Change the privacy of a TikTok video

If you posted a video for everyone and want to limit its audience, you can change that post’s setting in the TikTok app. The options you see depend on whether your account is public or private.

Change who can see the video

1. In TikTok, tap Profile and open the video you want to update.
2. Tap More options … beside the video.
3. Swipe through the options if needed, then tap Privacy settings.
4. Choose the audience for that post.

For a public account, TikTok offers Everyone, Friends (followers you follow back), or Only you. For a private account, you can choose Followers, Friends, or Only you. The app saves the post’s audience; open Privacy settings again to check your selection. If an option is missing or disabled, do not assume the account is broken: age, local laws, and Family Pairing can affect available settings.

Depending on your age and location, TikTok may set the audience to Only you and prevent changes until you reach the relevant age. If you see that restriction, switching between a public and private account does not remove it.

Fictional example

A shop posts a video with a campaign price and needs to verify it. While checking, it opens Privacy settings and changes the audience to Only you, if that option is available. Once the check is done, it confirms the right audience for the video. This example is fictional; changing the setting does not mean nobody has already seen or saved the content.

What changes and what stays

TikTok says the post’s view count reflects all views to date and does not reset when you change privacy. This setting controls who can view the post; it is separate from downloads and who can Duet or Stitch with it.

• If you do not see the audience you expected, check whether your account is public or private. If it is still missing, check teen privacy and safety settings and Family Pairing; TikTok says availability can depend on age and local laws.
• To stop downloads, review TikTok’s separate video downloads setting.
• To limit Duet, Stitch, or adding the video to Stories, see TikTok Help for Duet privacy and content reuse.
• To change who can see your whole profile, see choosing between a public or private account.

Before you finish, reopen Privacy settings and confirm the audience you chose. TikTok says the view count keeps previous views. See its official guidance on post privacy.

For future videos, see how to schedule TikTok on desktop. For branded content, see how to disclose commercial content on TikTok.

If TikTok shows a notice that the post is ineligible for the For You feed, follow how to review the reason and appeal that decision. That process starts from the post’s notification.

If the video has not appeared because the upload is still processing, check what to review when a TikTok upload gets stuck before trying to change its privacy.