TikTok Keeps Crashing (Update Needed?!)

One thing that frustrates me more than anything is for an app to crash while I’m using it. This is especially true for TikTok. As you likely know, finding a video again isn’t the easiest task to find a video again if the app closes before you finish it.

The first time my TikTok app crashed, I was a little annoyed. But, when it became a common occurrence, I was determined to figure out how to fix it. Luckily, I found a simple way to keep this from happening. 

If TikTok keeps crashing, ensure your app is up to date, your internet connection is stable, and you do not have additional apps running in the background. It could also be a result of insufficient storage space or corrupt cache data. If these things are not the issue, TikTok may be experiencing an outage or other technical issues. 

Sometimes, there is nothing you can do but wait for TikTok to resolve the issue. If not, the steps we’ll go through below will likely do the trick. 

TikTok App Crashing: Issues and Troubleshooting 

Many things can cause the TikTok app to crash. Many times, the cause of the problem is minor and can easily be fixed using the steps below. 

1. There is an Ongoing TikTok Server Outage

It’s no secret that TikTok has experienced ongoing issues with its servers going down. When TikTok is experiencing a server outage, it can cause your TikTok app to crash. This is because the servers are required for the app to function correctly. 

You can find out if TikTok’s servers are down by checking DownDetector. This website will not only tell you if the servers are down currently, but it also tells you how many times they’ve been down within 24 hours. 

DownDetector also has a comments section where you can read reports and communicate with other users about the issues being experienced on the platform. 

Additionally, since TikTok server crashes are so common, you can search #TikTokDown on Twitter to see if others are experiencing an outage. 

2. Your Device Has Insufficient Storage Space 

If your device’s storage is full, it causes it to operate slowly and allows apps to crash unexpectedly. This is because the ROM (where permanent data is stored) in your device has to work much harder to sort through everything stored within. 

So, if the available storage on your device is running low or full, it’s likely why TikTok keeps crashing. To fix this problem, you need to free up space on the device. 

Most people have plenty of apps, photos, and other information stored on devices that they don’t use, taking up unnecessary space.  You can quickly free up space in the storage settings on your device. 

Once you locate your storage settings, look through the apps and other data filling your storage and remove the things you no longer need. 

After removing unneeded items, you should reboot your device to refresh its memory. 

3. Reboot Your Device 

Your TikTok app may also be crashing because your device’s RAM is overloaded. The RAM stores temporary data, which can affect how your device functions if it isn’t cleared from time to time. 

The app could also have conflicting or corrupt data stored there that is causing the app to crash. To avoid this happening, it’s best to reboot your device at least once a week. 

Rebooting your device will empty the RAM, removing any potentially corrupt data and freeing up space that will make your device operate more efficiently. 

To reboot an iOS device:

1. Hold the Lock and Volume-Up buttons until the Power Off toggle appears.
2. Slide the toggle to the right to turn off your device. 
3. Leave your device off for 60 seconds. 
4. Hold the Lock button until your device begins to power back on. 

To reboot an Android device:

1. Hold the Power/Lock button until the menu appears. 
2. Tap Power Off. You should avoid the Restart option for this process.
3. Leave your device powered off for 60 seconds. 
4. Hold the power button to power the device back on. 

Once you’ve completed these steps, you should notice that your device operates faster and without app crashes. 

4. Test Your Internet Connection 

If your network connection is slow, it likely can’t power the app correctly. It can also cause this problem if your connection goes in and out frequently. 

If your TikTok app keeps crashing, testing your internet speed is one of the best places to start. Streaming videos requires good internet speed. Slow speeds can cause apps of this nature to freeze and crash. 

You can check your internet speed at speedtest.net. Your speed should be at least 25 Mbps to run the TikTok app without errors. Anything below this could result in problems when trying to use the app. 

Rebooting your router will almost always fix minor connection problems like these. To reboot your router, unplug and leave it unplugged for 60 seconds. Once you plug the router back in, give it plenty of time to fully reconnect before trying your connection again. 

