Whether it was a storage cleanup, a moment of frustration, or an accident, deleting TikTok doesn’t mean everything is gone forever. But the real question is, can you just reinstall it and pick up where you left off?
The answer depends on a few key factors. If you simply removed the app, your account and content may still be untouched. But if drafts, messages, or even videos were stored only on your device, the recovery process becomes more complicated.
Here, you’ll learn how to get TikTok back after you deleted the app, how to recover lost content like drafts and videos, and what to do if the app is no longer available in your region. We’ll also walk you through TikTok’s policies on inactive accounts and how to avoid permanent losses in the future.
Let’s start with what happens when you delete TikTok and how to get everything back safely.
Understand TikTok Account Deletion and Recovery
One of the most common misunderstandings among TikTok users is the difference between deleting the app and deleting your account, and the two are not the same.
If you only remove the TikTok app from your device, your account will still be intact. Your videos, drafts (unless stored locally), messages, and profile settings remain untouched on TikTok’s servers. You can reinstall the app, sign in with your original credentials, and pick up where you left off.
However, if you initiated an account deletion from within the app, TikTok gives you a 30-day recovery window. During this period, your profile is deactivated but not permanently erased. You can reactivate the account at any time within the 30 days by simply logging back in.
After that window, the deletion becomes permanent. TikTok removes your profile, videos, followers, and all related data, and there’s no way to recover it.
Understanding this distinction is essential before trying to recover anything. If you deleted the app, you can recover everything. If you deleted the account and 30 days have passed, recovery is no longer possible.
How To Get TikTok Back After You Deleted The App: Step-by-Step Guide
If you’ve deleted the TikTok app but not your account, getting it back is usually simple. The app can be reinstalled from the official app store on your device, and you can access your account using your previous login credentials.
For Android users, open the Google Play Store> search for “TikTok,”> tap “Install.” Once installed, open the app> log in using your phone number> email address, or a linked social account.
For iOS users, open the App Store> search “TikTok,”> tap the download icon. If you had the app installed previously, it might show a cloud icon instead of “Get” that’s perfectly normal.
In some cases, TikTok may not appear in app stores due to regional restrictions. This can happen during legal bans or changes to app policies in specific countries. If that’s the case, do not install from unverified third-party sources. But they can put your data at serious risk and often contain malware.
Instead, check TikTok’s official download page or wait until it’s available in your region’s store again. You can also monitor updates through official announcements or TikTok’s verified social media channels. Reinstalling TikTok does not restore deleted content, but it does give you full access to your profile, as long as your account was not permanently deleted.
How to Get single Video or Collection deleted on TikTok
If you’ve deleted a TikTok video from your account or lost it by uninstalling the app, recovery depends entirely on where the video was stored and whether it was backed up.
Start by checking your phone’s gallery or camera roll. TikTok offers an option to save videos to your device before or after posting. If you had this setting enabled, there’s a good chance the video is still on your phone.
Next, check cloud backups, such as Google Photos (Android) or iCloud (iOS). These services often sync your media automatically, especially if you’ve enabled auto-backup for apps or camera uploads.
If the video wasn’t saved to your phone or backed up in the cloud, your options become limited. TikTok doesn’t offer a built-in trash or recycle bin, so once a video is deleted from your profile, it’s permanently removed from their servers.
As a last resort, you can try third-party data recovery tools, such as MobiKin or Dr.Fone. These apps can sometimes retrieve lost media from internal storage, but the results vary, and success is not guaranteed. Always review privacy policies before using these tools.
Ultimately, if you haven’t backed up your videos or enabled saving to your gallery, recovery after deletion is extremely difficult. It’s one of the biggest reasons creators are encouraged to archive their content outside the app.
How to Recover Deleted Drafts on TikTok
TikTok drafts are saved locally on your device, not on TikTok’s servers. That means if you delete the app or switch phones without backing up your data, your drafts will be permanently deleted.
If you’ve uninstalled TikTok and now notice that your drafts are missing, the first step is to check if you had any device backups in place. For iPhone users, iCloud may have included TikTok data if the app was backed up to iCloud. For Android users, Google Drive or manufacturer-specific cloud tools, such as Samsung Cloud, might help, but only if app data backup has been enabled.
