TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, allowing users to express their creativity through short video clips. However, many users encounter issues with the TikTok app from time to time. One common problem is the post button not working properly.
When the post button doesn’t work, it means you are unable to publish new videos on TikTok. This can be incredibly frustrating if you’ve spent time creating content and are ready to share it with your followers.
Fortunately, there are several troubleshooting tips you can try to get the post button working again.
What Causes the TikTok Post Button to Stop Working?
Before jumping into solutions, it helps to understand what might cause this issue in the first place. Here are some of the most common reasons the TikTok post button fails:
Internet Connectivity Issues
Like any app, TikTok requires an internet connection to function properly. If your Wi-Fi or cellular data signal is weak, it can prevent uploads from completing.
Outdated App Version
TikTok is constantly releasing new updates to fix bugs and improve features. If your app is outdated, you might experience problems posting new videos.
Server Outages
Periodically, TikTok experiences server outages that cause widespread glitches. This can temporarily disable features like posting until the servers are back up.
Corrupted App Cache
Over time, corrupted cached data can build up and cause performance issues like the inability to post. Clearing the TikTok cache often resolves app problems like this.
App Permissions
The TikTok app needs certain permissions, like access to your camera, photos, microphone, and storage, to work properly. If any permissions were accidentally revoked, it could break the posting functionality.
Insufficient Storage Space
Uploading videos requires available storage space on your device. If your phone or tablet is low on storage, the TikTok app may struggle to function smoothly.
Software Bugs
Like any piece of software, TikTok isn’t immune to bugs. Coding issues and glitches can sometimes interfere with the post button working. Updating the app or reporting bugs can help resolve software problems over time.
How to Fix TikTok Post Button Not Working
Now that you know what causes the post button to fail, let’s go through each troubleshooting step to get it fixed.
1. Check Your Internet Connection
The first thing to check whenever you have app issues is your internet connection. Posting TikTok videos requires uploading data to the server, which depends on having a stable connection.
Verify that the Wi-Fi or mobile data on your device is working properly. Run a speed test if you’re unsure.
Connect to a different network if your current one has a weak signal or is down. TikTok may start working normally once you have a strong, reliable internet connection.
Ideally, you’ll want speeds of at least 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload for smooth TikTok performance. If your connection is very slow, videos may fail to upload. Contact your ISP if you think there are underlying issues with your home internet.
If you’re using cellular data, move closer to a window or outside to improve signal strength. Disable Wi-Fi so your phone switches to mobile data. You can also try toggling Airplane Mode on and off to reset the network connection.
The ability to post new TikToks depends heavily on having decent internet speeds. Always rule out connectivity issues first before troubleshooting other potential causes.
2. Check for TikTok Outages
Sometimes server outages are to blame for widespread TikTok problems. Before you waste too much time troubleshooting, check whether TikTok is currently experiencing downtime.
The TikTok Status account tweets updates whenever the servers are down. You can also check sites like DownDetector that track app outages in real time based on user reports.
If TikTok is suffering an outage, there’s unfortunately nothing you can do but wait it out. Global outages result in thousands of users experiencing the same failure to post videos and other glitches.
Major social media platforms like TikTok inevitably have downtime every so often. Be patient, and the ability to post should automatically be restored once engineers get the servers back up.
3. Restart the TikTok App
One of the simplest fixes for any misbehaving app is restarting it. Completely closing out of the TikTok app and reopening it can clear out minor software glitches.
On an iPhone, double-click the Home button and swipe up on the TikTok preview to fully close it. On Android, open the recent apps menu and swipe the TikTok app preview upward to close it.
After fully quitting TikTok, reopen it and try posting again. This refreshes the app and resets any stuck processes interfering with the post button working correctly.
Restarting apps can solve many intermittent problems. Be sure to fully quit TikTok instead of just minimizing it to get the full effect. The post feature should operate normally again once you relaunch the app.
4. Log Out and Back In
If simply restarting TikTok didn’t work, the next step is logging out and back into your account. This resets any account-specific glitches that could be preventing uploads.
To log out on iOS, go to your profile and tap the three-line Menu button in the upper-right corner. Select “Log out” and confirm.
On Android, tap your profile icon, choose Settings and Privacy, then select “Log out”. Confirm logging out of your account.
Once logged out, close TikTok again fully. Wait a minute or two, then reopen TikTok and sign into your account again. This gives your account data a fresh start, which can get posting working again.
Logging out, closing the app completely, and signing back in essentially refreshes your whole account. It’s more thorough than just a simple app restart. With any luck, this will resolve your post button issues.
