How To Reset For You Page on TikTok for a Fresh Start

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Jul 28, 2023

TikTok 101

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TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is unique among other similar algorithms. They all use the same basic principle of optimizing recommendations to deliver a personalized experience. But TikTok’s For You page algorithm stands out because it delivers the most satisfying user experience. And if you want a fresh start, you can reset the algorithm. Here’s everything you need to know about how to reset the For You page on TikTok. 

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The Basics of TikTok’s #ForYou Recommendations

Before we jump into how to reset For You Page on TikTok, we need to understand how #ForYou recommendations work

The For You page/feed is the first thing a user sees when they open TikTok. The FYP presents you with a curated stream of videos — chosen based on your interests. This is where you can discover new accounts and content you may love. 

The more you use TikTok and engage with accounts, the more the FYP algorithm learns about your preferences and passions. As it learns, the algorithm continuously refines its recommendations to make your feed increasingly personalized. This also means that each FYP is unique; TikTok tailors each user’s For You feed to their tastes and behaviors. 

TikTok’s For You feed recommendation system considers several key signals to identify content you may like. These factors include:

  • The categories of interest you choose when setting up your profile for the first time. 
  • Your interactions on TikTok. This may include the accounts you follow and videos you like, comment on, and share. The products you buy on TikTok, the LIVEs you watch, and the challenges you participate in are also influencing factors. 
  • Your video information. This includes the hashtags and keywords you use in your caption and sounds featured in your videos. 
  • Your account settings. These include your language preferences and country. Your content preferences are also significant when TikTok recommends accounts and content. 
  • Your device settings, which include your device type and if your location information is enabled.
  • The videos you’re not interested in also influence your FYP recommendations. 

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How To Reset TikTok For You Page

Did you know that TikTok has a reset button? It allows you to give your For You feed a complete do-over! Let’s explore how to reset the TikTok For You page. 

When you know how to reset the For You page on TikTok, you can start your For You feed fresh. You’ll essentially be able to experience TikTok for the first time again. It’s a wonderful option if you’re getting tired of seeing the same types of content. You could also reset your For You feed if you outgrow some of your niche interests and develop new ones.   

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Go to your Profile. 
  2. Tap the Menu bar in the upper right. 
  3. Tap Settings and privacy. 
  4. Scroll down and tap Content Preferences. 
  5. Tap Refresh your For You feed. 
  6. Tap See details to learn more about what you can expect after you refresh, then tap OK. This step is optional. 
  7. If you skip step 6, tap Continue and tap Refresh. 
  8. TikTok will prompt you to select one or more reasons for refreshing your FYP. Tap Submit. 

How To Reset For You Page on TikTok: What Can You Expect After You Hit Refresh?

Now that you know how to reset the For You page on TikTok, what can you expect after hitting refresh? Here are a few things to keep in mind. 

  • You will only be refreshing your For You feed, which means TikTok will basically start from scratch with its recommendations. The system will still base your recommendations on the interests you chose when you signed up for the first time. 
  • Hitting the refresh button will not affect your Following feed, inbox, profile, comment and watch history, etc. 
  • You can retrain TikTok’s 2023 algorithm to create a new, personalized For You feed by giving it new signals. Watch videos you like in their entirety, and like and comment on them. Follow more accounts that suit your new tastes. Give TikTok a new map to follow to have the TikTok experience you need. 
  • If you want to stop seeing videos from certain accounts, you can simply unfollow them. Doing so will also signal the algorithm that you don’t want to see certain types of content. 
  • If you have new niche interests, use relevant hashtags to search for related content. Remember that your TikTok searches also factor into your For You feed recommendations. 

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How To Reset For You Page on TikTok: When Should You Consider It?

Knowing how to reset the For You page on TikTok can open up new experiences for you. As on other social platforms, TikTok allows you to build a digital existence the way you want. You can choose communities to engage with and content to consume. And as you make a home for yourself on TikTok, you also create digital footprints. 

Your digital footprints influence your TikTok experience. These are the signals TikTok’s For You algorithm uses to satisfy your needs and give you joy. The platform’s recommendation system relies on your behaviors while using the app to give you a personalized experience. 

Because TikTok’s #ForYou recommendations are so effective, you may find yourself in a filter bubble. You may get too comfortable in your proverbial box and miss out on new and exciting experiences. The increasing homogeneity of the videos you see on your For You feed may extremely limit your perspective. 

You should consider refreshing your For You feed when:

  • You feel that your For You feed has become restrictive and predictable. 
  • You want to step out of your comfort zone and explore something new. 
  • Your interests, values, or content consumption needs have changed. 
  • You want a whole new TikTok experience. 

How To Reset For You Page on TikTok: How Does TikTok Address the Filter Bubble Challenge?

Giving users the option to explore how to reset the For You page on TikTok is only one solution. Over time, users may find themselves in a “filter bubble.” A “filter bubble” may occur when the For You feed shows the same types of content over and over again. The platform acknowledges the challenge of giving users a diversified experience while keeping their feeds personalized. Here are some ways that TikTok finds a balance between the two. 

