delete a video if it contains personal information you later realized you should not have shared, or if you are cleaning up your profile before sharing it with someone.

Some people delete videos regularly as part of managing their online presence — removing old content that no longer represents them or that they find embarrassing. Others delete videos only when something goes wrong, like if they posted by accident or if a video attracted unwanted attention.

Things to know before you delete

Once you delete a video, TikTok does not offer a way to get it back. There is no trash folder, no recovery period, and no undo button. If you delete a video and then change your mind, your only option is to re-upload it — and it will have a new upload date and will not have the original comments or engagement.

If you are unsure whether you want to delete a video permanently, make it private first. That way you can decide later whether to delete it or make it public again. Private videos do not appear in feeds or search, so the effect is similar to deletion, but you keep the option to restore it.

Deleting videos does not affect your account standing

Deleting your own videos does not violate TikTok's rules and does not result in warnings, strikes, or account suspension. You can delete as many videos as you want without penalty. TikTok only penalizes you for content that breaks their community guidelines while it is posted — deleting a video does not undo a violation if TikTok already saw it and took action.

If TikTok removed a video for breaking their rules, deleting it yourself will not restore your account if it was suspended. However, if you straightforward want to remove content you posted, deletion is always safe and has no negative effect on your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a video after I delete it?

No. TikTok does not have a trash folder or recovery option. Once you delete a video, it is permanently gone from your account. If you want to keep the video, re-upload it from your phone or computer — it will appear as a new post with a new upload date.

Will my followers get notified when I delete a video?

No. TikTok does not send notifications to your followers when you delete a video. People who liked or commented on the video will see that their engagement is gone, but they will not receive an alert telling them the video was deleted.

What if someone downloaded my video before I deleted it?

Deleting the video from TikTok only removes it from the platform. If someone downloaded it or took a screenshot beforehand, they still have a copy on their device. Deletion does not affect files that already exist outside of TikTok.

Can I delete videos in bulk or all at once?

TikTok does not have a bulk delete feature. You have to delete videos one at a time by opening each video and selecting delete from the menu. If you have many videos to remove, this takes longer but the process for each video is the same.

Is there a difference between deleting and archiving?

Yes. Archiving hides a video from your public profile but keeps it on your account — only you can see it. Deleting removes it entirely. Use archive if you want to hide a video temporarily; use delete if you want it gone for good.