How to Find Deleted TikTok Videos | Step-By-Step Guide [2024]

Learn how to find deleted TikTok videos using this step-by-step guide.

In this post, we cover several crucial points you absolutely need to know when managing your client’s TikTok accounts.

Things like:

• How to get back deleted TikTok videos
• How to keep backups of TikTok videos
• How to find saved drafts on TikTok
• Tips to keep your TikTok videos from being deleted
• Common reasons for losing TikTok videos
• Best practices for repurposing deleted TikTok videos
• How to find deleted TikTok videos: FAQs
• Repurpose deleted videos with Vista Social

How to get back deleted TikTok videos

TikTok doesn’t have a built-in feature that lets you view or recover deleted TikTok videos from the native app.

However, you can still recover deleted TikTok videos from the device they’re uploaded from. 

If your client is having trouble finding a deleted video, guide them with these instructions: 

1. Go to their device’s photo gallery app

Modern smartphones all have a photo gallery app where all images and videos are kept. 

For Android devices, look for the ‘Gallery’ app or something similar. On iPhones, this is simply the ‘Photos’ app.

2. Find the TikTok folder

Use the device’s photo gallery app to find the TikTok folder where all uploads are saved automatically. 

The easiest way to do this is to use the search tool and enter the keyword “TikTok.” 

By default, Android saves your uploads under a folder called “TikTok.” On iPhones, just tap ‘See all’ to view all saved TikTok videos.

3. Look for the TikTok video you deleted 

Find the deleted video from the gallery and repurpose it as you wish. 

Spice it up by incorporating TikTok quotes, experimenting with new hashtags, or using a different music track. 

Testing new strategies is the best way to perfect your TikTok marketing strategy—and that will help you learn how to become a TikTok influencer.  

If you can’t find the TikTok folder, make sure you’re checking the device used to upload the original video. Also, check your gallery app’s “recently deleted” folder to check if the videos are there. 

If none of these work, the device’s TikTok app may have the “Save to device” feature disabled, which means you can’t recover deleted TikTok videos this way.

TikTok tips to remember if you want to restore deleted videos

Before restoring a deleted TikTok video, ask your client to clarify the reason why it was removed. 

They might have deleted the video to avoid violating TikTok’s community guidelines and potentially getting flagged or blocked. Or, they may have found the content irrelevant or misaligned with their brand voice.

As a rule of thumb, only restore deleted videos as per your client’s request. You can also restore videos if they were accidentally deleted. 

Other than that, here are three additional tips to remember  

• Look at popular TikTok questions to make repurposed content more engaging. 
• Re-schedule TikTok posts at optimal times using Vista Social. 
• Cross-promote TikTok videos on other social media platforms. 

Ready to give your content workflow and posts a major upgrade? Try AI Assistant powered by ChatGPT today! 🤖💙

How to keep backups of TikTok videos

Saving backups of TikTok videos on your device is a healthy habit for active TikTokers. 

Make this the standard in your agency if you handle client TikTok campaigns. 

The manual method is to save your client’s videos manually to your device. 

Fire up the TikTok app and go to your client’s profile page.

Open the video you want to save. Open the three-dot menu to the right and then tap ‘Save video.’

That’s it—the video is now saved to your device’s camera roll. 

Double-check to see if TikTok videos are automatically saved to your device from the post editor. 

When creating your post, scroll down and tap ‘More options.’ From there, enable the ‘Save to device’ toggle and you’re done.

If your client already has a huge library of TikTok videos you want to back up, you can save their videos in bulk using Repurpose.io. 

This is a more efficient method than saving your TikTok videos one by one. 

On your Repurpose.io dashboard, go to “Connections” and click ‘Add a New Connection.’ Select ‘TikTok’ from the list of options when they appear.

Configure your TikTok connection by giving it a name and signing in via the pop-up window. Repeat the same steps to connect your Google Drive account to have both services linked to Repurpose.io.

Next, go to “Workflows” and click ‘Create a New Workflow.’

Create a workflow with TikTok as your source and Google Drive as the destination. Be sure to select ‘Upload Video’ as your workflow action and create a new folder to make your videos more searchable on Google Drive. 

Click ‘Done’ to finish your workflow and get back to the Repurpose.io dashboard.

On your “Workflows” page, look for the workflow you just created and click ‘View Content.’

Switch the toggle to ‘Auto’ to automatically upload your TikTok videos to Google Drive. To manually choose which videos to back up, use the ‘Publish’ button next to the content.

Why do you need to keep TikTok backups? 

First, it makes it easier to recover TikTok deleted videos in the future. 

If you’re wondering how to get my TikTok videos back after being banned (or, if your country bans TikTok), saving posts to your device is also a foolproof solution. 

How to find saved drafts on TikTok

Figuring out how to get 1,000 followers on TikTok requires a lot of trial and error. 

