TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, allowing users to watch, create and share short videos. One of TikTok’s handy features is the ability to bookmark videos to watch later.
However, many users have experienced issues with their bookmarked videos suddenly disappearing in the app.
Losing your bookmarked videos can be incredibly frustrating, especially if they contained content you wanted to watch again or share with friends.
The good news is that there are several ways you can try to restore your TikTok bookmarked videos if they have gone missing.
In this detailed guide, I will walk you through the main reasons why your TikTok bookmarked videos may have disappeared and provide step-by-step solutions to help you get them back.
Reasons Why TikTok Bookmarked Videos Disappear
There are a few common reasons why you may open the TikTok app and find that your bookmarked videos are no longer there:
The Video Was Deleted
The most straightforward reason your bookmarked TikTok is gone is that the user who posted it has since deleted it from their account. When the original video is removed, it will disappear from your bookmarks as well.
There is unfortunately no way to retrieve a video that has been deleted by the original poster. The only option is to search for another version that may have been re-posted by another user.
The Video Was Made Private
Another possibility is that the user who originally posted the video has changed the privacy settings to make it private. This will remove it from your bookmarked collection.
You can check if this is the case by searching for the username of the original video poster and seeing if their account is now private. If so, you will need to request that they change the video back to public in order to view it again.
Violation of TikTok’s Terms of Service
TikTok will remove videos that violate their community guidelines and terms of service. This includes content deemed dangerous, hateful, sexually explicit, or that infringes on copyright.
If the bookmarked video you had saved faced removal for one of these reasons, it would no longer appear in your collection. You will not be able to retrieve these types of videos.
Technical Issues or App Malfunctioning
Sometimes TikTok may suffer from technical glitches that cause videos to disappear from bookmark collections. Issues like app crashing, phone software problems, or temporary bugs can all lead to bookmarks being wiped.
Re-installing the app, updating your device software, or waiting for TikTok to fix any bugs can help restore missing bookmarks in these cases. The videos haven’t been deleted, the app is just failing to access them properly.
Exceeding Bookmark Limit
TikTok only allows users to save a certain number of bookmarked videos at one time. This limit is not officially published, but appears to be around 100-200 videos.
If you had excessive bookmarks saved, new additions could start bumping old videos out of your collection. Trimming your bookmark list down can prevent this.
Now that we’ve explored the main reasons TikTok bookmarked videos may disappear, let’s go over some ways to get your missing videos back.
Troubleshooting Steps to Restore Missing TikTok Bookmarks
Check Your Bookmark List Thorougly
Before assuming your bookmarks are gone, check through your bookmark list carefully a few times. Bookmarks are organized from newest to oldest, so scroll all the way down to see your oldest saved videos.
Sometimes our eyes play tricks on us, so scan thoroughly to confirm the video you want is really not there. Make sure you haven’t accidentally archived or hidden it either.
Search User Accounts Who Posted Videos
If a video is gone because the original poster deleted or made it private, you can try searching directly on that user’s profile for the video.
Even if it doesn’t appear on their main feed, it may still be visible under their “Liked” or other category tabs. Check all the different sections carefully.
Check If User Blocked You
Similarly, if the original posting user has blocked you, their videos would disappear from your bookmarks. Checking if you can still view the user’s profile is an easy way to confirm if this is the case.
If they blocked you, the only recourse is to try viewing the video from another account that isn’t blocked.
Restore Missing Bookmarks Using TikTok Support
If you cannot locate a missing bookmarked video through your own searching, you can try reaching out to TikTok’s customer support for assistance.
Under Settings and Privacy> Report a Problem, you can submit details on missing bookmarks. Provide info like the original video URL or username who posted it.
TikTok may be able to restore recently deleted bookmarks if they were removed unintentionally by a technical glitch. Support can also escalate requests to unblock your account if that is preventing access.
Re-install and Update TikTok App
As mentioned earlier, app issues like crashing or malfunctioning can sometimes lead to bookmark loss. Try re-installing the TikTok app and make sure you have updated to the latest version.
