Are you wondering why your TikTok videos are blank when you’re trying to watch content on the TikTok FYP?
Has your latest video been put under review, and you’re not sure why? These are only two of the issues TikTok users seem to be facing when they come to use their social media app.
A quick change in permission settings on your device, or a reinstallation of the app can help fix your TikTok app from experiencing loading issues.
With this guide, we will help you understand why your TikTok videos are blank, as well as provide five simple solutions to help you get rid of this issue. We will also delve a little bit into why your TikTok videos are stuck on processing, and what you can do to ensure you don’t have any setbacks when it comes to posting content.
Why are my TikTok videos blank?
Your TikTok videos will appear blank if the TikTok server is unreachable. This will occur if the app is down because technicians are working on the software, or there has been an unexpected outage that needs to be dealt with. If the device you are accessing TikTok on cannot reach the server, it will be unable to process the request to play the video.
Other possible reasons why your TikTok videos are not loading are;
Reason 1. Poor internet connection
TikTok needs to continuously be connected to a stable internet connection for your FYP (for you page) to load videos and, and not come up as a Black image.
If the device you are using is not connected to a good network, the online video app will incur issues.
You should have at least 3Mbps – 5Mbps as your upload and download speed for TikTok.
Reason 2. TikTok cache
Every time you launch TikTok, the app will store cache files onto your device. This is to quicken its processing time and improve its overall performance.
Over time, the cache files can become too full, causing issues with the TikTok software, which is why you may experience the videos appearing blank on your screen.
Reason 3. Faulty TikTok app
The issue could lie with the TikTok app downloaded on your device. If the initial install was interrupted, or contaminated files were included, this will cause the app to become problematic.
If the app is due an update, this will also interfere with how well the program performs. Over time, applications will incur faults and malfunctions which is why updates are continuously being rolled out to get rid of them and keep the app at an optimal level.
Reason 4. Device storage
Do you have enough storage space on the device you are accessing TikTok from?
If your memory is running low, this could be why your TikTok videos are blank. As we know, the app automatically stores cache files onto your device. If there is not enough space for this process to happen, it will conflict with how well the videos play.
Reason 5. TikTok permissions
The TikTok permissions need to be enabled on your mobile for the app to gain access to all necessary functions. This will ensure the app can play videos from the FYP without any interference.
If the permissions have not been turned on, this could be why you are seeing Black videos.
Where is TikTok banned?
TikTok is banned in certain countries. If you are trying to access the service from one of these locations, your access will be denied.
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
How to fix TikTok blank screen
If you are experiencing issues with your TikTok app, the first thing you need to do is check the apps service status. This will confirm if your TikTok videos are blank due to an issue on your side, or if it’s because the service is down which needs to be rectified internally. If the TikTok server is down, there is not much you will be able to do, other than waiting until the problem has been resolved.
If you have checked the server status of TikTok, and everything is up and running as per normal, you can stop your videos from appearing blank or Black, by following these five easy fixes;
Fix 1. Refresh internet connection
TikTok is an online video streaming service, so it is mandatory that is connected to a stable network provider that is providing good enough speeds without being intermittent.
If you refresh your internet, you will improve the connection with your provider, and erase any possible issues that may have been occurring with your current connection.
Turn your router off > Unplug > Wait a few minutes > Plug router back in > Switch on
Once your network has reconnected, relaunch TikTok.
Fix 2. Clear TikTok cache
Clearing the TikTok cache will free up storage space, improve the app performance as well as get rid of any corrupted files.
Step 1. Open TikTok
Step 2. Click on your ‘Profile’ followed by the 3 lines at the top right of your screen
Step 3. Under ‘Cache & Cellular Data’ select ‘Clear Cache’
The cache files will automatically be erased.
Note, if you want to remove the cache files directly from your device, on Android you can do so under ‘Settings’. For iPhone, you would need to delete the TikTop app off your mobile and download it again.
Fix 3. Reinstall TikTok
If you uninstall and reinstall your TikTok app on your device, it will eradicate any corrupted software that may currently be on your device.
Step 1. Uninstall or delete TikTok (depending on if you are on Android or Apple)
Step 2. To ensure all data is erased, restart your device
Step 3. Open your app store and find TikTok
Step 4. Install the program
Once TikTok has been downloaded, log back into your account.
Fix 4. Free up storage space
Along with clearing the cache files from your device, removing any unnecessary applications off your device will free up storage space, and help TikTok download the necessary amount of data to process the videos on its application.
(Fun Fact; ever wondered how many users TikTok has? With the app being a worldwide social media platform, it is rapidly reaching one billion active users, with 34% of them posting every day).
Fix 5. Check TikTok permissions
Double-check you have enabled the permissions on your device to give TikTok access to your camera and microphone.
If the permissions are not switched on, this could be interfering with the display of your videos on the application.
On iPhone:
Settings > TikTok > Toggle on Microphone and Camera
On Android:
Settings > Apps > Find TikTok and click on it > Permissions > Allow
TikTok will now have full access.
Why is TikTok video being processed?
If you are a content creator on TikTok, and you are trying to upload a video but you keep seeing the ‘video is being processed‘ error, this will be due to your internet speed not being fast enough to upload your video onto the TikTok platform.
TikTok will time out if it cannot reach the server in time. A secondary reason for your video is stuck on processing is if the server is overloaded with an unusual amount of active users at the same time.
A few other reasons why your TikTok video is being processed for longer than the usual amount of time are;
- TikTok cache is full
- Your video has been flagged as copyrighted
- You could be blocked from posting
For a more in-depth look at this issue, you can check out one of our other guides.
Have you pushed ‘upload’ on a video and TikTok has given you a ‘Your video is under review?’
How long does it take TikTok to process a video?
TikTok will instantaneously upload your video to its platform if your app is connected to a stable network, and your content does not get flagged up for being copyrighted or going against their community guidelines. However, you may post a video and be advised it is ‘under review’. The review stage should last no more than 48 hours.
Why is my TikTok video under review?
Your TikTok video is under review because it has been flagged. This isn’t always a bad thing, as TikTok will review videos from content creators’ accounts that receive high traffic on their posts.
If, however, you have tried to upload a video that does not fit within their guidelines, they will place it under review, and potentially, remove the post if it fails TikTok’s checks.
How to know if your TikTok video is under review
You will know if your TikTok video has been placed under review because you will receive a notification. When you go and view the video in question, you will also be made aware from TikTok that it is pending.
Other users will also be unable to comment or like the video, and it will not be showcased on the FYP until it has been accepted, or removed if it did not meet TikTok’s code of conduct.
To avoid these situations when posting on TikTok, make sure your content;
- Meets their Community Guidelines
- Is not ‘spammy’
- Not offensive
- Does not contain explicit content
- No violence of any sort is involved
- Is not copyrighted content
Keep to this, and you should not experience any issues.
Conclusion
With this guide, we hope you now understand why your TikTok videos were blank, and that you were able to fix this issue with one of our five easy solutions.
If you have executed all of the fixes provided, and you are still experiencing issues with Black videos on your TikTok app, we suggest you make use of TikTok’s ‘report a problem’ feature. This can be accessed under the ‘Support’ section on your mobile app. (Profile > Settings and Privacy > Support > Report a Problem).