TikTok Tips & Strategies

How to Fix 0 Views on TikTok

By Spencer Lanoue
October 31, 2025

Nothing is more frustrating than putting your creative energy into a TikTok video, hitting Post, and then seeing it sit at zero views. It feels like you're shouting into an empty room. This guide will walk you through exactly why your TikTok might be stuck at 0 views and give you clear, actionable steps to fix it for good.

Why Your TikTok Has 0 Views (The Real Reasons)

First, it's important to understand the difference between low views and zero views. A video with 50 or 100 views means TikTok showed it to a small test audience on the For You Page (FYP), but it didn't resonate enough for the algorithm to push it further. While that's a content strategy issue, a video stuck at precisely zero views is almost always a technical glitch or an account-level problem. This means TikTok hasn't even pushed it to that initial test audience.

Here are the common culprits behind the dreaded 0-view count:

  • Your Video is Under Review: Every video uploaded to TikTok goes through an automated review process to check for community guideline violations. For new accounts or videos with potentially sensitive content, this process can take longer, from a few minutes to several hours. During this "purgatory," your view count stays at zero.
  • You Have a Brand New Account: If you created your account and immediately uploaded a video without interacting with the app first, TikTok's spam filters might get suspicious. The platform needs to verify you're a real person, not a bot.
  • Account Policy Violations: If you've previously posted content that violates TikTok's Community Guidelines, your account may be flagged. When this happens, new uploads can get stuck indefinitely in the review process as a sort of "shadowban."
  • Technical Upload Bugs: Sometimes, the simplest answer is the right one. A poor internet connection during an upload, a glitch in the app, or corrupted video data can cause the upload to fail silently, leaving it at 0 views.
  • Reposting Duplicate Content: If you delete a video with 0 views and immediately re-upload the exact same file, TikTok's system can flag it as spam, causing the new version to get stuck too.

Your Immediate Fix-It Checklist for 0 Views

Before you spiral, run through this simple checklist. Most 0-view issues can be solved with one of these quick steps.

1. Just Wait a Little Longer

Patience can be the best fix. If your account is new or you posted something outside of your usual content style, the review process may just be taking extra time. Grab a coffee, work on your next video idea, and check back in an hour or two. If it's still stuck after a few hours, it's time to move on to the next steps.

2. Rule Out App and Connection Issues

Get the easy technical glitches out of the way first. A surprisingly high number of posting problems come down to simple connectivity or app issues.

  • Check Your Internet: Did your upload happen over spotty Wi-Fi or cellular data? Try posting again on a stable, strong connection.
  • Clear Your TikTok Cache: Over time, the app's cache can become cluttered and cause weird bugs. In TikTok, go to "Settings and privacy" >, "Free up space" >, and tap "Clear" next to Cache.
  • Update the App: Head to your app store to see if you're using the latest version of TikTok. An outdated app can cause all sorts of compatibility problems.

3. "Activate" Your New TikTok Account

If you're brand new to the platform, don't just open the app and post. You need to signal to TikTok that you're a real human who plans to be part of the community. Before you post your first video, "warm up" your account for about 15-30 minutes.

  • Complete Your Profile: Add a profile picture, write a bio, and link your Instagram or YouTube if you have them. A real profile looks less like a bot.
  • Verify Your Info: Make sure you have a verified email and phone number attached to your account. This builds trust with the platform.
  • Engage with Content: Spend some time scrolling the FYP. Like videos you genuinely enjoy, leave a few thoughtful comments, and follow a handful of creators in the niche you plan to create content for. This tells the algorithm what you're interested in and shows that you're an active user, not a spam account.

After doing this for 15-30 minutes, you can post your first video. Your chances of getting past the 0-view wall will be dramatically higher.

4. What to Do with the Stuck Video

If your video is still stuck at zero views after a few hours and you've run through the checklist, it's not going to suddenly jump onto the FYP. The best move is to troubleshoot what went wrong and try again.

  1. On the stuck video, switch it from "Public" to "Private." This preserves the work you did without deleting it entirely.
  2. Review the video for potential guideline violations. Was the music from outside TikTok's official sound library? Did it contain anything controversial or use copyrighted clips? Be brutally honest with yourself.
  3. If you find a clear problem (like non-library music), edit the video to fix it.
  4. If not, make a small, minor change anyway. Trim one second off the beginning, change the cover photo, or rewrite the caption. This creates a new video file, which helps avoid being flagged as spam by TikTok for uploading the exact same video twice.
  5. Re-upload the new, slightly edited version. It should now go through the review process normally.

Beyond the Glitch: Content Strategy to Get Hundreds of Views, Not Zero

Fixing the 0-view problem gets you to the starting line, but strong content strategy is what makes you win the race. Even after your video bypasses the initial review, it needs to perform well with that first test audience to get pushed to a wider one. Here's what matters most.

Grip Them in the First 3 Seconds

The hook is everything. You have less than three seconds to convince a viewer not to scroll. Don't waste time with a long intro or a slow build-up. Start with the most interesting part of your video. Ask a question, present a bold statement, or show an immediate, compelling visual.

Example: Instead of "Hey guys, today I'm going to show you how I make my morning coffee," start with a shot of the espresso pulling perfectly and text on screen that says, "Most people make espresso WRONG."

Use Relevant Trending Sounds

Trending sounds aren't just background noise, they are distribution channels. When you use a popular sound, your video becomes part of a discoverable trend. You can find what's trending by scrolling your FYP or by tapping the "Add sound" button in the editor and browsing the "TikTok Viral" playlists. Pick a sound that genuinely fits your video's vibe and your brand's personality.

Learn to Use Hashtags Correctly

Throwing 15 random hashtags at your video won't help. A strategic approach works far better. Use a mix of 3-5 hashtags that communicate to the algorithm what your video is about and who should see it. A good formula is:

  • 1-2 Broad Hashtags: Think general topics like #recipes or #morningroutine.
  • 2-3 Niche Hashtags: Get more specific. Instead of just #recipes, try #easybreakfastideas or #oatmealrecipe.
  • Optional 1 Branded Hashtag: If you have a personal brand or series, use your own hashtag like #CookingWithKevin.

This strategy helps TikTok categorize your video accurately and show it to the audience most likely to engage with it.

Check Your Post Timing

Posting when your audience is most active gives your video an immediate boost of engagement. The best way to find your peak times is to switch to a TikTok Business or Creator account (it's free). Then you can navigate to "Settings and privacy" >, "Creator tools" >, "Analytics." In the "Followers" tab, you'll find data on when your audience is most active. If your account is too new for this data, a safe bet is to post on weekdays in the late afternoon (3-6 PM) and on weekends in the early afternoon (12-3 PM).

Final Thoughts

Getting stuck at zero views on TikTok is usually a temporary roadblock caused by technical glitches or a brand new account needing validation. By running through the basic technical checks, "warming up" your account with genuine engagement, and being mindful of community guidelines, you can reliably push your content past the 'under review' stage.

I know firsthand how much work goes into creating great content, and the key to getting past zero views consistently is to have a solid plan. That's why we built tools in Postbase that help you focus on creating, not stressing. Using our visual calendar, I've managed to map out my content a week ahead, ensuring I never repeat posts or fall back into bad habits that could get a video flagged. By scheduling my TikToks to go live at peak times and analyzing the results, I've turned a chaotic process into a predictable one. It simplifies the routine so I can put all my energy into making better videos.

Spencer's spent a decade building products at companies like Buffer, UserTesting, and Bump Health. He's spent years in the weeds of social media management—scheduling posts, analyzing performance, coordinating teams. At Postbase, he's building tools to automate the busywork so you can focus on creating great content.

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