Alexis Kestler
Wondering what happened to the TikTok Discover button and how to find it again? As a TikTok power user myself, I‘ve got you covered. Read on for the inside scoop on the Discover button removal, why TikTok is shifting strategies, and how to rediscover new content you love even without this handy feature.
So What Was the TikTok Discover Button Again?
For those new to TikTok, the Discover button was your gateway to…well, discovering viral new content on TikTok!
It lived on the bottom navigation bar of the app, right next to shortcuts like For You, Inbox, and Profile. With one tap, it took you to a page showing the latest trending sounds, hashtags, effects, and rising creator accounts gaining momentum on TikTok.
Discover made it super easy for hardcore TikTok fans like myself to stay on the pulse of emerging trends. I could always count on it to showcase the next viral dance craze, hilarious meme sound, or breakout creator before they hit mainstream. It became part of my daily TikTok routine to check the Discover page for what’s hot.
But in May 2022, TikTok suddenly pulled a switcheroo. Some users (myself included) found the Discover button simply vanished from our apps. In its place? A new “Friends” button for seeing videos from your contacts and followers.
Losing my trusted Discover tab felt like losing my Explorer page on Instagram or Recommended feed on YouTube. As an avid TikToker, it was a bit of a shock! But once I learned why TikTok yanked Discover, their strategy started to make sense.
Why TikTok Replaced Discover with Friends
According to TikTok, the Friends button is part of a new beta test focused on connecting you with people you know. The idea is to transform TikTok into more of a social media platform, like Instagram or Facebook.
Rather than simply showing you the most popular videos overall, TikTok now wants to tailor your feed based on what your friends and followers are watching and creating.
This approach isn’t totally new. Back when TikTok was known as Musical.ly, it had a “Friends” feature for seeing content from people you followed. When TikTok launched, it shifted priorities to purely growth and discovery.
But now TikTok wants to get back to its social roots. The Discover tab offered a broad, one-size-fits-all view of trending content. In comparison, a friends-first feed promises more personal, familiar connections.
However, the change came without warning, leaving Discover devotees like myself in the lurch! Only select accounts are part of the Friends beta test so far. Others still have the OG Discover button for now. But here’s the inside scoop on getting Discover back while you can.
Clever Workarounds to Regain the TikTok Discover Button
If you’re yearning for your Discover fix, try these pro tips to get the tab back temporarily:
Fully Log Out of Your TikTok Account
This is the quickest fix! Since Friends relies on your social connections, logging out removes it. Here‘s how:
- Tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Choose the settings gear icon in the top right.
- Scroll down and select “Log out” at the very bottom.
Once you’re logged out, you should see the glorious Discover button again! Now you can browse as a guest and re-access the Discover page.
Create a Brand New TikTok Account
Alternatively, try making a whole new TikTok account and see if it gives you Discover access. New accounts may not be included in the Friends test group yet.
Simply open TikTok, sign up fresh, and check if your shiny new account still has the Discover tab. If so, you now have a backup to flip-flop between Friends and Discover!
Search, Hashtags & For You: The Old School Way
Rather than logging in and out, you can also use old school TikTok features like Search, Hashtags, and the For You feed to scope out new viral content.
For example, tapping into trending hashtags is a classic way to find more videos using the same sound or meme. You can also search for specific songs, creators, or keywords related to a trend.
And don’t forget the For You page! While not as hyper-focused as Discover, For You still surfaces fresh finds based on your interests and engagement.
It takes more active digging than Discover‘s one-stop-shop, but you can still uncover the next viral craze through some TikTok detective work.
TikTok Discovery: Then and Now
To really understand this Discover dilemma, it helps to see the bigger picture of how TikTok discovery has evolved:
The Early Days: Friends and Hashtags
- When Musical.ly launched in 2014, it focused on following friends and creators
- Discovery relied on hashtags and the Friends feature for seeing your connections‘ posts
- Emphasized relationships between fans and creators
The TikTok Era: Pure Growth and Virality
- Debuted in 2017 in select markets, expanded globally in 2018
- Removed Friends feed and replaced it with Discover
- Optimized fully for growth, emphasizing only the most viral content
- Made it easy for newcomers to instantly find top trends and creators
Today: The Rise of the Social Algorithm
- Starting mid-2022, TikTok blending social and algorithmic discovery
- Wants to show you popular content from people you know first
- Hopes combining friends‘ activity with viral trends will increase engagement
It‘s a major shift, but as someone who‘s been on this TikTok rollercoaster ride from the start, the return to social makes sense. However, the loss of a pure discovery homebase will take some adjusting for power users.
