- How to create a TikTok account in the app
- How to sign up for TikTok on a computer or phone browser
- Which sign-up method to choose
- The one-account rule that catches people out
- If TikTok says your phone number is already registered
- Recycled mobile numbers
- When your verification code doesn't arrive
- Other sign-up problems and how TikTok says to fix them
- Adding a second account and logging in
- My advice before you sign up
- Frequently asked questions
To create a TikTok account, download TikTok from the App Store or Google Play, open the app, choose a sign-up method and follow the steps. On a computer, open TikTok in your browser, click the Log in icon, then click Sign up at the bottom of the window and sign up with your email, phone number or a social media account.
The steps themselves are short. What trips people up are the rules around them: each phone number, email and social account can only be linked to one TikTok account, two well-known social networks aren't accepted for sign-up, and an old phone number can block you. Here's everything TikTok's help says, as of October 2026.
How to create a TikTok account in the app
- Download TikTok from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open the app.
- Choose a sign-up method and follow the steps.
Before you start, make sure the email address or phone number you use is valid and one you'll keep. TikTok needs it for logging in and for password recovery, so a throwaway address can lock you out later.
How to sign up for TikTok on a computer or phone browser
You don't have to use the app. On a desktop browser:
- Click the Log in icon.
- Click Sign up at the bottom of the window.
- Sign up with your email, phone number or a social media account.
- Complete your profile and personalise your username.
On mobile web, tap the Me icon, sign up with your email, phone number or a social media account, then complete your profile and username.
Which sign-up method to choose
| Sign-up method | What TikTok's rules say |
|---|---|
| Phone number | One account per number; you sign up with a code sent by text |
| One account per email; if no code arrives, check spam and make sure your mailbox isn't full | |
| Social media account | One TikTok account per social account; Instagram and X aren't supported |
| Desktop web | Log in icon, then Sign up, then email, phone or social account |
| Mobile web | Me icon, then sign up with email, phone or social account |
Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) aren't supported sign-up methods. TikTok says that if you signed up with X in the past, you may still be able to log in with it.
My take: use something you control for the long term. Once you're in, TikTok recommends having both an email and a phone number on the account, so you can still get in if you lose access to one of them.
The one-account rule that catches people out
Each phone number, email address and social media account can only be linked to one TikTok account. That's why some people sign up and land straight back in an old account they'd forgotten about. TikTok's help says this happens when you've used the same log-in method as that old account. The fix is to create the new account with a different method.
If TikTok says your phone number is already registered
Because each number links to one account, TikTok checks it during sign-up. Here's how that flow works:
- Enter your birthday and phone number.
- Enter the code TikTok sends you.
- TikTok shows you the profile picture of the account already linked to that number.
- If it's yours, tap Log in instead. If it isn't, tap Continue with this number.
Continue with this number removes the number from the other account and links it to your new one, and TikTok notifies the previous account. If the old account is yours and you want the number on a new one, you can either change the number on the old account or delete it. TikTok says a deleted account is deactivated for 30 days and then permanently removed, and after that the number can be linked to a new account.
Recycled mobile numbers
Mobile networks reassign numbers after a period of inactivity, so the number you've just been given may still be linked to someone else's old TikTok account. TikTok says it doesn't control number recycling. If sign-up is blocked, you can verify you're the current owner and ask TikTok to unlink it. Go to Profile, then Menu, Settings and privacy, Help Centre, and choose Chat with us or Report a problem. Or skip the problem and sign up with your email instead.
When your verification code doesn't arrive
For a phone code, TikTok's code article says to pick the correct country code and enter your number without the country code and without the leading 0. Another TikTok page gives the same fix with the 0 included, so if one way doesn't work, try the other. If the number's right, restart your device and request the code again.
For an email code, check the address for typos or spaces, look in your spam and other folders, and make sure your mailbox isn't full. If you're still stuck, I've gone through more fixes in TikTok not sending a verification code.
Other sign-up problems and how TikTok says to fix them
- Restart the app and try again.
- Make sure the account is only associated with one log-in method.
- On desktop web, refresh the page and try again later.
- If it still fails, send TikTok feedback with your sign-up method and a screenshot of the error.
During sign-up you'll be asked for your birthday, and TikTok has minimum age rules. I've covered those separately in how old you have to be to have TikTok.
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Adding a second account and logging in
Already have one account and want another, for a business or a side project? Go to your Profile, tap your nickname, then tap Add account to create a new one, or choose an existing account to switch to. Just remember the one-account rule: the new account needs its own email, number or social log-in. If you're deciding what kind of account to run, see my guide to TikTok personal vs business accounts.
To log in on the web later, click Log in at the top right on desktop, choose your method and enter your details. On mobile web, tap Me, then Sign up, then Log in at the bottom, and choose your method.
Once you're set up, it's worth reading up on adding a link to your TikTok bio.
My advice before you sign up
Spend thirty seconds deciding which email or number you'll keep for years, because that's what TikTok will use to let you back in. If you're setting up a business account alongside a personal one, give each its own log-in from the start, and you'll avoid the loop of landing back in the wrong account.
Signed up with the wrong email? See how to change your TikTok email or phone number.
This guide is part of my TikTok Help: 19 Guides to Views, Pay, Freezing Fixes, Followers and TikTok Shop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a TikTok account?
Download TikTok from the App Store or Google Play, open the app, choose a sign-up method and follow the steps. On desktop, click Log in, then Sign up at the bottom of the window.
Can I sign up for TikTok with Instagram or X?
No. TikTok says Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) aren't supported sign-up methods. If you signed up with X before, you may still be able to log in.
Why does TikTok take me back to my old account when I sign up?
Each phone number, email and social account can only be linked to one TikTok account. If you land in an old account, you used its log-in method, so sign up with a different one.
What does it mean if my phone number is already registered on TikTok?
That number is linked to another TikTok account. You can log in instead if it's yours, or continue with the number, which moves it to your new account and notifies the old one.
Can you have two TikTok accounts?
Yes. Go to your Profile, tap your nickname, then Add account. Each account needs its own email, phone number or social log-in.
