TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, allowing users to watch, create and share short videos. One of its handy features is the ability to bookmark videos you want to watch later or show friends.
However, sometimes TikTok’s bookmark feature stops working properly and doesn’t let you add new bookmarks.
This can be frustrating, but there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix bookmarking problems on TikTok. In this detailed guide, we’ll cover the main reasons TikTok bookmarking may fail and walk you through solutions to get it working again.
Reasons Why TikTok Won’t Let You Bookmark Videos
Here are some of the common reasons why you may be unable to bookmark TikTok videos:
Outdated App Version
TikTok releases frequent app updates to fix bugs and improve features. If your TikTok app is outdated, it could cause problems with bookmarking. Make sure you have the latest version installed.
On iOS, go to the App Store and check for TikTok app updates. On Android, go to the Google Play Store and check for updates. Install the latest version and try bookmarking again.
Account Problems
Issues with your TikTok account can also prevent bookmarking from working properly. If your account is temporarily blocked, deactivated or banned, the bookmark feature will be disabled.
Check your account status by going to your profile page. If your account has been blocked or limited, you’ll need to resolve that issue first before bookmarking will work again.
Corrupt App Cache
The TikTok app stores temporary data and files in a cache that can sometimes become corrupted over time, leading to technical problems like bookmarking failures.
Clearing the TikTok app cache forces the app to redownload fresh data and can fix bugs. We’ll cover how to clear the cache later in this guide.
Restrictive Connectivity
If you are on a restricted internet connection that blocks certain TikTok functions, it may prevent you from bookmarking videos.
For example, if you are using a school or workplace WiFi network that blocks parts of TikTok, bookmarking might fail. Try switching to a different, less restrictive internet connection.
Region Limitations
TikTok does not make all features available in every region and country. It’s possible your region restricts the bookmark option.
You can check if bookmarking should be available in your area by looking at TikTok’s support site. If your region is not supported, you unfortunately may not be able to use TikTok’s bookmarking feature.
App Glitches
Like any app, TikTok can suffer temporary glitches that disrupt certain features. Server outages or software bugs could prevent bookmarks from saving properly.
Try closing and reopening the app to refresh it. If the issues continue, it’s best to report them directly to TikTok so they can investigate and fix any app problems.
Now that we’ve covered some of the main reasons you may be having issues bookmarking on TikTok, let’s go through troubleshooting steps to get bookmarking working again.
How to Fix TikTok Bookmark Not Working
Follow these steps to troubleshoot and fix any bookmarking problems you encounter in the TikTok app:
Update the App
As mentioned earlier, an outdated version of TikTok can cause bookmarking failures. Always make sure you’re running the latest version of the app:
- On an iPhone, open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and go to the Updates tab to see any pending TikTok updates.
- On an Android, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile picture, go to Manage apps & devices > Updates available to check for TikTok updates.
- Install any new TikTok app updates.
Once updated to the latest version, try bookmarking a video again. Updating frequently helps avoid TikTok bugs and issues.
Check Account Status
It’s possible your TikTok account is currently blocked from bookmarking videos. To check:
- Open your TikTok profile.
- Tap the three-dot menu button in the upper right corner.
- Choose Settings and privacy from the menu.
- Select Manage account > Account information.
- Review your account status for anything that indicates your account access is restricted, like if it’s blocked, banned or under review.
- If your account is limited, you’ll need to submit appeals to TikTok support to get your full account access restored before bookmarking will work.
Clear the Cache
A corrupted app cache could prevent bookmarking, so clearing it out can help:
- On iPhone, open your Settings, select General > iPhone Storage.
- Tap on TikTok, then tap Offload App to temporarily remove the app and clear all cache data. Then reinstall TikTok from the App Store.
- On Android, open your Settings, and choose Apps or Application Manager.
- Swipe to locate TikTok, tap Storage, and then select Clear Cache.
- Reopen TikTok – your cache will be cleared out. Try bookmarking again.
Clearing the cache gives the app a fresh start which often fixes minor glitches.
Try Different Connections
If you think your internet connection is blocking TikTok’s bookmark feature, try using different WiFi networks or switch to mobile data:
- Disconnect from any WiFi networks.
- Enable mobile data on your smartphone and connect to the cellular network instead.
- Open TikTok and attempt to bookmark a video.
- If bookmarking now works, the issue was likely with restrictive settings on that WiFi blocking TikTok features.
- You can also try connecting to different WiFi networks like a home, office or public hotspot to test if bookmarking works there.
Using mobile data or another WiFi network often bypasses any limitations set on certain connections.
Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) can also get around restrictions imposed by an internet connection. Turn on a trusted VPN service and then try bookmarking TikTok videos. The VPN encrypts your web traffic and spoofs your location, which often resolves any network-related blocking issues.
Update Your Phone
Make sure your smartphone operating system is updated to the latest OS version. Outdated system software could contribute to TikTok bookmarking issues.
