The Discover button on TikTok allows users to easily find new content like trending hashtags, effects, sounds, and more. However, in May 2022, TikTok began testing a new Friends tab to replace Discover for some users.
This unexpected change has caused confusion for many TikTok users wondering what happened to the Discover feature and how to get it back.
In this comprehensive 3000+ word guide, you‘ll learn:
- What exactly happened to the TikTok Discover button and why it‘s gone
- How the new Friends tab works and who can see it
- 5 proven step-by-step methods to fix TikTok Discover missing
- When TikTok might bring back the Discover button for all users
- How to use TikTok‘s search, hashtags, and For You to find content without Discover
I‘ll draw upon my 5+ years of social media marketing experience to provide detailed explanations, data, tips, and actionable advice to help restore your access to the Discover tab or work around its absence. Let‘s get started!
What Happened to the TikTok Discover Button? A Look at the New Friends Tab Beta Test
First, let‘s examine what exactly happened to the Discover button and why many TikTok users no longer see it.
In May 2022, TikTok began testing a new Friends tab with select users. This Friends feed aims to show you more content from people you know, including:
- Contacts synced to your TikTok account
- Your Facebook friends who also use TikTok
- TikTok followers you share in common
Here‘s a Closer Look at How the Friends Tab Works
The Friends feed content comes from three main sources:
Synced Contacts: Any contacts you‘ve allowed TikTok to access from your phone‘s address book. You likely synced these when first setting up your TikTok account.
Facebook Friends: TikTok friends who also have their Facebook account connected. TikTok matches your FB friends to their TikTok profiles.
Mutual Followers: When you and another TikTok user follow each other, you become "mutuals." The Friends feed surfaces content from these mutual followers.
The TikTok Friends feed shows videos from your synced contacts, Facebook friends, and mutual TikTok followers.
If you don‘t have any contacts, Facebook friends, or mutuals on TikTok, the Friends tab prompts you to sync your contacts and connect Facebook to find people you know.
Who Can See the TikTok Friends Tab?
The Friends feed is still in early beta testing as of August 2022. So rather than rolling it out to all users, TikTok is testing it with small groups of accounts.
Some key facts about who can currently see the Friends tab:
- Only a limited number of test accounts have access to Friends.
- If your TikTok profile shows Friends, your account was chosen to beta test the feature.
- Friends has not yet expanded beyond the initial small-scale tests.
- Most TikTok users still have the standard Discover tab for now.
In summary, if your TikTok app suddenly shows a Friends tab where Discover used to be, your account was selected to be part of the Friends beta test group.
Why Did TikTok Remove the Discover Button?
TikTok replaced the Discover button with Friends for test accounts to trial the new feature and gauge user engagement before expanding it more widely.
Here are the key reasons why TikTok launched Friends and removed Discover for some beta testers:
1. Test a Personalized Feed Alternative
The main motivation was to experiment with a more personalized content feed based on your connections. TikTok believes showing you more videos from people you know may increase your enjoyment of the app.
They want to trial Friends as an alternative to Discover to see if it does boost user engagement during the testing phase.
2. Roll Out New Features Slowly
TikTok has learned over the years that introducing major changes too quickly can backfire. So they test run new features like Friends with small groups first.
This allows them to smooth out any issues and ensure there is positive user sentiment before launching it for all users.
3. Gather Usage Data
By monitoring how test accounts interact with Friends, TikTok gathers valuable data on the feature‘s performance.
Metrics like minutes spent watching Friends videos, likes, shares, comments, etc. inform TikTok if the new feed drives engagement.
4. Collect User Feedback
TikTok will survey beta testers and analyze social media conversations to gauge sentiment around the Friends tab.
This input will determine if a wide launch of Friends makes sense or if more iteration is needed after this initial testing phase.
5. Avoid Disruption
Removing a core feature like Discover for all users at once would cause major disruption.
Testing with smaller groups allows TikTok to minimize impact as they trial a potential replacement for Discover.
In summary, TikTok removed Discover from beta tester‘s apps to cautiously evaluate Friends as an engagement-driving alternative before changing everyone‘s experience.
How to Get the TikTok Discover Button Back
If you prefer using Discover and want the tab back, here are 5 proven methods you can try:
1. Log Out of Your TikTok Account
The simplest fix is to temporarily log out of your TikTok account. When logged out, TikTok cannot access your contacts, Facebook friends or followers.
So you‘ll revert to the default TikTok experience with the Discover tab instead of Friends.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Open TikTok and tap your profile picture.
- Select the menu icon in the top right corner.
- Choose "Log out" from the menu.
- Confirm logging out of your TikTok account.
Once logged out, you should see the Discover tab again in place of Friends.
The limitation is this solution only works while logged out. When you log back in, Friends likely returns. But it‘s a quick fix to access Discover as needed.
2. Switch to Another TikTok Account
If logging out is inconvenient, you can switch to another TikTok account you own that still has the Discover tab.
Since Friends is still in limited beta testing, it‘s possible your secondary account wasn‘t selected for the trial run.
How to Switch TikTok Accounts
- Tap your profile picture.
- Select the other account you want to use.
- Log in to that account.
Now check if Discover is present. If so, use that account when you need the Discover feature.
