TikTok is testing a new “watch history” feature with some users to allow them to find videos that appeared on their “For You” page that they didn’t have a chance to save. Given the constant stream of content on TikTok, accidentally refreshing your “For You” page and losing a video before you’ve had a chance to “like” it is a common problem for users. It seems that TikTok is looking to solve this problem with the addition of this possible feature.
When asked if the company plans to expand the test and roll out the feature to more users, TikTok told TechCrunch in email that it doesn’t have more to share on the test at this time.
“We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience,” a TikTok spokesperson told TechCrunch, when reached for comment.
Twitter user Hammod Oh, who often uncovers features that are currently being tested by social media platforms, first spotted the feature, which was then highlighted by social media consultant Matt Navarra. Screenshots posted by Hammod Oh and other users indicate that a TikTok user’s watch history will be accessible in the “content and activity” section in the app’s settings.
The test comes as some TikTok users have found workarounds to help find lost videos. Earlier this year, TikTok user “rachforaday” posted a video that walks users through the process of uncovering a lost video on the platform. The video instructs users to go to the Discover page, click search, enter an asterisk, go to the search filters tab and toggle the “watched videos” button. Once you click apply, you’ll get a list of videos you’ve seen in the past seven days. The video has since gained immense traction and has been viewed more than 32 million times and has over 5.5 million likes.
This method isn’t the only way that users have uncovered lost TikTok videos. Another workaround walks users through the process of downloading their entire data from the app to access a zip file that shows their “video browsing history.”
TikTok’s watch history feature should make the process of finding lost videos a lot simpler and get rid of the need for these workarounds.
