In 2023, TikTok has hit a whopping 2.6 billion downloads—can you believe it? It’s no secret that TikTok is globally popular, so you might be thinking of getting it yourself.
But what if you encounter issues trying to download TikTok on your phone? It’s not something that happens often, but both iOS and Android users can face this hiccup.
Furthermore, some TikTok users have shared their struggles with TikTok videos refusing to download.
In this guide, we at Mobile Wireless Trends will walk you through fixing the problem of TikTok not downloading, whether it’s the app itself or TikTok videos causing the headache.
Quick Tech Answer
You can fix TikTok apps not downloading by clearing cache, freeing up storage space, fixing Google Play Store or Apple App Store, and checking your Internet connection. If you can’t download TikTok videos, then check out the privacy settings of the video and make sure to update your phone OS and the TikTok App to the latest version.
Tech Shortcut
My Device Can’t Download TikTok App! Why?
If your mobile device (Android or iOS) is failing to download the TikTok Application, then this problem might be caused due to any of the three following reasons:
- Storage Problem: If your mobile device does not have enough storage space, then it will fail to download mobile apps, including TikTok. This creates the need to check your phone’s storage space before attempting to download TikTok once again. This can also cause other problems, such as TikTok views and likes not updating.
- Regional Restrictions: TikTok availability can vary by region due to legal restrictions, government regulations, or licensing agreements. If TikTok is not available in your region or country, you may not be able to download the app from official app stores.
- Technical Issues: Sometimes, technical issues can prevent the successful download of an app. This could be due to network connectivity problems, app store glitches, or temporary server issues. Ensure that your device has a stable internet connection, and try downloading the app again after some time.
Why Can’t I Download TikTok Videos?
You may be encountering difficulties with TikTok videos not downloading on your phone, which could be another factor contributing to the issue of TikTok not downloading.
If you cannot download TikToks, then it might be due to any of the following three reasons:
- Privacy and Copyright Restrictions: TikTok has privacy settings and copyright policies in place to protect content creators and their intellectual property. Some videos may have restrictions that prevent them from being downloaded to maintain privacy and control over the content.
- App Limitations: TikTok may have certain limitations built into the app that prevent users from directly downloading videos. These limitations are intended to prevent unauthorized distribution and ensure that the content remains within the TikTok platform.
- TikTok Account Restrictions: Users who have been search banned on TikTok or temporarily restricted will not be able to perform TikTok downloads. Make sure your account complies with TikTok’s terms of service before attempting to download videos again.
7 Ways to Fix TikTok Not Downloading
TikTok not downloading might mean two different things:
- The TikTok app is not downloading on your phone.
- Or a TikTok video is not downloading on your mobile device.
Regardless of the problem you are having, the following 7 methods will show you how to fix TikTok not downloading quickly.
Fix #1: Free up Mobile Storage Space
One of the main reasons why TikTok is not downloading on your phone is that you don’t have enough storage space to download more apps.
This problem affects both Android and iOS users, and the only way to solve it is by following any of the following 5 fixes:
1. Delete Unused Photos and Videos: To free up storage space on your device, delete photos and videos that you no longer need. Go through your gallery or camera app, select the unnecessary items, and delete them. Remember to back up important files before deleting them.
2. Clear Cache Files on Android and iOS: Cache files from apps can take up storage space. On Android, go to Settings > Storage > Cached data to clear the cache for all apps or select specific ones. On iOS, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, and you’ll find options like “Offload Unused Apps” to remove apps you don’t use. You can also manually clear app cache by deleting and reinstalling apps.
3. Get iCloud+ on Apple Devices for More Storage: If you’re an Apple user, consider subscribing to iCloud+ for additional storage. With iCloud+, you can store photos, videos, and files in the cloud, freeing up space on your device.
4. Delete Unused Apps and Files: Uninstall unused apps on your device to reclaim storage space. In Settings, go to Apps or Applications, select the apps you no longer need, and uninstall them. Additionally, search for unnecessary files like downloaded documents and delete them to free up storage.
5. Use a Micro SD Memory on Android: If your Android device supports expandable storage, insert a Micro SD card to increase storage capacity. Transfer media files to the SD card, such as photos, videos, and music, to free up internal storage.
Fix #2: Update Android or iPhone Device Operating System
Perhaps the operating system of your mobile phone is outdated, and that’s why you cannot download TikTok.