On an iPhone, you can re-install TikTok through the App Store.
On Android, uninstall the app and re-download it from the Google Play Store.
Updating to the latest version can fix bugs.
Update Your Device Software System
Similarly, outdated software on your phone can create performance issues with the TikTok app leading to bookmark problems.
Make sure your iPhone, Android, or other device is updated to the most recent operating system updates. Keeping your device software current prevents app crashes and instability.
Restore Your Phone to Factory Settings
If you still cannot recover missing TikTok bookmarks after app re-installation and software updates, the nuclear option is to wipe your phone back to factory default settings.
This will erase any corrupted data and allow you to start fresh. Write down important data before resetting your device. You may need to re-install TikTok after.
Log in and Out of Your TikTok Account
Sometimes simply logging out of your TikTok account and logging back in can help load bookmarked videos properly if they had trouble displaying before.
On the TikTok app, go to your profile and select “Log out”.
Then re-launch the app and sign in again with your account details. Your bookmarked collection may now show up.
Contact the Original Uploaders
If you can identify the original creators of the missing bookmarked videos in your TikTok collection, try reaching out to them directly through comments or messages.
Explain that their video disappeared from your bookmarks and politely ask if they can re-post it or change the privacy settings back to public. Some users may be willing to share it again if asked nicely.
Find Reposts From Other Users
In some cases where the original video was deleted or made private, you may be able to find that another TikTok user has downloaded and re-posted it.
Search keywords related to the missing video or scan through hashtags and sounds associated with it to see if you can locate a duplicate upload. You can bookmark the re-post.
Use a TikTok Downloader Website
There are various third party websites that allow downloading TikTok videos directly from a video link. If you have the URL of your now-missing bookmarked video, you may be able to use one of these sites to download and save the TikTok video file to your phone or computer as a backup.
Be cautious of malicious websites and only use reputable TikTok download platforms. Never enter your TikTok login credentials on third party sites.
How to Prevent TikTok Bookmarks From Disappearing Again
Once you restore your missing TikTok bookmarked videos, there are some steps you can take to avoid this issue happening again in the future:
- Don’t Overload Your Bookmark List: Try to limit your bookmarks to your true favorite videos only, and clear out old bookmarks you’ve already watched to make room for new ones.
- Download Your Favorite Videos: Use the built-in TikTok download feature or third party tools to download copies of your most treasured bookmarked videos so you have permanent backups.
- Check Bookmarks Regularly: Make a habit of skimming through your bookmark list to confirm videos haven’t disappeared and catch any issues early.
- Contact Video Owners: Ask content creators to tag you or provide download links if they plan to delete videos you’ve bookmarked so you can save copies.
- Screen Record Bookmarks: Use your device’s screen recording function to capture and save recordings of bookmarked videos for safekeeping.
- Report App Issues: If you notice technical problems with TikTok that lead to missing bookmarks, make sure to report the bugs to TikTok support.
- Update and Re-install App: Keep the TikTok app fully updated and re-install it if you notice bookmark irregularities.
Following these best practices will help ensure you don’t lose treasured bookmarked TikTok videos again!
Conclusion
Having your bookmarked videos disappear in TikTok can certainly be annoying and inconvenient. But in most cases, there are steps you can take to restore or replace the missing videos through your own efforts.
The key is first understanding why your TikTok bookmarks may have vanished. Once you identify the likely cause, you can use the appropriate troubleshooting approach to get your collection back in order.
With a combination of checking your list thoroughly, searching user accounts, updating software, contacting support, finding re-posts, and downloading backups, you should be able to rebuild your lost bookmark library.
Implementing ongoing habits like recording screen captures, asking creators for download links, and limiting your total bookmarks can also keep this issue from happening again.
While losing TikTok bookmarked videos can temporarily disrupt your experience, just follow the solutions in this guide and you’ll be happily scrolling your favorites again in no time.