Formally known as Musically, TikTok is now one of the prominent social media apps. You can make and post videos, share others’ videos, and create duets with other users. In addition, you can communicate with other users through TikTok messages. If you are new to the platform and do not know how to enable direct messages on TikTok, you will learn all about it in this article.
Answer:
To enable direct messages on TikTok:
1. Open and log into your TikTok account and go to your profile.
2. Tap on the three straight lines on your screen and go to ‘Settings and Privacy.’
3. Select the ‘Privacy’ option.
4. Click on ‘Direct Messages.’
5. Select ‘Followers you follow back and people you sent messages to.’
What Is Direct Messaging On TikTok?
Direct Messaging, popularly known as DM, as the name suggests, allows users to send and receive private messages between two users. Messages sent through DM are not visible to others except the message sender and receiver.
Direct Messaging or DMs can be a great way to interact privately with your friends or other users on TikTok. But note that only your friends connected on TikTok can send you direct messages. Users who are not friends with you on TikTok will not be able to send you any messages, nor will you be able to send them any messages.
How To Enable Direct Messages On TikTok?
TikTok, like other social media platforms, also allows its users to send and receive messages. You can enable as well as disable the Direct Messaging feature on TikTok. If you are new to TikTok and have no idea how to access the Direct Messaging feature, follow the steps below to turn on the direct message feature.
Step 1: Open the TikTok app on iOS or Android and login into your account.
Step 2: Hit the profile icon on the bottom right of your screen and go to your profile.
Step 3: Click on the hamburger icon on the top right of your screen and select the “Settings and Privacy” option.
Step 4: Under the “Settings and Privacy” page, select the ‘Privacy’ option.
Step 5: On the Privacy page, scroll down unless you find ‘Direct Messages’ and click on it.
Step 6: Select ‘Followers you follow back and people you sent messages to’ or ‘Suggested Friends’ to enable direct messages on TikTok.
This way, you can enable direct messages on TikTok. However, you must be friends with the users you wish to send the message.
How To View Direct Messages On TikTok?
People often find it confusing how one can view direct messages on TikTok if they are new to it. However, it is quite simple to view direct messages on TikTok and see who has messaged you. This article will guide you on how you can view your direct messages on TikTok.
To view your direct messages on TikTok, do follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Open TikTok on your iOS or Android, and log in to your account.
Step 2: On the bottom of your screen, tap on Inbox.
Step 3: Once you tap on the Inbox, the app will direct you to the direct messages on TikTok.
When your friends message you on TikTok, all those messages will be available to you on Direct Messages. You can reply to those messages or even delete them as you wish.
How To Send Direct Messages On TikTok?
Once you activate Direct Messages, you can receive and send messages on TikTok. But to send messages on TikTok, you must follow the other person and vice versa. Unlike other social media apps like Instagram, where your messages to users who are not on your friend list go to ‘Message requests,’ TikTok does not even send your messages to the users unless you are friends.
For the users to send direct messages on TikTok, you can use the following steps:
Step 1: Open the TikTok app on your phone.
Step 2: Press the Inbox icon at the bottom of the screen and go to your inbox.
Step 3: After you go to the Inbox page, tap on the name of the user you want to message if you have recent messages.
Step 4: You can also go to the ‘Direct message’ icon at the top right of your screen to send messages to someone who is not on the message list.
Step 5: Now, you can type the name of the user you want to message.
Step 6: Type the message and tap on the arrow button to send the message.
After you send the message, you can also view if the message got delivered and whether the receiver has seen your message or not.
Also, check out another article that discusses sending direct messages on TikTok in depth.
How To Send Messages On TikTok Through User’s Profile?
If you cannot find someone through your chat list, there is another way you can send them a message. You can also send a direct message to the user through their profile.
To send a direct message to other users on TikTok through the user’s profile:
Step 1: Open TikTok and log in to your TikTok account.
Step 2: Tap on the ‘Search’ icon at the top right of your screen.
Step 3: Type the name of your friends or the user you want to send the message to.
Step 4: Once you type the username, the user’s profile will appear on the screen. Tap on the profile.
Step 5: After you go to the user’s profile, click on the Message button.
Step 6: Now, you can type the message you want to send and tap on the Send icon.
This way, you can send messages to users you are friends with on TikTok through their profiles. But as you will need to be friends with the user to send the message, you won’t even be able to view the message button on their profile.
Instead, you will see the Follow button instead of the Message button. So, follow them if you want to exchange messages and content with one another.
Can You Share Contents On TikTok Through Direct Messaging?
You can not only send texts to other users on TikTok but also share TikTok videos through direct messaging. You want to send certain content to your friend on TikTok, and you can do it through direct messaging.
To share content on TikTok through direct messaging, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1: Launch the TikTok app on your phone.
Step 2: Press the share icon on the right of the video you want to share with your friends.
Step 3: Once you click the share icon, tap the profile photo of the user you wish to share the video with.
Step 4: If the user’s profile you wish to send the content to does not appear firsthand, you can tap on TikTok Friends.
Step 5: When you tap on TikTok Friends, a list of your friends appears on the screen. Select the users you wish to share the video with.
This way, you can share the content on TikTok with your friends through direct messaging. However, you cannot share content created outside of TikTok in a direct message. The contents need to be created on the TikTok app itself for you to share with your friends.
Can Users Below 15 Access And Enable Direct Messages On TikTok?
Although TikTok allows users under 15 to use and access the feature of making and posting videos on it, the direct messaging feature of TikTok is not available for such users. TikTok has created certain restrictions for users under the age of 15, including the Direct Messaging feature.
To access the Direct Messaging feature on TikTok, the users must be 16 and over. Users below 15 years cannot send or receive direct messages; their accounts are set to private by default, and only their friends can see their videos.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are some of the frequently asked questions.
Who Can Message Me On TikTok?
Only users you are friends with on TikTok can message you. Whether your account is private or public, other users cannot message you unless they follow you and you follow them back.
Can I Stop People From Messaging Me On TikTok?
Yes, you can. By simply turning off the Direct Messaging feature, you can stop users from messaging you. Completely turning off the DM feature means no one will be able to message you unless you turn the feature on again.
Why Can’t I Send Messages On TikTok?
It may be because you are not friends with the user. For the users to be able to send and receive messages, they must follow one another, or TikTok won’t deliver the messages.
Will People See If I Read Their Messages?
Yes. TikTok now has the feature of reading receipts, allowing users to see who viewed their messages. If the users have turned on the option of reading receipts, they can easily see if you have viewed their message or not. So if you view someone’s message, they will know about it.
Conclusion
One of the reasons for TikTok’s popularity is because of the messaging feature it offers to its users. However, this feature has some concerns as it has strict guidelines for its underaged users. For example, users under 16 cannot send or receive messages.
TikTok has kept in mind the Privacy of its users, as people you are not friends with cannot send you messages. To communicate and message one another, the users need to follow each other, or else messaging is impossible.