How To Reset FYP on TikTok: TikTok’s Mix-and-Match Approach

According to TikTok, the “recommendation system works to intersperse diverse types of content along with those you already know you love.” TikTok recommends videos based on your interests but also avoids showing too-similar content one after the other. 

For example, you won’t see videos from the same creator or using the same sound together on your feed. TikTok makes sure that the stream of videos on your FYP comes from different creators and features different elements. At the same time, the system still chooses these videos according to your viewing patterns. TikTok may also introduce content that’s widely popular among users who share your interests. 

How To Reset FYP on TikTok: TikTok’s Diversified Recommendations

Even if you don’t learn how to reset your For You Page on TikTok, you can expect enough variety. From time to time, TikTok recommends content that’s different from what you usually consume but may still interest you. 

Showing videos that may not be relevant to your interests “is an important and intentional component” of TikTok’s attempt at diversifying recommendations. It’s TikTok’s way of helping you discover new creators and encouraging you to experience new perspectives. While this is not an active FYP reset, it may be enough to keep you on your toes. 

How To Reset FYP on TikTok: Account Controls

Managing your account preferences is another option for how to reset your For You page on TikTok. Some account control features allow you to customize the types of content you see on your FYP. You can explore these features if you’re not ready to reset your For You feed completely. 

To manage your content preferences:

  1. Go to your Profile > Menu > Settings and privacy > Content preferences. 
  2. Select Filter video keywords to specify keywords in videos you want to filter out. You can add up to 80 keywords. Videos with these keywords won’t show up in your For You feed. 
  3. Turn on Restricted Mode if you want to limit videos that may be inappropriate. 

If you see a video on your For You feed that you’re not interested in:

  1. Long-press on the video or tap the share button on the right. 
  2. Tap Not interested. 
  3. You can also tap Details in the box that briefly pops up at the bottom. Select the hashtags used in the video that you want to filter. 

If you see a video that you think violates TikTok’s Community Guidelines:

  1. Long-press on the video or tap the share button on the right. 
  2. Tap Report. 
  3. Select a reason, then tap Submit. 

If you want to stop seeing videos from a particular account:

  1. Open TikTok on a browser. 
  2. Find the account you want to block. 
  3. On the user’s profile page, click the three dots beside the share button in the upper right. 
  4. Click Block. 

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How To Reset FYP on TikTok: TikTok’s Progress Update

TikTok introduced a fresh option for how to reset the For You page on TikTok in a March 2023 article. They also revealed their “ongoing efforts to guard against repetitive recommendations” while enabling “self-expression and an enjoyable viewing experience.” 

TikTok takes several approaches to safeguard the platform and ensure that everyone has an enjoyable viewing experience. These steps include:

  • Removing content that breaks TikTok’s rules, such as content that promotes self-harm. 
  • Filtering out content that’s not appropriate for a broad audience and making it ineligible for For You recommendations. 
  • Minimizing recommendations of topics that may have a negative impact when viewers see them repeatedly. 
  • Filtering out content that’s inappropriate for teen accounts, such as content with mature themes. 

The article further highlighted TikTok’s efforts to manage content that may impact users negatively if they see it multiple times. More specifically, TikTok’s system looks for repetition among certain problematic or controversial themes, such as sadness or extreme diets. The system removes content that promotes or glorifies such themes and allows content that tackles them in a positive way. At the same time, it also limits the recommendation of the latter. 

For instance, TikTok’s system identifies multiple videos of people expressing how they deal with loneliness. Experts have recommended not to close the door on such expressions. Allowing those who want to share how they cope may benefit them and others. 

But too much exposure to such content may also have a negative impact. So TikTok’s system reduces recommendation frequency of these videos by infusing other topics into the For You feed. 

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How To Ensure Your Own Enhanced TikTok Experience

Knowing how to reset your For You page on TikTok is great for anybody looking for a fresh TikTok experience. Perhaps you’re no longer obsessed with a certain brand and no longer want to see anything related to it. Or maybe your interest in baking has evolved into an interest in healthy eating. TikTok’s “Refresh your For You feed” feature lets you redraw your content recommendation map.  

For creators and brands, how you shape your For You feed also directly impacts your community-building efforts. Remember that the videos you create are important considerations in TikTok’s recommendation system. 

Creating content that authentically represents your brand’ll effectively signal TikTok to show you similar content. And this is the quickest way for you to discover users with the same interests. Connecting with these users can help you expand your TikTok community. 

Building the right connections on TikTok is a two-way street, of course. Your personalized For You feed AND profile feed will also signal TikTok to recommend your content to the right users. This is why consistency and authenticity are crucial when creating TikTok content. These two elements guarantee discoverability and the forging of suitable connections.   

You can also give yourself an extra advantage by teaming up with a TikTok management expert like High Social. Enhance your audience-targeting precision with the help of High Social’s advanced, proprietary AI tool. 
Like TikTok’s #ForYou recommendation system, High Social’s technology will also match you with users who share your interests. You won’t need to explore how to reset your For You page on TikTok when you’re building a dedicated following. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok 101