To update Android Operating System, simply go to Settings, open the “About Your Phone Option,” select “Android Version,” and download the latest firmware update.
To update iOS, go to Settings, open General, select “Software Update,” and see if there is a new iOS version for your Android device.
After doing this, go to your phone’s application store (Google Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for iOS) and try to download TikTok again.
Fix #3: Check Your Internet Connection & Update TikTok
Now, you might be struggling to download TikTok videos. In this case, there are two main things you can do:
- Ensure that your Internet connection is working. Try to open other applications and see if they work. Also, turn off the WiFi connection of your device and use mobile data instead.
- If you are sure that your connectivity is working, then the TikTok App might be outdated. Go to your phone’s App Store, and download the latest version of TikTok.
If after following all these steps you still can’t download, then the video is simply not available to download – we mentioned before that TikTok users can decide whether others can download their TikToks or not, so they might have privacy restrictions on their videos.
Fix #4: Check TikTok Regional Availability (Banned Countries)
In 2023, a lot of countries are currently banning TikTok. This is a hard-to-walk-by topic, so we’ll try to avoid it so as not to fall into political matters.
However, if you are completely unable to download the TikTok App on your phone, then check out if you live in a country where the platform is restricted.
The only thing you can do against regional TikTok restrictions is to use a VPN, but do this only at your own risk. The banned countries are the following:
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- India
- The Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
Fix #5: How to Fix TikTok Not Downloading on Google Play Store
If you cannot download the TikTok App on the Google Play Store, then there are three things you can do as an Android user:
- Clear Google Play Store cache: Go to the Settings on your Android device, then navigate to Apps or Applications. Find Google Play Store in the list, tap on it, and select “Clear Cache.” This will clear the temporary data that may be causing issues with downloading TikTok.
- Restart Your Phone: Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one. Simply restart your Android phone and try to download TikTok again.
- Check Your Phone’s Hardware: If you can download TikTok on another device, then the problem might be related to the hardware of your phone. Take it to a specialized technical service for further assistance.
Fix #6: How to Fix TikTok Not Downloading on Apple App Store
Apple users have also encountered problems when trying to download the TikTok App. TikTok on iOS sometimes fails (such as TikTok Unable to Authorize Apple ID), and these are the best things you can do about it:
- Sign out and Sign Back into the App Store: Open the Settings app on your iOS device, tap on your Apple ID at the top, and select “Sign Out.” After signing out, sign back in with your Apple ID and password. Launch the App Store, search for TikTok, and attempt the download.
- Update iOS Version: Ensure that your iOS device is running the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and check for any available updates. If an update is available, install it and then try downloading TikTok again.
- Take Your Phone to Apple’s Technical Service: The issue might be beyond your scope of knowledge, which means that only Apple’s technical service can properly get your phone fixed – sorry to break the bad news to you!
Fix #7: Check Your Phone’s Hardware and Fix It
Finally, the only thing you can do (besides a factory reset, but to be honest, I highly doubt this will help you out) is take your phone to a specialized technical service.
Android phones by Samsung, Xiaomi, and other brands, have their own technical services to repair hardware-related issues.
Likewise, Apple users can take their iPhones to Apple Support Team so they can fix these bugs.
This is a last resort alternative, so only do so if you are completely unable to download TikToks.
Tech Recap: How to Fix TikTok Not Letting Me Download
Once you’ve gone through the tips in this guide, resolving the issue of TikTok not allowing downloads should be a breeze.
Unfortunately, if none of these suggestions did the trick, we might be dealing with a more significant problem related to your TikTok account or your phone’s hardware. Check out the MWT Summary below for a quick overview of this post:
- Free up Mobile Storage Space
- Update Android or iPhone Device Operating System
- Check Your Internet Connection & Update TikTok
- Check TikTok Regional Availability (Banned Countries)
- Fix Google Play Store
- Fix Apple App Store
- Inspect Your Phone’s Hardware and Resolve Issues
Techies Also Ask
Why Is TikTok Not Opening After Downloading It?
There could be various reasons why TikTok may not open after downloading it, such as technical glitches, compatibility issues with the device, or problems with the app itself. Updating the app to the latest version or reinstalling it may help resolve the issue.
Why Can’t I Save My Own TikTok Videos?
You might be unable to save your own TikTok videos due to insufficient storage space, connectivity problems, or privacy settings. Remember that you cannot download TikTok Drafts – you must upload the video in order to properly download it to your phone.