On an iPhone, install iOS updates released by Apple. On Android phones, install system updates released by your phone manufacturer.
Keeping your operating system completely up to date ensures maximum compatibility with apps like TikTok.
Reinstall the TikTok App
If other troubleshooting steps don’t work, reinstalling TikTok can often fix lingering technical issues:
- Delete the TikTok app from your phone.
- Restart your phone.
- Reinstall TikTok from the app store or Google Playstore.
- Log into your account again.
Reinstalling gives you a completely clean slate for TikTok which will resolve app conflicts or corrupt files that may be interfering with bookmarking.
Report Issues to TikTok
If all else fails, report bookmarking problems directly to TikTok so they can investigate and fix bugs:
- Open TikTok and go to your profile page.
- Tap the “Settings and Privacy” at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose to report a Problem.
- Pick the options that best describe your bookmarking issue.
- Submit your report to TikTok’s developers.
Direct feedback from users helps TikTok identify and repair problems with features like bookmarking. Any bug reports will be looked into for future app updates.
Detailed Troubleshooting Steps
For readers who need extra help, here are expanded troubleshooting instructions with more details on how to resolve TikTok bookmarking problems:
Update TikTok App
Keeping the TikTok app fully updated is key to avoiding bugs. Here is how to update on both iPhone and Android:
On iPhone:
- Open the Apple App Store on your iPhone.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top right.
- On your account page, select the Updates tab at the bottom.
- If TikTok appears here, it means a new update is available. Tap Update next to it.
- If prompted, enter your App Store password or use Touch ID/Face ID to confirm updating TikTok.
- The latest version of TikTok will begin downloading.
- Once complete, TikTok will finish installing the update. A pop-up will appear saying TikTok has updated.
- Tap Open to launch the newly updated TikTok app. It is now on the latest version with any new fixes or features.
On Android:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
- Tap your profile picture or initial at the top right.
- Choose Manage apps & devices from the menu.
- Select the Updates available tab.
- Look for TikTok in the list of apps with available updates.
- Tap Update next to TikTok.
- Tap Accept to confirm you want to download and install the app update.
- The TikTok update will begin downloading on your device.
- Once finished, select Open to launch the updated version of TikTok.
Be sure to keep TikTok updated whenever new versions are released in the app stores to avoid potential bugs interfering with bookmarking.
Review TikTok Account Status
If your account is temporarily blocked or limited, TikTok disables certain features like bookmarking until issues are resolved. Here is how to check your current account status:
- Open TikTok and tap your profile icon in the bottom right.
- Tap the three-dot menu button in the upper right corner.
- Choose Settings and privacy from the menu.
- Select Manage account.
- Tap Account information.
- Carefully review your account information for any notices indicating your account is restricted. Common examples:
- “Account under review” means TikTok is investigating recent suspicious activity that could be violations of its terms. Features may be disabled temporarily.
- “Account blocked” means your account was banned from TikTok for a set amount of time due to policy violations.
- “Live access revoked” means your access to TikTok Live was taken away due to violations of livestream rules.
- If your account does have any restrictions or blocks on it, bookmarking will not work until they are resolved.
- Tap Appeal this decision in the app to submit forms explaining the situation to TikTok support.
- The support team will review your appeals and remove any unwarranted restrictions if violations weren’t purposeful.
- Once your account status shows as active without limitations, bookmarking should be reenabled.
Checking for account restrictions is an important troubleshooting step if bookmarking fails unexpectedly. Submit appeals to lift any erroneous limitations.
Clear TikTok’s Cache
A built up, corrupted cache can slow down TikTok’s performance and create issues like the bookmark feature not working properly. Here’s how to clear the TikTok cache:
On iPhone:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap General.
- Choose iPhone Storage.
- Wait for your device storage to be analyzed.
- Once complete, look for TikTok on the list and tap on it.
- On TikTok’s storage page, tap Offload App to temporarily delete it.
- Warning: This will erase TikTok’s cache along with uninstalling the app. Don’t worry, your TikTok data is not lost.
- On your iPhone’s home screen, reopen the App Store.
- Search for TikTok, then tap Get to reinstall it.
- Login to your TikTok account again once it finishes reinstalling. The cache has now been cleared.
On Android:
- Open your Android device’s Settings app.
- Tap Apps or Application manager.
- Swipe through the apps list to locate TikTok.
- Tap TikTok, then select Storage.
- Choose Clear cache.
- Confirm clearing the cache by selecting OK when prompted.
- The TikTok app cache will now be deleted.
- Launch TikTok – your cache has been reset.
Taking this quick step can often fix quirky behavior like bookmarking not working correctly after an update.
Connect with Cellular Data or Different WiFi
If you believe the WiFi network you’re on may be restricting TikTok functionality, try switching connections:
On iPhone:
- Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
- Turn off Wi-Fi by swiping the slider to the left.
