For You, Following or Friends: how the feeds differ

For You: the discovery engine

For You is the default feed and the reason TikTok feels endless. It mixes creators you have never heard of with ones you know, guided by signals like what you rewatch, like, share, comment on or skip.

Its strength is surprise; its weakness is that it can drift into topics you did not mean to binge. One long late-night session can shape what you see for days.

Following: the creators you picked

Following is closer to a traditional social feed. It shows posts from accounts you follow, so it is the best place to catch up with creators you do not want to miss.

It is only as good as your follow list. If you follow a lot of inactive or irrelevant accounts, the feed gets cluttered.

Friends: your real-life circle

Friends puts mutual follows and people you may know at the centre, often along with their Stories and reposts. It feels more like checking in on your group than browsing entertainment.

Not every account sees this feed in the same place, and its name and position have changed between versions. Look at the top of your home screen or the bottom bar.

Choosing the right feed for the moment

Want to learn something new or be entertained? Open For You. Want updates from your favourite chef or teacher? Use Following. Want to see what your cousins posted from the family trip? Try Friends.

Being deliberate about which feed you open is one of the easiest ways to spend less time scrolling things you do not care about.

Frequently asked questions