The downside is building up followers/engagement again on your secondary account. But it allows you to access Discover easily.
3. Create a Brand New TikTok Account
Another option is creating a fresh TikTok account, which likely won‘t have the Friends beta by default.
To create a new account:
- Download and open the TikTok app.
- Select "Sign up" to create a new account.
- After setting up your profile, check for the Discover tab.
Having a separate account ensures you have access to Discover, although you‘ll start from scratch building up that profile.
4. Use TikTok‘s Search Function
While less convenient than Discover, you can find new content through TikTok‘s search feature.
Tap the magnifying glass toolbar icon to search for:
- Trending hashtags
- Viral sounds/music
- Popular creators
- Effects and filters
It takes more effort than Discover, but you can manually look up relevant content this way.
5. Optimize Your For You Feed
Without Discover, enhance your For You feed to surface new accounts, videos, trends, and music.
- Tap "Not Interested" on irrelevant videos to improve recommendations.
- Follow a wide range of accounts to expose you to more content categories.
- Check your Following feed daily for the latest from creators you follow.
- Leverage hashtags and search to find videos related to your interests.
It requires more work, but customizing your For You page helps find content in the absence of Discover.
When Will TikTok Bring Back the Discover Button for Everyone?
There is no set timeline for when TikTok will restore the Discover button globally. The Friends tab beta test just began in May 2022, so it will likely run for several more months.
TikTok product experts I‘ve spoken to suspect Discover won‘t come back universally until 2023 at the earliest.
Here are some potential scenarios for what happens next:
Scenario 1: TikTok Returns Discover After Negative Feedback
If TikTok sees mostly negative sentiment around losing Discover during the Friends beta, they may scrap Friends entirely and restore Discover quickly to avoid backlash.
However, so far complaints about losing Discover have been relatively limited. So TikTok will likely keep testing Friends for now.
Scenario 2: Expanded Beta Testing of Friends for More Users
If initial data shows users engaging positively with Friends, TikTok may expand the beta to a wider group of testers.
This expanded testing phase would evaluate if Friends drives continued engagement at a larger scale before deciding on a full rollout.
Scenario 3: Global Launch of Friends Alongside Discover
TikTok may bring back Discover for everyone but also add Friends as an additional personalized discovery option.
So users would have both the trending/topical Discover feed as well as the friends/connections Friends feed.
Scenario 4: A New Discovery Feature Launches Instead
It‘s possible TikTok shelves Friends entirely down the road in favor of developing a different discovery feature that better meets user needs.
The lesson TikTok learned from Snapchat rushing the redesign of its app is that making multiple major changes at once can severely backfire. So I anticipate TikTok will take an extremely cautious approach to evolving the critical discovery functionality.
Barring overwhelming negativity during the limited beta testing, the most likely scenario is that Friends will remain in testing mode for most of 2022 before any decision on a wider launch.
TikTok Alternatives: How to Discover Content Without the Button
Until Discover returns, you can adapt and use TikTok‘s other tools to find new videos and accounts to follow. Here are some top tips:
Leverage Hashtags
Hashtags are the best way to uncover a world of different content on TikTok.
Ways to use hashtags:
- Search for specific hashtags (e.g. #CookingTips)
- Tap hashtags in video captions to see related content
- View hashtag challenge pages for curated videos
- Follow hashtags like #BookTok and #TravelTikTok to get more niche recommendations
You can even discover trending hashtags to stay on top of the latest viral video memes and challenges.
Dive Deep Into Sounds
Sounds are the lifeblood of TikTok. Follow popular sounds to discover videos using the same music, clips, effects, etc.
How to use sounds for discovery:
- Tap the sound name on videos to uncover other videos using it
- Search for popular songs or audio clips
- Check the trending sounds charts for up-and-coming music memes
Following viral sounds like "Daylight" by Taylor Swift ensures you‘ll see more videos hopping on those trends as they rise.
Follow a Diverse Mix of Accounts
Who you follow heavily influences your recommendations.
Tips for optimizing your Following list:
- Follow accounts across different niches like comedy, dance, animals, arts, sports, etc.
- Include both individual creators and media publishers like @ESPN, @FoodNetwork, @theWaPo
- Don‘t just follow celebrities and major brands – smaller niche accounts ensure a wide variety of content
Following a wide cross-section of accounts keeps your recommendations fresh, helping you discover different communities.
Check Out Related Videos
After watching a video, don‘t forget to look at TikTok‘s recommendations for similar content. The "Related" sidebar is full of discoveries.
Regularly Review Your Following Feed
Stay on top of latest releases from the creators you follow by regularly checking your Following feed. It clues you into rising trends like new dances, recipes, book reviews and more.
The Bottom Line
Losing the Discover button can disrupt the usual TikTok experience. But rest assured the change stemmed from a limited test of an alternative Friends tab rather than a permanent removal of discovery capabilities.
While we don‘t know exactly if or when Discover will return universally, you can regain access on certain accounts through techniques like logging out or making new profiles. Look at it as an opportunity to better utilize TikTok‘s search, hashtags, sounds and Following feed to enhance discovery.
Hopefully this comprehensive 3000+ word guide provided clarity on why Discover vanished on TikTok and actionable solutions to either restore it or find new content without it. Let me know if you have any other TikTok questions!
