How to DM Someone in TikTok

The rise of TikTok is a sight to behold. As you learn about TikTok, there are multiple features available. Sure, you can post a video, share someone else’s video, create a duet video with your favorite creator, and more. But, one of the more simple expectations of social media platforms lies in your ability to communicate with others.

If you’re wondering how you can message another TikTok user, this article will tell you and teach you some other neat tricks TikTok has to offer.

Direct Messaging

Direct messaging is a private form of communication between two users. The “direct” part implies that it’s not available for others to see, as opposed to comments, for example. When it comes to direct messaging on social media, you can decide if it’s for you. Some people prefer not to disable it altogether – you can always ignore whomever, right?

TikTok, just like all others, has this option. So, if you want to know how to send someone a DM on TikTok, this is how you do it.

Things To Know

Before diving into our tutorials on sending DMs on TikTok, there are a few things you need to know. TikTok has some unique rules for sending DMs that allow users to better control who can and can’t message them.

The first thing to note about TikTok DMs is that to send messages, you must be friends with your recipient and register your phone number in the app. The idea behind this seemingly odd policy is that it cuts down on spam. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, where you can send a message to a person who isn’t your friend (but it goes to a ‘Message Requests’ inbox), TikTok doesn’t always let you send messages.

The second thing to note is that TikTok banned messages for users under 16 years of age (although this may vary by region). To protect younger users and avoid potential lawsuits, the company took action to prevent issues regarding minors.

So, if you get an error message, ensure that you’ve used your phone number when setting up the app. You can get a temporary phone number, but you may have trouble accessing your TikTok account later on.

Next, check your internet connection. A weak internet connection can cause issues sending messages on TikTok. If you’re on wifi, try switching to cellular data.

Also, with TikTok’s anti-spam features, you can’t send too many messages to too many people in a short time span. While messaging limitations have never been confirmed, you can’t follow too many people at a time without getting an error. So, based on that, we’d assume some users are sending too many random DMs in a short time.

There are a few ways you can send a DM on TikTok. Let’s review both.

Send a DM Using the Inbox Icon

1. When you open the TikTok app, you’ll see an inbox icon at the bottom. Press it, and that will lead you to the activity page.
   
2. At the top right corner, you’ll see the icon for direct messages. Tap the icon.
   
3. Now, you’ll see a list of people you can message. Select the one you’d like to message or use the search bar at the top to talk to a user not listed.
   
4. Compose your message. Then, tap the arrow icon in the lower right corner.
   

When the recipient responds, you will receive a notification. Or, you can tap the Inbox icon at the bottom of TikTok to check for new messages.

Send a DM Through a User’s Profile

There are two ways to send a DM by navigating to the user’s profile. First, if you follow each other, there will be a Message button. If the user follows you, but you don’t follow them back, you’ll have to follow a few extra steps.

To send someone a DM on TikTok who you follow (and follows you), do this:

1. Tap on the Friends icon at the bottom of TikTok and type your friend’s name in the search bar at the top.
   
2. Tap on your friend’s profile. Then, tap Message.
   
3. Type your message and click the Send icon in the lower right corner.

If you don’t see a Message button, you probably aren’t following the other user back. If that’s the case, you’ll need to follow these steps to send a DM:

1. Go directly to their profile page
   
2. At the top right corner, click on the three dots.
   
3. A panel will pop up. Select the option to “Send message.”
   

How to Opt-Out of DMs

TikTok gives you a little more control over your inbox than other popular social media sites. Aside from simply blocking unwanted users, you can actually set your settings only to allow DMs from certain types of users.

You can choose to accept messages from ‘Everyone,’ ‘Friends,’ or ‘No one.’ To adjust these settings, just do this:

1. Go to your profile page
   
2. Click on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
   
3. Select “Privacy.”
   
4. Select “Direct messages.”
   
5. Choose the option from the list that best suits your needs.
   

Do remember that even if you toggle this option to ‘Friends’ or ‘No one,’ those you’ve interacted with in the past can still send you messages.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve included the answers to more questions you have about sending messages on TikTok in this section.

Can I stop just one person from messaging me?

As mentioned earlier, you can completely turn off the DM feature. But, that doesn’t narrow it down to one or two nuisance users; turning this feature off means no one can message you. It’s natural to wonder if you can stop only one or two users from sending you DMs.

The only way to do this is to block that person’s account completely. We have an entire article on that here for you.

Can I DM someone on TikTok without a phone number?

Unfortunately, no. TikTok does require a phone number to access all of the apps’ features. But, you can use a Google Number or other temporary phone number resource to enable the feature. Just keep in mind that using this option may lead to difficulty logging in and recovering your account later on.

If you’re getting an error code when sending a DM to someone that states you need a phone number, but you already have yours registered, contact the TikTok support team for help.

Does TikTok have Read Receipts?

No. Users can read messages and type a response without the sender knowing. There is no feedback on the user’s end letting them know you’ve read or plan to respond to their messages.

How do I message someone who isn’t following me?

Unfortunately, your options are limited. If you want to send a message to another user, you could comment on one of their videos. Commenting on someone’s video is the most efficient way to let them know you’d like to communicate.

Another option is to check their profile for links to their other social media sites. For example, most users link their Instagram accounts. If you see one listed, tap it, and send a message through Instagram.

Lastly, check the user’s Profile for a Linktree. If you’re trying to contact a large creator or business, they likely have links to external websites or social media in their Linktree. If they do, send a message on one of those platforms.

In Closing, TikTok Community Guidelines

TikTok’s astronomical success of late, however fascinating, comes with some concerns. Since most of the app’s users are very young people, primarily underaged children, the company has extensive community guidelines. This includes direct messaging. Apart from being unable to DM anyone who isn’t following you, you can also block a user from sending an inappropriate message.

To do that, go to that conversation, click on the three dots, and then choose “Report” or “Block.” This will send the message in question to moderators for review, in addition to preventing the person from seeing your profile and contacting you in any way.

Let us know what you think about direct messaging in the comments below.