What Do The Different Symbols and Icons Mean in TikTok?

TikTok is hot. Since its 2017 launch, it has become one of the most popular social media apps mainly due to its ease of use. TikTok lets users quickly create, share, and watch 15-second videos shot on mobile devices.

Best known for quirky little vids set to music and sound effects, its format gives everyone from amateurs to professional users wide creativity.

Even in the few years since TikTok was launched, the app’s developers have added new features including new icons, changing icons, and moving icons to different locations within the app.

All these changes can be a bit confusing and frustrating to new and veteran users alike. All this may have you wondering, What do the TikTok icons mean?

Are you having trouble understanding all the icons and symbols in the TikTok app? Here are some details about some of the most popular icons in the app to get you started in understanding TikTik icons.

TIP: Some of the TikTok icons are pretty easy to understand, but if you are a new user to the platform it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to really understand what each of the different icons means, how each TikTok icon functions and what kind of content or reaction you can produce using each icon.

What Do The Icons on The Right of the “For You” Feed in TikTok Mean?

What are the various TikTok icons and what do they mean? A good place to start is an overview of how to use TikTok, starting with TikTok’s “For You” feed.

TikTok is divided into two main feeds. The default is one that is just “For You,” meaning that it is stream of videos, generated by the TikTok algorithm, akin to Instagram’s Explore page. There are several icons to the right of the “For You” feed, so let’s take a look at them:

What Does the Person Icon with a Plus Sign Mean on TikTok?

The first icon in TikTok’s “For You” feed, the person with a plus sign icon, takes you to the profile of the user who created the video you are viewing. Once there, you can follow that user if you choose.

What Does the Heart Icon Mean in TikTok?

In TikTok’s “For You” feed, the heart icon is the “like” icon. It lets you like a video with just a quick tap. Liking videos helps train the TikTok algorithm to display more videos that align with your interests, meaning TikTok will show you more of what you want to see.

What Does the Chat Bubble or Speech Bubble Icon Mean in TikTok?

TikTok’s chat bubble or speech bubble icon lets you see comments or leave comments specific to the video you are viewing.

What Does the Arrow Icon Mean in TikTok?

TikTok’s right-pointing arrow icon is for sharing individual TikToks to other platforms. Tap it if you want to copy the link to a specific TikTok, so you can then share it on iMessage, in an email, and so on.

What Does the @ Icon Mean In TikTok?

TikTok’s @ symbol in the comment field lets you mention or tag another user directly by typing the @ symbol and their username. You might use the @ symbol to mention or tag a friend to draw their attention to a video you think they would like to see.

What Does the Smiley Face Icon Mean in TikTok?

TikTok’s smiley face icon in the comment field allows you to easily use emojis or emoticons in your comments. A quick tap, and you have lots of emojis and emoticons at your fingertips to customize your comments.

What Do the Icons that Display Below Videos in TikTok Mean?

Several icons display below each TikTok video. Here is a quick rundown of what they do:

What Does the House Icon Mean in TikTok?

Tapping on the TikTok home icon returns you to your “For You” feed. This is where TikTok’s algorithm shows you videos that it thinks will suit your interests based on videos you’ve liked.

What Does the Magnifying Glass Icon in TikTok?

TikTok’s magnifying glass icon is how you discover or search TikTok. Tapping it accesses a search field that can help you find content, users, and even hashtags that you might like.

What Does the Plus Symbol Mean in TikTok?

Tapping TikTok’s plus symbol lets you create and post new content. You can create your own video, give it some quick edits, and post it for the world to see.

What Does the Chat Bubble or Inbox Icon Mean in TikTok?

TikTok’s chat bubble or inbox icon helps you see conversations and notifications about videos. You can also see users that have followed you and suggested accounts you might want to follow.

What Does the Person Icon Mean in TikTok?

Tapping TikTok’s person icon is how you view your own profile on TikTok. From here, you can edit your profile, add your bio, add a profile pic, and other information about yourself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed and found this information useful. If you have additional experiences or tips on the various icons in TikTok, post in the comments below.

— Sean