How to Make Your TikTok Account Public

Switching your TikTok account from private to public opens your content up to the world, and it takes less than a minute to do. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to make your account public, explain why you might want to, and show you exactly what to do next to prepare your profile for growth. We'll cover everything from the basic toggle switch to fine-tuning your privacy settings so you're in complete control of your public presence.

Why Should You Make Your TikTok Account Public?

Setting your account to public is the first step toward getting more eyes on your videos. If your goal is to grow your audience, build a brand, or simply share your creativity with more people, a public account is the way to do it. A private profile walls off your content, limiting your reach exclusively to followers you've personally approved.

Here’s what you gain by making the switch:

• Increased Visibility and Reach: When public, your videos can appear on the For You Page (FYP) of users who don't follow you, which is the primary driver of viral growth on the platform. Your content can also show up in search results and on hashtag pages.
• Audience Growth: A private account requires you to approve every single follow request. A public account allows anyone to follow you instantly, removing a major barrier to growing your follower count organically.
• Engagement in Trends: Public accounts can fully participate in trends. People can use your original audio, and you can collaborate with other creators more easily through open features like Stitch and Duet.
• Monetization Opportunities: To be eligible for TikTok’s Creator Fund, Creator Marketplace, and other monetization features, you need a public account. Brands looking for creators to partner with almost exclusively search for and work with public profiles.
• Community Building: A public account encourages broader community interaction. More people can comment, share, and engage with your content, helping you build a community around your niche or brand.

The Simple Steps to Make Your TikTok Account Public

Ready to make the change? The process is straightforward and can be done right from your profile page in the app. These steps are the same for both iPhone and Android devices.

Step 1: Open Your Profile

Launch the TikTok app and tap the Profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This will take you to your main profile page where all of your videos are displayed.

Step 2: Access Your Settings

Tap the three horizontal lines (often called the hamburger menu) in the top-right corner of your profile. This will open a menu at the bottom of the screen. Select "Settings and privacy" from this menu.

Step 3: Go to the Privacy Menu

From the "Settings and privacy" screen, tap on the "Privacy" option. It’s usually the second option down, right under "Account."

Step 4: Toggle Off the Private Account Switch

At the very top of the Privacy screen, you’ll see an option for "Private account." If your account is currently private, the toggle next to it will be on (green or blue). Tap the toggle to switch it off.

Step 5: Confirm Your Decision

TikTok will display a confirmation pop-up. It will remind you that making your account public means anyone will be able to see your posts, follow you, and see your public profile info. Tap "Switch" to confirm. Your account is now public!

Your Account is Public. Now What?

Making your account public is just the beginning. To truly capitalize on your new visibility, it's wise to spend a few minutes optimizing your profile and settings for growth while still maintaining the level of privacy you're comfortable with.

Review and Refresh Your Profile

Your profile is your digital handshake. Now that anyone can see it, make sure it’s making a great first impression.

• Profile Photo: Use a clear, high-resolution photo that represents you or your brand. It should be easily recognizable even as a small icon.
• Username & Name: Your username (@handle) should be simple and memorable. Your Display Name can be more descriptive and even include keywords related to your niche.
• Bio: You have 80 characters. Use them to clearly explain what your account is about, who you are, or what kind of value you provide. You can include keywords here, too!
• Link in Bio: If you have more than 1,000 followers, you can add a clickable link to your bio. Use this to direct traffic to your website, other social media profiles, or a Linktree-style page.

Clean Up Your Old Content

When you switch from private to public, every video you've ever posted becomes visible to everyone. Take a moment to scroll through your feed. Is there anything you posted that doesn't align with the image or brand you want to project? You have a few options:

• Delete the Video: If the video is completely off-brand or irrelevant, you can simply delete it.
• Change Video Privacy Settings: If you want to keep a video but not have it be public, you can change the privacy setting for that specific video. Tap the three dots on the video, go to "Privacy settings," and under "Who can watch this video," choose "Only me" or "Friends."

Fine-Tune Your Privacy Settings for a Public Account

Having a public account doesn't mean giving up all control. TikTok gives public accounts a ton of ways to manage how others interact with your content. You can find all of these options under "Settings and privacy" >, "Privacy."

Interactions Settings

Scroll down in the Privacy menu to find the "Interactions" heading. Here, you can control:

• Comments: You can choose who can comment on your videos - Everyone, Followers you follow back, or No one. You can also filter comments using keywords.
• Mentions and Tags: Decide who can tag you or mention you in their content. This is useful for preventing spam.
• Direct Messages (DMs): Control who can send you direct messages. Adjusting this setting can help you manage your inbox and avoid unwanted messages.
• Stitch: Decide if you want to allow others to use segments of your videos in their own. You can turn this on for Everyone, Followers you follow back, or just turn it Off.
• Duet: Similar to Stitch, this lets you choose who can create a Duet with your videos.
• Stickers: Choose whether people can create stickers from your videos.

You can set these permissions for your entire account, and you can also override them for individual videos during the upload process. For example, you might have Duets enabled for your account but disable them for one specific video.

Common Questions About Making Your Account Public

Making the switch often comes with a few questions. Here are the answers to the most common ones.

Can I change my account back to private?

Yes, absolutely. You can switch back to private at any time by following the exact same steps and toggling the "Private Account" switch back on. There are no penalties for switching back and forth.

What happens to my followers when I go public?

Your existing followers will remain your followers. The main change is how you get *new* ones. Instead of approving follow requests one by one, people can now follow you with a single tap. Anyone who sent you a follow request while you were private that you didn't approve will need to follow you again.

Do all my previous videos become public?

Yes. By default, every video on your profile becomes visible to the public. That's why it's a good idea to review your past content and change the "Who can watch this video" setting to "Only me" or "Friends" for any videos you wish to keep private.

Why is my age restricted from having a public account?

To adhere to safety policies, TikTok sets accounts for users aged 13 to 15 to private by default. These users cannot switch to a public account. Users aged 16 and 17 can choose to go public, but some features, like Duet and Stitch, are limited to "Friends."

Final Thoughts

Making your TikTok account public is a simple but important move for anyone serious about growing their audience and influence on the platform. With just a few taps, you unlock the ability to reach a global audience, but the real work begins after you flip that switch. By optimizing your profile, managing your privacy settings with intention, and developing a solid content strategy, you can turn that public visibility into meaningful growth.

Now that your account is set for growth, keeping up with consistent posting is the next big step. At Postbase, we understand that managing an active social calendar, especially for video-first platforms like TikTok, can get overwhelming. We specifically designed our visual calendar to make planning and scheduling your TikToks - along with all your Reels, Shorts, and other social content - feel intuitive and organized. You can easily see your whole strategy at a glance, drag and drop posts to reschedule, and trust that your content will publish reliably every single time. It turns the chaos of content management into a calm, streamlined process, giving you more time to focus on creating.