- direct messaging
- Things to know
- How to unsubscribe from direct messages
- Frequent questions
- Can I stop just one person from sending me messages?
- Can I text someone on TikTok without a phone number?
- Does TikTok have read receipts?
- How do I send a message to someone who doesn’t follow me?
- To conclude, TikTok community guidelines
The rise of TikTok is a sight to behold. As you learn about TikTok, there are several 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 simplest expectations of social media platforms lies in their ability to communicate with others.
If you are wondering how you can send a message to another TikTok user, this article will inform you and teach you some other interesting tricks that TikTok has to offer.
direct messaging
Direct messaging is a private form of communication between two users. The “direct” part implies that it is not available for others to see, unlike 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 turn it off completely; You can always ignore anyone, right?
TikTok, like everyone else, has this option. So if you want to know how to DM someone on TikTok, here’s how you do it.
Things to know
Before we delve into our tutorials on how to send direct messages on TikTok, there are a few things you should know. TikTok has some unique rules for sending direct messages that allow users to better control who can and cannot message them.
The first thing to keep in mind 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 strange policy is that it reduces spam. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, where you can send a message to a person who isn’t your friend (but it goes to your ‘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 (although this may vary by region). To protect younger users and avoid potential lawsuits, the company took steps to avoid issues involving minors.
Therefore, if you receive an error message, make sure you have used your phone number when setting up the app. Can get a temporary phone numberbut you may have trouble accessing your TikTok account later.
Next, check your Internet connection. A weak internet connection can cause problems when sending messages on TikTok. If you have Wi-Fi, try switching to mobile data.
Plus, with TikTok’s anti-spam features, you can’t send too many messages to too many people in a short period of time. While messaging limitations have never been confirmed, you can’t follow too many people at once without receiving an error. So based on that, we would assume that some users are sending too many random direct messages in a short time.
There are a few ways to send a DM on TikTok. Let’s review both.
Send a DM using the inbox icon
- When you open the TikTok app, you will see a inbox icon in the background. Press it and that will take you to the activity page.

- In the upper right corner, you will see the icon direct messages. Tap the icon.

- You will now see a list of people you can send messages to. Select who you would like to message or use the search bar at the top to talk to a user not listed.

- Compose your message. Then touch the arrow icon in the lower right corner.

When the recipient responds, you will receive a notification. Or you can touch 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, you’ll need to take some additional steps.
To send a DM on TikTok to someone you follow (and who follows you), do this:
- Play the Friends icon at the bottom of TikTok and type your friend’s name in the search bar at the top.

- Tap your friend’s profile. Then touch Message.

- Write your message and click Send icon in the lower right corner.
If you don’t see a Message button, you’re probably not following the other user. If that is the case, you will need to follow these steps to send a DM:
- Go directly to your profile page.

- In the upper right corner, click the three points.

- A panel will appear. Select the option to Send Message.

How to unsubscribe from direct messages
TikTok gives you a little more control over your inbox than other popular social media sites. In addition to simply blocking unwanted users, you can configure your settings to only allow direct messages from certain types of users.
You can choose to accept messages from All, Friendseither Nobody. To adjust these settings, simply do this:
- Go to your profile page

- Click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner.

- Select “Privacy.”

- Select Direct messages.

- Choose from the list the option that best suits your needs.

Remember that even if you change this option to Friends or Nobody, those you have interacted with in the past can still send you messages.
Frequent questions
We’ve included answers to more questions you may have about messaging on TikTok in this p.
Can I stop just one person from sending me messages?
As mentioned above, you can disable the DM function completely. But that’s not limited to one or two annoying users; Turning off this feature means that no one can send you messages. It’s natural to wonder if you can prevent just one or two users from sending you direct messages.
The only way to do this is block that person’s account completely.
Can I text someone on TikTok without a phone number?
Unfortunately not. TikTok requires a phone number to access all features of the app. However, you can use a Google number or another temporary phone number resource to enable the feature. Just keep in mind that using this option may lead to difficulties logging in and recovering your account later.
If you get an error code when DMing someone that says you need a phone number, but you already have yours on file, contact them. TikTok Support Team for help.
Does TikTok have read receipts?
No. Users can read messages and write a reply without the sender knowing. There are no comments from the user to let you know that you have read or plan to respond to their messages.
How do I send a message to someone who doesn’t follow me?
Unfortunately, your options are limited. If you want to send a message to another user, you can comment on one of their videos. Commenting on someone’s video is the most effective way to let them know that you would like to communicate.
Another option is to check your profile for links to your other social media sites. For example, most users link their Instagram accounts. If you see one listed, tap it and send a message via Instagram.
Lastly, check the user’s profile to see if there is a Linktree. If you’re trying to get in touch with a big creator or company, chances are they have links to external websites or social networks in their Linktree. If so, send a message on one of those platforms.
To conclude, TikTok community guidelines
TikTok’s astronomical success of late, fascinating as it is, comes with some concerns. Since most of the app’s users are very young people, mainly underage children, the company has extensive community guidelines. This includes direct messaging. In addition to not being able to send text messages to anyone who doesn’t follow 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 either Block. This will send the message in question to the moderators for review, as well as prevent the person from viewing your profile and contacting you in any way.
Let us know what you think about direct messaging in the comments below.