TikTok keeps crashing? 9 fixes for iPhone and Android

Why does TikTok crash?

TikTok is one of the heaviest apps on a phone. It plays video, applies effects, keeps a large cache and uploads big files, all at the same time. A crash means the app ran out of memory, hit a bug or could not read its own files. The usual triggers are a new TikTok update with a bug, a phone that is almost full, too many apps open, an outdated phone system and a corrupted cache. A weak connection does not normally crash the app, but it can make it freeze, which looks similar.

When does it crash? Use the clue

• Right when you open it: update, restart, clear the cache or reinstall.
• When you open the camera or effects: check the camera permission and close other apps.
• When you upload or post: free up storage, use Wi-Fi and shorten the video.
• When you scroll For You: clear the cache, update and test without a VPN. If videos just will not load, see TikTok not loading.
• Only after a phone update: wait for a TikTok update, or check the phone for its own bugs.

Fix it on iPhone

• Update TikTok in the App Store and iOS in Settings › General › Software Update.
• Go to Settings › General › iPhone Storage › TikTok. If the app is big, tap Offload App, then reinstall it. This keeps your account data but resets the app files.
• Check free space. Our guide to freeing up iPhone storage shows what to remove.
• Turn off Low Power Mode while you test, since it can limit background tasks.
• Allow Camera, Microphone, Photos and Local Network access under Settings › Apps › TikTok.

Fix it on Android

• Open Settings › Apps › TikTok › Storage and tap Clear cache.
• Update TikTok and Android System WebView in Google Play.
• Set battery use for TikTok to Unrestricted or Optimized, and avoid battery saver while you use it.
• Close other apps and restart the phone.
• Check Settings › Software update. Old Android versions may be too old for the newest TikTok.

Crashes while posting or editing videos

Editing uses a lot of memory. Long clips, 4K video, many effects and large sound files are the usual culprits. Try a shorter clip, record at a lower resolution in the camera app and then edit, or post from the phone's gallery after you trim it. Save the draft often. Turn off the setting that saves a copy to your device if storage is tight. If it keeps failing after you free some space, restart the phone and try again on Wi-Fi.

Protect your drafts and account first

Drafts live only on your phone. Before you clear storage or reinstall, open each draft and save it to your camera roll or post it as private. Clearing the cache keeps drafts, while clearing data or deleting the app can erase them. Make sure you know your log in details, because you will sign in again. If you use a phone number to log in, check that you can get codes. Do not use apps that claim to restore deleted TikTok drafts, since they are often scams.

When an old phone is the real problem

If TikTok crashes on a phone that is five or more years old, the app may need more memory than the phone has. Close other apps, restart often and keep storage free. If it still crashes, use TikTok in a browser at tiktok.com, or consider a newer phone. Before you buy, compare costs, and keep your old phone for backup. Our Android speed-up guide can extend its life a bit.

If it crashes even after reinstalling

• Check Downdetector for an outage.
• Try a different account or log out and in.
• Test on another network, with and without a VPN.
• Contact TikTok from Profile › menu › Settings and privacy › Report a problem.
• Try the app on another phone. If it works there, your phone is the issue.

Quick checks that save time

• Open TikTok at tiktok.com in a browser. If it also fails there, the problem is TikTok or your network.
• Check the app version in the store. If an update is waiting, install it first.
• Restart the phone, then open only TikTok and nothing else.
• Check storage. TikTok's cache can grow to several gigabytes if you watch a lot.

Clear the TikTok cache and what it does

In TikTok, tap Profile, the menu with three lines, then Settings and privacy. Scroll to Cache & Cellular and tap Free up space, then Clear next to Cache. This removes temporary videos and thumbnails. It does not delete drafts, likes or followers. If the app is slow after you do this, that is normal, since it rebuilds the cache as you scroll. On Android you can also clear the cache in Settings › Apps › TikTok › Storage, as long as you avoid Clear data.

Does TikTok keep crashing after an update?

New releases sometimes bring bugs, particularly on older phones. If TikTok began to crash right after an update, check the store for a newer version, since TikTok often fixes major crashes within a few days. Do not rush to uninstall without saving drafts. On Android, you can also check for beta versions, but these may have more bugs, so stay on the main release unless support tells you otherwise.

A note on VPNs and region settings

A VPN or a changed region can make TikTok act strangely, from crashing to showing no videos. Turn off VPNs while you test. Also check that your phone's region and time are right. A wrong date or time breaks secure connections and can crash apps that expect a valid certificate.

Using TikTok on a tablet or in a browser

If the phone app keeps failing, open tiktok.com in Safari or Chrome while you wait for a fix. You can watch videos and log in, though some features such as effects and live editing are limited. On a tablet, check that the app is made for tablets, since some phone apps stretch badly and crash when you rotate the screen. Rotate the device back and forth only once and see whether the crash returns.

Signs the problem is with your account and not the app

• The app opens but shows an error about your account or region.
• You are logged out each time and cannot get codes.
• TikTok says your account is under review or restricted.

In that case, reinstalling will not help. Wait a day, check your email for a message from TikTok and use the in-app report option. Keep your recovery email and phone number current so you can always get back in.

Once TikTok is stable, keep a few GB free and update the app regularly. That prevents most repeat crashes.