TikTok drafts come in handy for this purpose. 

By saving posts as drafts, you can compare different editing techniques and tactics side by side. 

Drafts can also be used to implement an approval system between you and your client. Rather than posting or scheduling TikTok posts yourself, save them as drafts and have your client give the final go-ahead. 

To find saved drafts on TikTok, follow these steps: 

1. Open the TikTok app. 
2. Go to your client’s profile page. 
3. On their feed, tap “Drafts” in the upper-left corner of their profile grid. 

For more TikTok marketing tips, read our guide on how to get more views on TikTok after posting. 

Tips to keep your TikTok videos from being deleted

Prevent your client’s TikTok videos from being intentionally or accidentally deleted with these tips:

• Keep backups of your client’s TikTok videos. It’s always a good idea to save a copy of your client’s TikTok videos to your device, cloud storage, or even an SD card. This way, even if the videos are accidentally deleted from TikTok, you still have a copy of the deleted video. You can easily retrieve and restore deleted TikTok videos for clients.
• Be careful when deleting videos. If you must delete a video, ensure you select the correct content before confirming the deletion. Double-check the video thumbnail and the video description before hitting the delete button to save your team and clients the headache later.
• Follow TikTok’s community guidelines. Ensure your client’s videos comply with TikTok’s community guidelines to avoid getting flagged and removed by the platform since you can’t recover deleted videos. The common reasons for video removal include nudity, hate speech, and graphic violence.
• Avoid copyrighted content. TikTok has strict rules around copyrighted content. Avoid using copyrighted music or other materials in your client’s videos unless you have obtained permission from the owner.
• Enable the “Save to Device” feature. Turn on the “Save to Device” option in the TikTok settings to automatically save your client’s videos to the device’s camera roll. It lets you keep copies of the videos even if they are removed from the platform.

Consider following these best practices to help ensure that your client’s TikTok videos remain safe and secure from accidental or intentional video deletion. 

Also, consider implementing an approval process before your team can delete TikTok videos to avoid accidental deletions and disasters.

Common reasons for losing TikTok videos

The most common reasons for losing your clients’ videos can include the following:

• Network issues. If the device you’re using to record and post your client’s content encounters network issues, you could lose the video on TikTok. 
• Not saving videos. As mentioned, not saving the videos your clients record and upload to TikTok to the device’s local storage means losing them if the original post gets taken down or deleted. 
• App-related issues and bugs. Issues like corrupted TikTok app updates and bugs that haven’t been fixed yet can make the app malfunction and potentially cause your clients’ videos to disappear. For instance, you can lose the TikTok-recorded video if the app crashes before or during posting it on your client’s feed. 
• Sudden power off. If your phone suddenly turned off or restarted while posting your client’s just-recorded TikTok content, you could lose that video forever if it wasn’t backed up anywhere.     
• Corrupted video files. If the original TikTok post gets deleted and your backup video on your phone or local drive gets corrupted, you’ll have no way of recovering the video. 

Your clients can also lose their TikTok videos due to incomplete video transfers, formatting incompatibility, third-party app issues, and more.  

Best practices for repurposing deleted TikTok videos

As long as your clients’ TikTok videos weren’t deleted due to TikTok Community Guidelines violations or other related issues, you can always give them a second chance to shine. 

Here are some best practices for repurposing your clients’ deleted TikTok videos.

• Back up everything. Always backup your clients’ TikTok videos to ensure you don’t lose them permanently if they get deleted intentionally or accidentally. 
• Edit and update the video. Keep your clients’ deleted videos fresh before repurposing them by using cool edits and remixes. You can add new captions, music, or effects to make the videos you’ve previously deleted more engaging. 
• Develop a re-posting strategy. Make the most of your clients’ repurposed videos by setting an optimal posting schedule and incorporating TikTok trends. For example, you can stitch your clients’ previous TikTok videos with popular and relevant challenges to piggyback on the trend. It’s also crucial to repost your clients’ TikTok videos when target audiences are most active to boost visibility and engagement. 
• Experiment with various formats. Breathe new life into your clients’ deleted TikTok videos by repurposing them into various formats. For example, turn short video clips into a  Story series or mash up Instagram Reels to turn them into one TikTok video. You can also include deleted content in your clients’ end-of-the-year TikTok Wrapped videos. The possibilities are endless!
• Incorporate follower feedback. Learn from your clients’ followers, especially if they commented on the deleted video’s quality, content, topic, etc. Use the insights to improve your clients’ TikTok videos before repurposing and re-posting them. Address any suggestions or concerns to make your clients’ repurposed videos more snazzy and almost brand new. 
• Ask for audience reactions. Engage your clients’ audiences by asking their thoughts and opinions about TikTok Video 2.0. Spark conversations around the repurposed content to help drive views and engagement. 
• Track the repurposed video’s performance. Monitor your clients’ views, shares, likes, and other engagement metrics. Analyze these to determine whether the repurposed video resonates better with them. Also, note what works or flops to continually improve your clients’ content strategies and achieve significant TikTok organic growth. 
• Review the videos’ performance. Before repurposing your clients’ TikTok videos, check their performance. How many shares, likes, comments, and views did they get? Some TikTok videos can flop initially because of timing and visibility issues, so check if they’re still relevant or have viral potential. 

