How to Get Unshadowbanned on TikTok

Stuck at zero views on your latest TikTok? You might be shadowbanned. Here's five things to try if you think your TikTok content is being hidden from viewers.

The TikTok algorithm works in mysterious ways, but it's beloved by creators and viewers alike for its ability to connect the right audience to the right content. Thanks to TikTok's clever FYP (For You Page) engineering, creators and brands who publish consistently on the platform get used to seeing a solid view count on their videos. So it can be shocking when all of a sudden your video views drop to zero.

It's possible that you're in the middle of a TikTok shadow ban.

In this article, we'll explore what it means to be shadow banned on TikTok, the reasons behind it, and most importantly how to unshadowban TikTok videos that are hurting your account.

Here's what we'll answer:

• What is a TikTok shadow ban?

• Why did TikTok shadow ban me?

• How will I know if I have been shadow banned on TikTok?

• How long does a shadow ban last on TikTok?

• How to unshadowban TikTok videos

Let's step into the world of shadowbans.

What is a TikTok shadow ban?

If you've been on social media for a while, you have probably heard the term "shadow banned" being thrown around.

Shadow bans can mean different things for different social media platforms. A TikTok shadow ban happens when the platform makes a video ineligible for the For You feed (FYF). If one of your videos has been shadow banned, it will not be surfaced to users who are scrolling their FYP (For You Page) or even their Follower feed on TikTok.

Your video can still be surfaced via TikTok search, and users who visit your Profile page directly will still be able to see it in your library. But without exposure on the For You feed, your video's reach will be drastically restricted.

Having a video shadow banned can also have a ripple effect on your other videos. It means fewer people are finding, following, and interacting with your account, so you might see view counts, likes, and comments drop on all of your videos.  

Why did TikTok shadow ban me?

TikTok shadow bans any content that violates their community guidelines. This is the platform's way  of protecting users from the usual culprits on social media: spam, copyright infringement, and inappropriate or adult content.

However, TikTok's community guidelines violations don't stop there. New TikTok guidelines go into effect on May 17, 2024. These new guidelines expand the criteria that can make a video FYF ineligible (For You feed ineligible). Restricted content includes:

• Dieting and extreme fitness
• Sadness and statements of hopelessness
• Visible watermarks or logos
• Extremely short videos
• Posting fake news
• Posting inappropriate content
• Posting sexually explicit content
• Hateful behavior
• Hate speech
• Infringement of intellectual property rights

For more specifics, read the new TikTok Community Guidelines.

How will I know if I have been shadow banned on TikTok?

If you see a sudden, drastic drop in reach after you post a video, you might be shadow banned.

Some may wrongly attribute low views to a shadow ban when they should be evaluating the quality of their content instead. If it feels like you're stuck in 200-300 view jail, you're probably not shadow banned.

But if views on a video suddenly drop to 0, or you're still seeing less than 50 views on a video after a few hours, it's likely that you're shadow banned. 

It's easy to know if TikTok has shadow banned you. Navigate to the video that has low views and open up the insights. You'll see a banner that says "Your video is not eligible for recommendation in the For You feed."

How long does a shadow ban last on TikTok?

Unfortunately, violating community guidelines on one video could lead to decreased reach on new videos you post as well. This is why it's important to unshadowban TikTok videos as quickly as possible and take action to prevent your other videos from being limited.

Once a video has been shadow banned, it will likely never be eligible for the For You feed — even if you appeal it. The best thing you can do is delete the offending video and get back to posting as normal. Your account's reach will eventually level out.

Although there's no set TikTok shadow ban duration period, if you have multiple videos that violate community guidelines, you can expect a longer time for your account to recover.

How to unshadowban TikTok videos: 5 things to try

Now that you know what a TikTok shadow ban looks like, let's cover some things you can do to fix it.

Note that there are several solutions you can try, but depending on the severity of the Community Guideline violations, you may or may not be successful in getting the ban lifted.