- You should now be disconnected from any WiFi networks.
- Open TikTok – it will now only connect through your cellular data plan.
- Attempt to bookmark a video. If it works, the WiFi you were on is likely limiting TikTok.
- You can reconnect to a different WiFi network and test bookmarking again to compare.
On Android:
- Open your Settings then choose Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
- Tap the toggle next to Wi-Fi to turn it off.
- Open TikTok now that Wi-Fi is disabled. Any videos will play using your mobile plan.
- Try bookmarking a TikTok video. If it succeeds, the prior WiFi was probably restricting access.
- Run tests on other WiFi connections, like at home or work, to see if TikTok bookmarking behaves differently.
Switching internet connections forces TikTok to bypass any limitations that may be set on a particular network.
Enable a VPN
Using a virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your web traffic and can force TikTok requests through an unrestricted path:
- Download a trusted VPN app on your device like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
- Open the VPN app and connect to a server located in a different region.
- Once connected via VPN, open TikTok – your network traffic is now routed through the encrypted VPN tunnel.
- Try bookmarking a video. The VPN often resolves any restrictions, allowing bookmarking to work again.
- Be sure to disconnect and turn off the VPN when done troubleshooting TikTok to resume normal speed performance.
A VPN provides a quick workaround if something on your local network is blocking TikTok bookmarking.
Update Your Operating System
Having the latest OS version ensures compatibility with apps:
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Install any iOS updates available. Staying on top of Apple’s newest releases is key.
- Once updated, restart your iPhone.
- Open TikTok and try bookmarking again. The app should run smoother on the updated iOS.
On Android:
- Open your Settings app and tap System > Advanced > System update.
- If an OS update is available, select Download and install.
- Once the latest Android version finishes installing, restart your phone.
- Launch TikTok – the updated OS may help resolve any bookmarking bugs.
- You can also check the website of your Android device maker (like Samsung) for any firmware-level updates they recommend installing.
Having fully updated system software optimizes compatibility with apps and fixes OS bugs that can interfere with TikTok.
Reinstall TikTok App
If other troubleshooting hasn’t worked, completely reinstalling TikTok can clear out any lingering issues:
On iPhone:
- Delete TikTok from your Home screen like you would any iOS app – hold the icon and tap Delete app.
- Power off your iPhone, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
- Go to the App Store and re-download TikTok.
- When installed, log in to your account again.
- Bookmarking should now be reset along with any other bugs fixed by a clean reinstall.
On Android:
- Open your app tray and long-press the TikTok icon.
- Drag the icon up to Uninstall at the top of the screen.
- Confirm uninstalling TikTok from your Android device.
- Restart your Android device when TikTok has been uninstalled.
- Open the Google Play Store and search for TikTok.
- Tap Install to download it again.
- Once setup, sign into TikTok. The fresh install should have addressed any errors impacting bookmarking.
Reinstalling TikTok gives you a completely clean slate, often resolving persistent issues that simpler troubleshooting does not fix.
Report Problems to TikTok
If you continue having problems with bookmarking even after trying all troubleshooting steps, notify TikTok support directly:
- From your TikTok profile, tap the Share Feedback link at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose to report a Problem to send a bug report.
- Select the issue types that apply to your bookmarking problem.
- Give additional details on what’s going wrong and when it occurs.
- Make sure to include your device model, OS version, and TikTok version.
- Tap Send to submit your report to TikTok’s developers.
- The TikTok support team continually reviews user reports to isolate bugs and fix them with app updates.
- While you likely won’t receive an individual response, submitting feedback helps improve TikTok for everyone.
Reporting bookmarking issues, even if all troubleshooting failed, aids TikTok in identifying broader technical problems so they can be resolved permanently in future updates.
Conclusion
The bookmark feature lets you easily save TikTok videos for later, but occasionally it may
stop working properly and prevent you from adding new bookmarks. There are a variety of possible causes, from outdated apps to account restrictions. The good news is that bookmarking problems can usually be fixed with some simple troubleshooting steps.
First, always make sure the TikTok app is fully updated in your device’s app store. Outdated app versions often harbor bugs. Clearing TikTok’s cache can also give the app a fresh start if corrupt temporary data is causing issues.
Check that your account doesn’t have any limitations placed on it that restrict features. Connecting to TikTok through different WiFi networks or cellular data can bypass network-level restrictions. A VPN app can also get around any connection blocks.
Reinstalling TikTok entirely may be necessary to completely eliminate difficult glitches. And if all else fails, report issues directly to TikTok’s support team so they can investigate and implement fixes in future app updates.
With the detailed troubleshooting advice in this guide, you should be able to get TikTok’s bookmark feature working again when problems arise.
Save your favorite videos hassle-free so you can easily watch or share them later, even if bookmarking initially seems broken. Just follow the steps to diagnose the underlying cause and implement the right solution to get bookmarking fixed.
