Are you trying to locate a specific video on TikTok, but the search box isn’t working? As TikTok’s user base grew, so did the number of videos and material available to see. New trends appear on the app daily, and users are eager to share their interpretations of them.
So the search bar has become more critical than ever to discovering specific videos. Searching for a particular user or friend is also possible. However, if you’re here, the search bar on TikTok is most likely not functioning for you.
The most common reason for this problem on the platform is a faulty installation file. Other issues, such as old software, defective servers, and poor network connections, should also be considered when solving this problem.
TikTok’s search bar isn’t functioning correctly, so we’ll teach you precisely what to do.
How to Search on TikTok
To search for a specific video, open TikTok, then press the “Discover” button on the bottom right.
You can find the search bar and QR scanner at the top of the search results page. To the right of it, you’ll find a rotating commercial and a list of the most popular hashtags, effects, and noises currently being used on TikTok. You may utilize any of them right now if you tap on them.
To use the search function, tap the search box and begin typing in what you’re looking for. Words, phrases, users, and topics may all be searched for with this app. Typing in a search term will bring up the most popular results first.
There’s no option to limit the results to only the most popular ones when searching. To discover a more obscure video implies it might be complicated.
When it comes to making TikTok searches more straightforward, there’s just one accurate method. To find a Duet or Stitch video, type in the user’s username plus the hashtags #duet or #stitch into the search bar. In this way, it is more likely that you will find the movie you are searching for.
Without an Account, How Can I Search TikTok?
Without creating a login or password, one must utilize an encrypted proxy to search TikTok.
This technology ensures that the user’s identity is protected while they browse the site.
The user will go to Google and type in “TikTok Proxy” in front of the URL to find the material they are looking for.
TikTok Has a Search Function, But How Can I Find a Specific Person?
Using several criteria, you may search for the person you’re looking for on TikTok. Some examples of this include a username from a song’s lyrics or a video’s description and an event’s username or username from the video’s comments area.
On the TikTok Website, Where is the Search Function?
TikTok has a search bar at the top of its webpage. The search bar may get accessed by scrolling down. You may access this search bar by swiping up from the bottom of the screen on mobile devices. Finding new content from your favorite producers, celebrities, companies, and friends is easy with the search bar.
On My Browser, How Can I Watch TikTok Videos?
Either the website or the app may access TikTok in a web browser. Using a browser of their choosing, a user visits the TikTok website and clicks on the “Log in” option. A browser window will open up with TikTok after entering their login and password. The user may access tiktok.com if they log into TikTok using their mobile app.
But what happens when you cannot search on TikTok. Continue reading to find out.
Why Can’t I Search On TikTok?
Because TikTok is such a short-lived software, searching is not an option. Instead of requiring registration, you must follow celebrities and view their videos in sequence. According to the app’s description, you may use it to pass the time while waiting for the bus or whenever you feel the need to check out anything amusing.
There is an infinite stream of videos to choose from when you open TikTok. While the For You page helps find new things, what if you’re looking for something specific that isn’t included in the algorithm?
That’s the purpose of the search page. As a user of TikTok, you may search for other users, certain videos, specific subjects, and more. But what happens when you cannot search on TikTok? Why is this happening?
1. Glitch
TikTok’s search bar will not function unless you have an internet connection. Connect your phone or tablet to WiFi or cellular data to ensure that it is up and running. Usage, this advice to the app’s data, utilize it instead of blocking it if you’re using cellular data; if you do, TikTok will be able to use your data.
2. App Is Down
When the Tiktok server goes down, you will be unable to access your account or its functions. The only option is to sit and wait for the server to come up or become accessible in this situation.
In addition, the “DownDetector” website allows you to monitor the Tiktok server on your own. You can figure out what’s wrong with Tiktok’s servers and other features.
You may check the app or the server status from time to time.
3. No Internet
You’ll only be able to see the funniest videos and challenges on TikTok if you have a steady internet connection. If your internet connection is inconsistent and erratic, you won’t be able to access the most current changes. Try accessing a website in the browser to determine whether you have an active internet connection. Your internet speed may also get checked to determine whether your network speeds aren’t being slowed down from the backend. Whether you’re using mobile data, check your device’s data settings to see if you’ve reached your data limit. Try rebooting your internet router and wait a few minutes before reaccessing TikTok if your internet connection is sluggish.
Please make sure that you haven’t activated Android’s Data Saver mode. In addition to reducing battery consumption and mobile data use, it also severely limits your data, which may cause issues like TikTok not operating correctly on Android. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to fix it:
Open the Data Saver menu under the Network and Internet section of the Settings menu.