But why is TikTok so set on this "friend-first" approach anyway?
TikTok Wants to Be the New Facebook
The driving force behind TikTok‘s Friends shift seems to be competing with other social platforms, especially Facebook.
After explosive growth through pure discovery from 2018 to 2021, TikTok‘s user base has now plateaued. And despite viral videos, many users still don‘t engage regularly.
TikTok likely wants to transition from app you open when bored to part of your daily social habit. And what do the most addictive social apps like Facebook have in common? Friends-based feeds.
Some evidence backing this theory:
- More Time on Site: Facebook boasts over 50 minutes per day on average from users
- Stronger Habits: 68% of Facebook users check the app daily, vs. just 28% for TikTok
- Higher Engagement: Instagram users engage with 39% of friends‘ posts vs. 6% of strangers‘ posts
Essentially, you‘re more likely to scroll endlessly when seeing familiar faces. So TikTok wants you to scroll through your cousin‘s videos for an hour, not just check top trends for 5 minutes.
The challenge? TikTok now needs to change user habits after years of conditioning people to think of it as an entertainment destination to kill time, not a social network.
Transitioning its core discovery and engagement model won‘t be easy. But the Friends feed shows TikTok is serious about making this pivot.
As a social media advisor though, I don‘t think they should ditch straight discovery entirely. A smart strategy is integrating both…which may be where this is heading.
The Ideal Balance: Mixing Friends and Discovery
As someone obsessed with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, I‘ve noticed the most successful social apps blend friend connections with discovery.
Take Instagram‘s evolution as an example:
- Started as friends-focused feed
- Added Explore tab for discovery
- Now mixes friend content with suggested posts from the Explore algorithm
This unified both friend stalking and discovery scrolling into their app instead of making people bounce to others.
YouTube offers a similar combo:
- Homepage shows subscriptions and friends‘ videos
- Sidebar recommends videos based on watch history
- Mixes the familiar and the viral in one place
I could see TikTok following a similar path based on these signs:
- Still keeping some users on the Discover tab
- For You recommendations co-exist with Friends feed
- Allow connecting but don‘t force friend content on everyone
I hope TikTok learns from platforms that have come before it and strikes the right balance between the two modes.
The Discover tab is just too useful to eliminate entirely. But the Friends feed offers new ways to connect fans and creators.
Blending both personalized social video and pure discovery could make TikTok truly unstoppable. As they continue to experiment, I‘ll be watching closely and adjusting my own habits as a power user to keep surfacing the most exciting new trends.
Tips for Rediscovering Content Without the Button
While we wait to see how TikTok evolves discovery next, here are my pro tips for staying on top of new viral trends even without the OG Discover tab:
Tap Around Trending Hashtags
Hashtags are still one of the best tools for diving deep on any trending topic. Keep an eye on which hashtags are burning up and click through the videos using them.
Check Out the Trending Sounds
Tapping the trending sound list is another quick way to find the latest earworms and audio memes catching on.
Look for Accounts Gaining Followers
Watch for creator accounts rapidly growing a following and click through to see their content. Sorting follower lists by most recent can surface rising stars.
Make Use of Recommendations
Don‘t neglect the For You page! While not as specialized as Discover, it suggests content based on your engagement, so the more you like, the better it gets.
Follow Hashtag and Creator Accounts
Curate your Following list with accounts dedicated to hashtags like #TikTokTrends or creators who showcase viral videos.
Search Strategically
Use search to look up specific trends, songs, or creators you hear about outside TikTok to stay in-the-know.
While not as convenient as one-click discovery, these tips help uncover the next big thing. Monitoring different signals like hashtags, sounds, search, and recommendations gives a more well-rounded view.
And combining old school tactics with new features like Friends can help you stay ahead of the curve as TikTok continues evolving its discovery offerings.
Friends and Virality Can Coexist on TikTok
Losing the beloved Discover button came as an adjustment for many diehard TikTok users. But examining the motivations behind this shift, I think TikTok can actually expand discovery in new ways by blending personalized social feeds with always-on viral trend alerts.
They simply need to help users like myself strike the right balance between our real-world connections and the digital thrill of discovering the next viral meme, creator, or craze on TikTok‘s ocean of content.
The app has come a long way since its Musical.ly days, but clearly still has room to grow into the ultimate digital hangout merging friend time and entertainment.
While it may take more effort without my handy Discover button, I‘m always up for the challenge of uncovering the next trending TikTok topic. Because staying on the pulse of internet culture is a rush no Friends feed can fully replace!