5. Close Running Background Apps 

Apps like TikTok that stream video require more space to run than other apps. So, if you have other apps running in the background, you may not be allowing space in RAM for TikTok to run the way it needs to. 

This is one of the most common reasons for TikTok crashing at random. If other apps have been crashing, it’s a good indicator that this is the problem. Closing other apps while you are using TikTok will fix it.  

To close running apps on an iOS device:

1. Swipe up and to the right in one motion from the bottom of the screen. 
2. The running apps will appear as moveable windows.
3. Slide the windows swiftly towards the top of the screen to close them. 

If you are using an Android device:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen until the Recent Apps menu appears.
2. Tap Close All Apps

6. Turn off VPN 

TikTok has encountered issues with people from countries that have bans against the app using a VPN to access the platform. Because of this, they have blocked the ability to use the app with a VPN. 

So, if you have a VPN enabled on your device, it’s likely the reason TikTok is crashing. You’ll need to turn the VPN off or delete it to fix the issue. 

7. Update the TikTok App 

Outdated apps come with outdated bugs. These can cause many issues with the functionality of the app. This is one of several reasons outdated apps are more likely to crash. 

To update your TikTok app:

1. Go to your app store. 
2. Type TikTok into the search bar.
3. Tap TikTok.
4. Tap Update.
5. Allow the update to install.

Once the update has been installed, it’s best to restart your device to clear the temporary data the old version of the app has stored.

If you do not see a button that says Open instead of Update, it means that your app is up to date. 

8. Clear the TikTok App Cache and Data 

If your app is already updated or continues to crash after you’ve updated it, it could be related to the data stored in the cache. Oftentimes data stored in the cache can become corrupt or conflict with other data that is stored within your device, which can cause the app to crash. 

To fix this problem, you must clear the data that TikTok has stored. TikTok, unlike most apps, needs to be cleared in the app’s settings and your device settings.

To clear the cache through the TikTok app:

1. Open your TikTik app.
2. Tap the Profile/Me tab in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the menu tab in the upper right corner.
4. Tap Settings and Privacy.
5. Tap Clear Cache. The number to the right should change to zero. 

Next, to ensure that nothing has been left behind in your device’s memory, you should clear the app’s cache in your device settings. 

To clear the app’s cache from an iOS device,go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > TikTok > Offload App > Reinstall App.

To clear the app’s cache and from an Android device, go to Settings > Apps > TikTok > Storage > Clear Cache. 

9. Reinstall the TikTok App 

If the steps above haven’t fixed the problem, the app’s data may have a more complicated issue. You’ll need to delete it and install it again to fix it. This will remove any errors in the app’s data.

To delete the app, find the app in your app menu and hold down on the icon. When the menu appears, select Delete/Uninstall. After the app has been deleted, restart your device. 

When your device powers back on, you can reinstall the app by going to your app store and searching for TikTok. 

10. Use the Web Version of TikTok 

If all else fails, you can use TikTok through the web browser on your smartphone or computer by visiting TikTok.com. 

If TikTok needs to fix something with the app, it will allow you to bypass the problem until it is resolved. The web version of TikTok will give you the exact features you have when using the mobile app.

You may even find that you like the web version better. Many TikTok users feel that the web version is more user-friendly than the mobile app. There are also fewer glitches experienced while using the web version. 

11. Contact TikTok Support

If you continue to experience this issue, consider contacting TikTok’s support team to let them know you are experiencing the problem. They may be able to provide additional assistance. In addition, they may not be aware if the issue is something on their end. 

You can contact TikTok by going into the settings in the app and selecting Report a Problem. However, if your app crashes before you can complete the task, you may need to use the web version.

Another option for contacting support is to send an email to info@tiktok.com. Be sure to include the username for your account and an email they can use to follow up. 

Conclusion 

It can be highly frustrating when your TikTok app crashes while you are using it. It’s even more frustrating if you aren’t able to use the app because it crashes as soon as you open it. 

Hopefully, the steps I’ve provided above have helped you fix the issue. Now you can get back to finding your next favorite TikTok video. 

If your app is still crashing, remember that TikTok’s server crashing has become common. So it could resolve itself once the servers are back up.