These five tips are key for trying to reinstate your TikTok account to its former glory, especially if you have been mistakenly flagged.

1. Delete the banned video

This easiest way to unshadowban TikTok videos is to simply delete the offending video from your account. While you'll lose that specific content, your account should bounce back quickly with restored reach and engagement rates. 

Make sure you understand why you were banned in the first place so you can protect your content from shadow banning in the future. Here's how to figure out why your video was made FYF ineligible:

• Tap on the insights of the shadowbanned video
• Tap the banner that says "Not eligible for recommendation in the For You feed"
• You'll see your video details, along with the reasons the video was ineligible for recommendation.

2. Appeal the ban

If you believe your video has been shadowbanned in error, you can appeal the decision.

Keep in mind it may take weeks or months to process this request. If you want to remove the TikTok shadow ban as quickly as possible, the best course of action is to delete the video and get back to posting content that does not violate the community guidelines.

Image via TikTok

In order to successfully appeal your FYF ineligibility, you will need to make sure your video completely adheres to TikTok's Community Guidelines. The May 2024 update adds new layers of complexity to FYF eligibility, which could make the appeal process difficult. You should read through the update closely to understand the specifics, but at a baseline always make sure your content adheres to TikTok's core guidelines for FYF eligibility:

• Be 16+ years old 
• No violent threats, incitement to violence, or promotion of criminal activities that may harm people, animals, or property
• No hate speech or hateful behaviors against ethnicity, race, religion, immigration, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or serious disease, among others
• No harassment or bullying of any kind
• No misinformation
• No QR codes
• No fake engagement
• No spamming

3. Clear out your TikTok cache

Clearing your TikTok cache can resolve technical glitches that may contribute to a shadow ban. Don't worry — clearing your cache won't remove any of your videos or account history. It will just remove the temporary files and data that TikTok has stored on your device.

To clear your TikTok cache:

• Tap Profile button in the bottom right
• Tap the menu icon in the top right, then tap the gear icon to open Settings and Privacy
• Scroll down to Cache & Cellular and select "Free up space"
• From here you can clear your cache and/or downloads

4. Be patient and post as normal

Oftentimes shadow bans can affect the reach of new content. Don't give up hope even though your videos might be getting low to no views. After you've deleted the offending video, it's wise to continue posting on your regular cadence. Posting consistently is one of the best ways to level out the views on your account

Make sure that all the new content you're posting is high quality and that it does not violate any of the community guidelines. Before you know it, you'll be back to your regular reach again.

5. Take a break from posting

If you're still seeing consistently low reach for weeks after a shadow ban, it may be a good time to take a break.

Sometimes taking a break from posting on TikTok can reset your account, and it also can help you reset creatively. When you get back to posting, you'll be ready to post quality content that will actually be seen in the algorithm.

How to make content that won't get shadow banned on TikTok

If you're a creator or a business owner who's trying to grow their reach, getting shadow banned can be excruciating, especially if TikTok is one of your main marketing platforms. Once you've recovered from a TikTok shadow ban, you never want to go there again. So how do you steer clear in the future? 

Making content that won't get shadow banned on TikTok boils down to one simple practice:

Stay inside of TikTok's Community Guidelines. The platform's rules for FYF eligibility aren't as obvious as you think. Of course TikTok doesn't want violence, discrimination, bullying, and other inappropriate content on their platform. But there are many more issues that could get your video flagged, from copyrighted material to the topics you discuss. Study the Community Guidelines closely to make sure your content is up to TikTok's standards.

Staying on top of shadowbanned content is tough if you post content to multiple social platforms, and even harder if you're managing multiple accounts across multiple channels. Loomly is a social media scheduling tool made to keep busy social media managers in the know. Platform analytics are built in, so you can monitor your content's performance in the background as you manage your social media calendar. Sign up for a Loomly free trial to see how it works (no credit card required)!