Can you recover your TikTok account after the ban?

TikTok was banned in the United States on January 19, 2025, under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA Act). The goal of this ban is to protect American citizens from foreign parties. Nonetheless, this ban left users in a state of confusion as to what happened to their account and if they could recover it. The short answer is yes, but the process is a bit more complicated.

In this article, we will explain how to recover your TikTok account and everything else you need to know.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinion. The price mentioned is subject to change.

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How to recover TikTok account after the ban

VPN service (Image via Privecstasy on Unsplash)

Your TikTok account is recoverable, even with an active ban, but the process is complicated and requires the use of a VPN service and a few other things, depending on the method.

Here are a few methods on how to recover your TikTok account after the ban:

Recovery Method 1: Using the web version of TikTok

This is the simplest method, but TikTok's web version lacks many of the app's features. That said, here's how to use the web version of TikTok:

• Download a VPN app and sign up for its service, preferably the paid one. You can try the free VPNs, but they may not work.
• Connect to a VPN server other than the ones in the US. You can ideally connect to Canada's VPN servers.
• Visit TikTok's website and log in to your account.

That's it. You can use TikTok as long as there's an active VPN connection. However, if you created your TikTok account using your US phone number, it may not work. In that case, you must create a different account with your email address instead of a phone number.

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Recovery Method 2: Using the TikTok mobile app

This method is a lot more complicated than the first. You must remove your SIM card for this. However, the app has its benefits.

Here's how to access your TikTok account using the mobile app:

• Remove the SIM card from your phone. If you have an E-SIM, you are out of luck, and this method will not work.
• Once the SIM card is removed, connect to your Home Wi-Fi.
• Remove your Apple/Google account from your phone and add a new one.
• Check for TikTok on the AppStore or PlayStore and download/update TikTok on your phone.
• Launch the app and log in to your account.

Disclaimer: If you created your TikTok account with a US phone number, this method may not work.

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What happens to your TikTok account after the ban?

After TikTok's ban, the app was removed from Apple AppStore, Google PlayStore, and other platforms. Even if you have the app installed on your phone, you still can't use it. Users lost all access to the app and all its services, but the account is secure on TikTok's servers. Therefore, you can still access it using the methods given above.