How to Delete a Post on TikTok

Posted a TikTok that didn't quite land, or worse, featured a typo you only noticed after 10,000 views? It happens to everyone. Whether you're tidying up your profile, hiding an old cringey video, or getting rid of underperforming content, deleting a TikTok post is straightforward. This guide covers how to delete a single video, manage multiple posts at once, and explores alternatives like privatizing content so you can make the best choice for your account.

Reasons Why You Might Want to Delete a TikTok Post

Hitting delete often feels like a last resort, but sometimes it’s the most strategic move for your account. It’s not just about hiding a dance you're not proud of anymore, it’s a tool for brand management and content curation. Every video on your profile contributes to the overall impression you give a new follower, so keeping it clean and on-brand is just good practice.

Rebranding or Shifting Your Niche

Maybe you started your TikTok account as a personal collection of funny clips but now want to pivot to a professional focus. Or perhaps you were all about cooking tips but have recently found a passion for financial advice. Deleting old content that no longer aligns with your new direction creates a more cohesive and professional profile for visitors. It removes confusion and tells the algorithm exactly what your account is about now, which can help your new content find the right audience faster.

Removing Underperforming Content

While TikTok’s algorithm is notoriously complex, some social media managers believe that a low-performing video can sometimes drag down your account’s momentum. If a video gets very few views and almost zero engagement (likes, comments, shares) compared to your average, it might not be resonating. Deleting these duds can clean up your profile grid, making sure that what remains is your best work. This presents a stronger overall portfolio of content to potential followers, brand partners, and the algorithm itself.

Outdated Information or Quality

Trends on TikTok move at lightning speed. A sound, format, or challenge that was hilarious three months ago might feel dated now. Likewise, your own video production skills have likely improved over time. If your early videos have poor lighting, choppy editing, or low-quality audio, they may not live up to your current standards. Deleting these older, lower-quality videos helps maintain a baseline of quality and professionalism across your entire feed.

Simple Slips and Errors

This is one of the most common reasons. You uploaded a brilliant video, only to spot a glaring typo in the on-screen text. Or maybe you used a trending sound without realizing its controversial origins. Sometimes, it’s as simple as accidentally uploading the wrong draft version from your camera roll. In these cases, a quick deletion followed by a corrected re-upload is the smartest path forward.

Before You Hit Delete: A Quick Checklist

Deleting a TikTok is permanent, so it’s worth taking a moment to think through the consequences before you commit. Once a video is gone, it’s gone for good.

• Deletion is forever: There is no "undo" button. TikTok does not have a trash or recycle bin where you can recover deleted videos. When you confirm the deletion, your video, along with all its data, is removed permanently.
• You will lose all engagement: Every like, comment, share, save, and view associated with that video disappears with it. If a post performed very well, you might be erasing valuable social proof and analytics data.
• Save it first: If you love the video itself but just don't want it public, always save it to your device before deleting. You can do this by opening the video, tapping the three-dots icon, and selecting "Save video." This downloads a copy (usually with a TikTok watermark) to your phone’s camera roll.
• Consider the alternatives: Does the video really need to be deleted, or could it just be hidden? Privatizing a video removes it from public view but keeps it (and its data) on your account, visible only to you. We'll cover how to do this later.

How to Delete a Single TikTok Post: The Step-by-Step Guide

Deleting an individual video takes just a few seconds. Follow these simple steps to remove a post directly from your profile page.

1. Navigate to Your Profile: Open the TikTok app and tap the Profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Find and Open the Video: Scroll through your videos on your profile grid and tap on the one you wish to delete. This will open the video in its own full-screen view.
3. Access the Options Menu: Look for the three-dots icon (...) on the right side of the screen. Tap it to bring up a menu of sharing and action options.
4. Locate the Delete Button: In the options menu, swipe left along the bottom row of gray icons (where you see options like "Save video" and "Duet"). Continue swiping until you see a gray trash can icon labeled Delete.
5. Confirm the Deletion: Tap the Delete icon. A confirmation pop-up will appear, asking if you’re sure you want to delete the video. Tap Delete again to permanently remove the post. The video will immediately disappear from your profile.

How to Delete Multiple TikTok Videos at Once

If you're doing a major content audit or spring cleaning your profile, deleting videos one by one is slow and tedious. Luckily, TikTok has a lesser-known feature that allows you to select and delete up to 100 videos at a time.

1. Go to Settings and Privacy: From your profile page, tap the three horizontal lines (the "hamburger menu") in the top-right corner. This will open the Settings and privacy menu.
2. Open Your Activity Center: In this menu, find and tap on Activity center. This section contains tools for managing your content and interactions on the platform.
3. Select "Manage posts": Inside the Activity center, you'll see options for managing posts, comments, and search history. Tap on Manage posts.
4. Select the Videos to Delete: You'll now see a gallery view of your published videos, with small circles in the corner of each one. Tap the circles to select the videos you want to remove. You can select up to 100 posts at once.
5. Delete in Bulk: Once you've selected all the videos you want to remove, tap the red Delete button at the bottom of the screen.
6. Confirm Your Action: A final warning will appear to confirm that you are about to delete the selected number of posts permanently. Tap Delete to confirm, and all the selected videos will be gone.

This batch-delete feature is incredibly useful for creators undergoing a significant rebrand who need to remove dozens of old, off-brand videos efficiently.

The Best Alternative: When to Privatize Your TikTok Video Instead

Sometimes, permanent deletion isn't the right answer. If you're on the fence about a video - maybe it holds sentimental value or you want to save its performance data - privatizing it is a much safer option. A private video is removed from public view and only you can see it on your profile.

Why Privatize?

• It's Reversible: You can always make a private video public again later.
• You Keep the Data: The video's likes, comments, and views are preserved, which can be useful for your own content analysis.
• You Keep the Memory: If it's a video you're personally attached to but that doesn't fit your brand, making it private lets you keep it for yourself without affecting your public image.

How to Make a TikTok Video Private

The process is nearly identical to deleting a video, but you'll choose a different option.

1. Open the TikTok video you want to make private.
2. Tap the three-dots (...) icon on the right side.
3. Swipe left on the bottom row of gray icons until you see Privacy settings.
4. At the top of the Privacy settings screen, you'll see "Who can watch this video." Tap it.
5. Change the setting from Everyone to Only me.

That's it! The video will now display a small lock icon on your profile grid, signifying it’s private and visible only to you.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're deleting one mistake or a hundred old videos, managing your TikTok profile is all about smart content curation. The platform gives you the tools to easily remove single posts, bulk delete content that no longer serves you, or privatize videos that you want to save without showing them to the world. Using these features helps you shape a profile that is consistent, high-quality, and perfectly aligned with your goals.

From our experience, the best way to avoid hitting that delete button out of regret is to have a solid content plan from the start. We designed Postbase with exactly this in mind, helping you use a clear visual calendar to plan and schedule your TikToks, ensuring everything that goes live perfectly fits your brand. This approach helps you spend less time cleaning up old content and more time creating what's next.