5. Clear the App Cache and Data
If your post button frustrations persist, cleaning out the app cache and data is the next logical step. Over time, corrupted temporary data can build up and impede app functionality. Wiping the cache can get TikTok back on track.
To clear TikTok cache:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three-line menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings and privacy.”
- Scroll down to the “Cache and Cellular Data” section and tap “Free up space.”
- Tap “Clear” next to “Cache”. You’ll see the size of your current cache displayed.
This erases all temporary files plus sign-out of your account. Simply log in again.
Be aware this will sign you out, so you’ll need to enter your password again. It also removes your browsing history, so you’ll have to reset any preferences. However, removing old corrupted data helps overcome software issues.
Clearing cache and app data gives TikTok a fresh slate to work with. This step goes a bit further than just restarting or logging out. With the slate wiped clean, the post button problem should disappear in most cases.
6. Update to the Latest TikTok Version
TikTok is releasing updates constantly. Chances are your post issues are resolved in a newer app version. Always keep TikTok fully updated to benefit from the latest bug fixes.
On iOS, open the App Store, tap your profile icon in the top-right, then select “Available Updates”. Install any pending TikTok updates.
Android users can check the Play Store’s “My Apps & Games” section for updates.
You can also enable automatic app updates in your device’s settings so you always have the newest version. TikTok may prompt you to update directly within the app as well.
Updating provides under-the-hood fixes for problems like posting errors. Stay on top of new releases so minor glitches don’t persist. The post button should work smoothly again after updating.
7. Reinstall the TikTok App
If you’ve tried everything else with no success, your last option may be to uninstall and reinstall TikTok completely. This wipes the slate totally clean.
On iOS, tap and hold the TikTok icon until it starts jiggling. Tap the X icon to uninstall. On Android, open Settings > Apps & Notifications > TikTok and select Uninstall.
After fully removing TikTok, restart your phone or tablet. Then visit the App Store or Play Store to download and install TikTok again.
Reinstalling forces all data and settings to reset completely. This includes your browsing history, preferences, and login details. But it can overcome even the most troublesome app glitches when all else fails.
Here are some additional troubleshooting tips to include:
8. Try Disabling Any VPN or Proxy
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or proxy service could potentially interfere with TikTok’s ability to post new videos.
As a test, temporarily disable or disconnect your VPN/proxy and see if uploading starts working properly without it enabled. Certain networks may block or throttle TikTok.
Bypassing VPN and proxy connections rule out networking-related factors. If TikTok starts functioning normally again, the issue has to do with how your traffic is being routed.
9. Check for Network Restrictions
In some cases, network administrators intentionally block or limit certain apps like TikTok through firewall policies. This can prevent posting.
Try using different Wi-Fi or cellular networks to see if any work consistently. Corporate networks, public hotspots, and schools are most likely to restrict sites and services.
Switching to an unrestricted connection will allow you to rule out network-imposed limitations. TikTok should start behaving normally on networks without limitations.
10. Test Posting on Another Device
To determine if the issue is limited to just one device, attempt posting on another phone or tablet. Download TikTok on a friend’s device and try uploading there.
If posting works fine on another device, then the problem is isolated to your hardware. You can rule out account problems. However, if it fails everywhere, it points to your account or TikTok itself as the cause.
Testing on multiple devices helps narrow down where the root cause lies. It’s an important diagnostic step when troubleshooting intermittent technical issues like this.
11. Check for TikTok Account Restrictions
In some cases, TikTok may intentionally block posting to specific accounts as a policy enforcement measure. This is most common with banned users.
Check your email for any notifications from TikTok about your account being restricted. Log into TikTok on a browser to see if any alerts appear about limitations.
If your account has been penalized or banned from posting, you’ll need to appeal the violation or wait out the restriction period before uploading new videos again.
Here’s a guide on how to recover a temporarily banned TikTok account.
12. Report the Bug Using TikTok’s Feedback Feature
If the post button malfunction appears to be a bug, you should directly report it as an app issue to TikTok. This helps improve the platform.
In the TikTok app, go to your profile, tap the three-dot Menu button, then choose “Report a problem”. Thoroughly describe the post button failure and steps attempted.
Providing debugging details helps TikTok identify, reproduce, and squash platform bugs more quickly. Your report might lead to a fix in a future update.
13. Wait Patiently for a Fix
Sometimes the ability to post videos restored itself without you changing anything. That’s because TikTok rolled out an app update in the background addressing the bug.
For widespread technical issues, TikTok’s engineers are likely working diligently on a permanent solution. Subsequent app versions should resolve the problem across the board.
With some problems, a quick fix may not be possible. Have patience and wait to see if an eventual software update corrects the post button not working.