Turning off Data Saver is the only way to get rid of it.
How to Fix TikTok Search Not Working
1. Restart the TikTok App
Restarting TikTok or any other app is one of the most straightforward fixes for most problems. Your device’s resources will get replenished, and any faults or malfunctions that may have happened while using TikTok will be removed.
Using the app switcher, you may halt the operation of most current Android and iOS apps. Find TikTok in the list by swiping up from the bottom of your screen.
The application switcher may be accessed on earlier iOS devices by double-tapping the Home button. Close the app by dragging it upwards until it is no longer visible in the switcher of apps.
Relaunch TikTok by going back to your home screen. Search for a specific video to see whether the issue has been resolved.
2. Search Something Else
Try typing something else to see if there’s a problem with TikTok’s search bar or if it’s the term. If the latest is causing the issue, better use a synonym or, if you know the user that uploaded the video, try scrolling between them.
3. Check the TikTok Server Status
This TikTok search issue may be impacting more than one TikToker at once. As a result, this is a clear sign that TikTok has a problem or is undergoing server maintenance.
If the TikTok servers are down, you may see additional types of platform problems in addition to search-related ones. Because of this, it’s essential to verify the TikTok server status or see if other users are experiencing the same issues.
Is there a way to tell whether TikTok is having issues or not?
TikTok’s live server status may get checked in two different ways:
By Use of DownDetector:
We recommend checking out the TikTok page on DownDetector to see what other users are saying about the app’s current status and any outages that have been reported. We’ve determined it to be a reliable third-party tool that provides accurate and quick results based on user feedback.
The comment section and the real-time map are good places to check how many and what kinds of issues are reported.
You can then determine whether or not this is a continuing TikTok issue if you see any similarity to your search error.
On Twitter (@TikTokSupport), where you can get help:
TikTok’s Twitter account, @TikTokSupport, sometimes addresses more severe or widespread platform issues. As a result, there’s a possibility that a recent app malfunction has impacted the search bar.
In addition, this page should offer you a way to contact TikTok Support in the meantime.
4. Fix Internet Connection
TikTok’s search bar may not function properly if your internet connection is sluggish. Search results won’t get shown if your internet connection isn’t reliable enough. To determine whether your network is to blame, do a test on Fast.com to see how much bandwidth you have available.
Your modem and your ISP’s servers should reconnect if the results show that your network is unreliable. Repeat the network test to verify that the issue has been resolved. If this is the case, you should contact your internet service provider and let them know about the problem.
Continue reading to discover how to repair the internet connection issue. A sluggish internet connection or a poor network connection are to blame for this error.
The following are some procedures to take to resolve this issue:
- First and foremost, verify your internet connection since a lack of connectivity often causes this issue.
- If it doesn’t work, you’ll have to reinstall TikTok, which may also cure the issue.
- If the problem still occurs, check your mobile device’s settings.
- If the problem persists, go to your mobile settings.
- Select TikTok from the drop-down menu. App Permission>>>> Don’t block WiFi or mobile data (If not enabled, then enable it)
- Errors will get fixed with a simple phone reset and a TikTok opening.
5. Use Different TikTok Search Filters
Our research indicated that adjusting the TikTok search criteria had a comparable impact to repeating or jumping starting the search, so we decided to investigate more. Consequently, the search results are refreshed, and you may get new ones.
Please follow these instructions to avoid being stuck on a Network Error page or seeing erroneous TikTok results.
The TikTok search filters may be changed as follows:
- You’ll first need to go to the screen’s upper-right corner and press the settings symbol.
- Second, choose a different sorting or filtering option from the menu.
- To complete the process, click the Apply button.
6. Try Searching with a Different TikTok Account
Users have reported that their secondary TikTok account’s search bar functioned perfectly. It might indicate that the TikTok search bar isn’t working because of an account problem.
If you have one, it’s also possible to transfer over to another Tumblr. By tapping your username at the top of the Me page, you may rapidly move between your TikTok profiles. Once you’ve reached the Discover page for the second account, try using the search bar.
Instead of creating a second account, consider asking a buddy whether their search bar on TikTok is up and running. If you’d like, you can post a question in the comments box below, and we’ll see if we can find an answer for you. As a result, if you have any issues with your account, we recommend contacting TikTok Support.
7. Update TikTok
As previously said, TikTok may be actively working on a solution to the search bar issue. To remedy the TikTok search bar not functioning, they may release a future app version with crucial bug fixes.
As a result, the best thing we can do as TikTok users is to see whether the software has been updated to the most recent version. It’s also good to turn on auto-updates for applications like these that you often use.
