Why is TikTok asking for passcode on iPhone? Users confused by password verification

Many TikTok users have been left baffled by the sudden requirement to enter their passcode on iPhone to access the application. If you are among them, here’s what we know about the issue.

TikTok, like most other apps on your iPhone or Android, should simply launch immediately without any checks or login required.

Typically, the only applications that require any kind of passcode or ID verification are banking apps, so users were surprised to see the video and streaming app demanding their passcode when launching.

Although this isn’t a brand-new issue on TikTok, it seems to have begun happening more frequently in December 2023 – so, here’s what we know.

TikTok passcode issue on iPhones

Starting around the end of November 2023, social media users have been sharing their issues with a passcode being required for TikTok.

“TikTok has been asking me for my phone password every time I open it,” one user explained on Reddit, and many others confirmed they had a similar problem. “Same thing is happening to me and I’m trying to figure out how to stop it,” one said.

Unfortunately, TikTok itself does not specify why it is prompting for the passcode, but there are some potential reasons.

One possibility is that you are in Restricted Mode. TikTok restricted mode makes it so that a passcode is required to view certain content, or that some content is just not visible at all.

To switch restricted mode off, you need to go into your TikTok privacy settings, and under the “content preferences section, you should see the restricted mode option.

You will need to enter your passcode to turn restricted mode off as well.

iPhone Passcode could be bugged on TikTok

But, not for the first time, some users experience a bug with restricted mode that means it simply will not switch off.

Strangely, by simply pressing ‘cancel’ at the bottom right when the passcode is required, you can skip the passcode entry on TikTok. This certainly indicates that it may simply be a bug for some users.

You could also try updating your TikTok application, to make sure you have the latest version.

But, until TikTok issues a fix for the bug, you may just have to get used to pressing cancel when opening the app.