To attempt recovery, reinstall TikTok and restore your most recent device backup. If the backup included app data and was made before the deletion, your drafts may reappear.
However, if you had no backup or your phone didn’t save TikTok’s local storage, there’s no way to retrieve deleted drafts. Unlike posted videos, drafts are never stored on TikTok’s servers.
To prevent future losses, it’s a smart habit to save necessary drafts as private videos before uninstalling the app. This way, they remain on your profile and can be edited or published later.
Recovering Deleted TikTok Messages
Unlike some messaging apps, TikTok doesn’t store your messages indefinitely. Once a message thread is deleted either by you or the other user, it cannot be recovered through the app.
Your first step should be checking your device backup. If TikTok messages were cached in your phone’s storage, a backup made before deletion might help. Android users can explore Google Drive or manufacturer cloud options, while iOS users should check their iCloud backups.
If your messages were never backed up and are no longer visible in the app, recovery is not possible through TikTok itself. The platform currently doesn’t offer a built-in message archive or restore option.
Try reaching out to TikTok Support through the app or the TikTok Help Center. In very limited cases, they may assist, especially if message recovery is tied to legal or account-related concerns, but standard message history is not typically retrievable.
Going forward, consider taking screenshots or backing up essential conversations to an external location. Since TikTok doesn’t notify users when direct messages (DMs) are deleted, it’s easy to lose track of critical information.
TikTok’s Policy on Inactive Accounts
TikTok does not immediately delete accounts due to inactivity. Still, prolonged periods without login or engagement can lead to specific actions, such as username resets, reduced visibility, or, in rare cases, removal.
According to TikTok’s support documentation and community discussions, inactive usernames may be recycled after a period of extended dormancy. While TikTok doesn’t specify the exact timeline publicly, accounts that remain untouched for long periods risk losing unique identifiers, especially if they haven’t posted content or connected with followers.
If you’ve stopped using TikTok but don’t want to lose your account, the best way to maintain it is to log in occasionally, watch a few videos, or post short content every few months. Minimal activity is often enough to signal that the account is still in use.
Suppose your inactive account is no longer accessible or has been reset. In that case, you can recover it through the login screen by using your original email address, phone number, or linked social login. If that fails, contacting TikTok Support directly is your best option.
While TikTok rarely deletes accounts permanently purely due to inactivity, it’s still important to stay engaged if you want to preserve your digital footprint and username.
Preventative Measures for Future Data Loss
Losing drafts, videos, or messages on TikTok can be frustrating, especially when it’s preventable. The best way to avoid future data loss is to take a few simple precautions that keep your content backed up and accessible, even in the event of an issue.
Start by enabling auto-backup for photos and videos through services like Google Photos on Android or iCloud on iOS. If you regularly save your TikTok content to your phone’s gallery and those backups are active, you’ll always have a copy outside the app.
For drafts specifically, the most reliable method is to save them as private videos. This way, they are uploaded to TikTok’s servers and can be recovered by logging into your account, even if the app is uninstalled or your device is reset.
Get into the habit of downloading important videos or content after editing, especially before clearing storage or switching to a new phone. TikTok doesn’t automatically save everything you post or draft, so relying on the app alone puts your work at risk.
Also, stay informed about TikTok’s data policies and app updates. From time to time, app permissions or regional changes may affect how your data is handled, especially during account inactivity or platform bans. A little digital hygiene today can save hours of frustration tomorrow.
FAQs
1. How to find deleted TikToks?
Check your phone’s gallery or cloud backups, such as Google Photos or iCloud. If the video was never saved externally, it cannot be recovered after it is deleted from the app.
2. Can you recover deleted TikTok messages?
Unfortunately, TikTok does not store messages long-term. Once deleted, they are gone unless captured in a backup or screenshot before deletion.
3. How to delete a collection on TikTok?
Go to your profile, tap the collection you want to remove, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, and select “Delete Collection” to delete it.
4. Can you see deleted messages on TikTok?
No, once a message is deleted on TikTok, it cannot be viewed again. There is no message archive or recovery feature available within the app for users.