[Must read: How to Go Viral on TikTok: Actionable & Easy-to-Follow Tips]

How to find deleted TikTok videos: FAQs

Can you find deleted TikToks? 

Check your device’s gallery app and search for the “TikTok” folder to see if your TikTok posts are saved there. Regularly create backups of your TikTok videos to easily restore deleted or lost videos in the future. 

When you delete a TikTok video, is it gone forever?

Yes—deleted TikTok video files are removed from the app permanently. Only backups that were automatically saved or manually created will remain. 

Can you get back deleted TikTok drafts? 

TikTok drafts that were deleted through the native app are lost permanently. Consider uploading posts privately instead to make drafts downloadable before deleting them. 

Will I lose my drafts if I delete my TikTok account?

Yes. 

Uninstalling the TikTok app from your client’s device will delete all the saved drafts.

Uninstalling the app can be necessary if the app keeps crashing for instance.

However, remember to ask clients to save the TikTok drafts in the device’s internal memory before uninstalling the app so you have backups and don’t lose the drafts.

Where do TikTok videos go after I delete them?

Deleted TikTok videos from the app are gone forever, unless you saved a copy in your phone.

If you delete a saved TikTok video in your Windows computer, you can find and restore the file from the Recycle Bin.

If the Recycle Bin has been emptied, you’ll lose the TikTok video permanently—unless you saved it in other places like Google Photos and the Cloud. 

Can you archive TikTok videos?

Unfortunately, TikTok doesn’t have a native feature to archive your clients’ videos. 

However, there are workarounds to this. 

One option is to set your clients’ privacy option for videos in their accounts to Only me so only those with access to the account can see the videos. 

Another method is to save your clients’ TikTok videos to your device’s camera roll or photo and video gallery and delete them from your client’s feed. 

Can you delete the likes you left on a video from another TikTok user?

Yes, by undoing or “unliking” the TikTok videos.

Go to the account’s Liked videos tab and select the video you wish to unlike to play it. 

Then, tap the Like (💗) button to unlike it. The video will be removed from the TikTok account’s Liked Videos folder. 

How can you see the deleted Search History on TikTok?

There is no direct way to view a deleted search history on TikTok. 

Your best bet is to try the following tactics: 

• Go through your client’s TikTok Watch History
• Review your clients’ comment history
• Request and download your clients’ TikTok data
• Use a video recovery software for TikTok 

Additional resources to grow followers on TikTok

You need all the help you can get to dominate TikTok.

With the fierce competition you face, it pays to have not just the tools but also strategies and walkthroughs to increase views, followers, and engagement.

We got you covered.

Check out the resources below to learn how seasoned social media managers are winning at TikTok.

1. How to Get Unbanned on TikTok: Steps, Tips, FAQs [2024]

2. 170+ TikTok Bio Ideas for Businesses (2024)

3. TikTok Drafts: How to Edit, Post, Save, and Delete Drafts

4. How to Repost on TikTok: Step-by-Step Guide

Repurpose TikTok deleted videos with Vista Social

Recovering TikTok deleted videos is easy to do, especially if you practice creating backups of your TikTok content. 

Make the most of the content you salvaged by re-publishing it through Vista Social.

You can schedule posts at optimal times, get hashtag suggestions, and promote them on other social media platforms.

Vista Social also helps you with the following:

• Write engaging post taglines, captions, and descriptions quickly with the platform’s AI Assistant. You can also use the ChatGPT-powered AI Assistant to brainstorm fresh topics for your clients’ posts and send quick replies to common follower questions and comments. 
• Drive traffic from your clients’ TikTok profiles to their relevant pages with a link in bio tool and customizable micro websites and landing pages called Vista Page. You can integrate payment options, lead capture forms, appointment booking calendars, and more. 
• Plan, develop, and manage your clients’ TikTok and other social media content with Vista Social’s collaborative content calendar. You can also generate intuitive workflows, such as an approval workflow, to improve your team’s efficiency
• Sort and plan your clients’ videos with an intuitive Visual TikTok Planner to achieve the look and vibe they want in their feeds. 
• Gain actionable insights into your clients’ audience engagement data and top-performing content using the platform’s TikTok analytics and reporting features.   

Drive traffic from social networks, collect payments, generate leads, get appointments, track clicks, and more.

See what else you can do with Vista Social by creating a free account here.