To see whether there are any new versions of the TikTok app available, follow these steps:
- First, open the App Store (on an Apple device) or the Play Store (Android).
- Finally, if there are any updates for TikTok, touch the Update button.
8. Enable All the Permissions for the TikTok
Giving TikTok access to all of your phone’s capabilities only to fix a niggling bug in the search bar may seem excessive. According to its “newcomer” status and its well-publicized threats of being banned, you may not feel safe activating these options on TikTok.
However, enabling these rights proved the best solution for many people.
You need not be concerned since the permissions may be turned off at any moment by following the methods outlined below. You can rest easy knowing that the app is always yours to regulate when it comes to privacy.
Try disabling and then enabling these TikTok permissions if they are already enabled. Doing this may be able to reactivate these rights, which might be the solution.
For iOS devices:
1. After opening the Settings app, pick TikTok from the drop-down menu.
2. Then, under the Rights menu, enable any appropriate permissions, such as Camera and Photos.
For Android devices:
- First, open the Settings app and choose Apps & Notifications from the drop-down list.
- TikTok will be listed in the following applications.
- Pick Permissions from the drop-down menu and select permission from the Denied list.
- Allow or Allow just when using the app are the only options you’ll have to decide on.
For the remaining TikTok permissions that are disabled, continue this process until they are all shown as Allowed.
9. Clear the TikTok App Cache or Data
TikTok may quickly fill up your phone’s storage if you don’t clean the app’s cache regularly. To make things worse, the app’s speed and functions, such as search, might be affected by the app’s collected cache.
In other words, if you’re experiencing issues with your TikTok search bar, you should check your app’s cache, which is often neglected.
Through the TikTok App Settings:
Fortunately, TikTok has made it simple to erase the app cache in the settings. To get to this:
- Choose Me from the bottom bar and then hit the menu symbol in the upper-right corner to access the Settings.
- Then, go to the bottom of the page and click Clear cache.
When using an Android smartphone, you may remove even more app cache and data by accessing the system settings via the device’s menu. Here’s how you get to it:
- First, open the Settings app and choose Apps & Notifications from the drop-down list.
- Then, from the available applications, choose TikTok.
- Select storage & cache after you’re finished.
- Next, hit Clear Cache, and then Clear Data if you’d like.
10. Reinstall the TikTok App
Clearing your phone’s memory and reinstalling TikTok may not be enough to fix the problem. Every app file that may have been corrupted gets removed as part of this procedure. As a result, a clean copy of the TikTok software may be installed, devoid of any nasties.
It doesn’t matter if you’re using an Android, iPhone, or iPad; the procedures to reinstall TikTok are the same.
- Look for the TikTok app in your app drawer or your home screen.
- Finally, tap and long-press it to open the options menu, then touch again to exit.
- Then pick Uninstall or Delete the app from the drop-down menu.
- Finally, download the TikTok app from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Play Store (Android).
Once installed, sign in to TikTok and open the app again to see whether the search bar is still not functioning.
11. Please Report it to TikTok Support
Finally, if the TikTok search box annoys you despite your best efforts, you may consider contacting TikTok directly. Within a quick email to TikTok Support, many customers’ issues with the search bar “magically” resolved themselves after a few days.
In this case, TikTok may be unaware of a backend problem. Alternatively, TikTok may have an issue with your account that only they can fix by going under the hood.
An end-all solution to your problem may get found by talking to TikTok Support:
- Choose Me from the bottom bar and then hit the menu symbol in the upper-right corner to access the Settings.
- In the Support section, choose the option to report an issue. Select Feed/Search/Share from the drop-down menu under Select a Topic.
- Next, you may pick a search subject, such as “Searching content.”
- You may report an error by selecting Still have issues under “Is your problem resolved?” on the next page.
- Finally, describe the issue you’re having with the TikTok search box and press the Report button.
Waiting for a response from TikTok is all that’s left now that your report has been filed. So, take a quick look through your Inbox now and then.
TikTok may take some time to reply to this solution, especially when there are a lot of other TikTokers out there that feel the same way.
Conclusion
To summarize, this is another typical TikTok mistake that users report. If you notice anything strange about the functionality, we can only pray that you’ve found this tutorial before contacting us!
Try these nine easy remedies if the TikTok search bar isn’t functioning on your iOS or Android smartphone.
You may now “find” more viral trends and top posts than your FYP ever could using the TikTok search bar. It’s even possible to stalk a TikToker or a creator if you feel very daring.
Infinite amounts of information are there to be sifted through.
I’d want to hear from you in the comments below:
TikTok’s search bar isn’t working correctly for you? Have any of these fixes worked for your TikTak search bar problem? Is there anything else you’d want to see on this list?