So, you messed up. Maybe you were rushing through the setup and picked a random year, or perhaps you thought being "ironically" 90 years old would be funny until the algorithm started showing you ads for walk-in bathtubs. Now you're staring at your profile wondering, can I change my age on TikTok, or am I stuck in digital purgatory?
It’s a mess.
TikTok is notoriously strict about this. Unlike Instagram or X (formerly Twitter), where you can usually hop into settings and toggle your birth year whenever you feel like it, TikTok treats your age like a legal deposition. They have to. Because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and various international safety regulations, the platform is under massive pressure to keep kids in the right "buckets." If you're under 13, you aren't even supposed to be there. If you’re under 18, you have restricted DM's and no livestreaming.
Changing it isn't just a click away. You can’t just go to "Edit Profile" and swap 2005 for 1995.
Why TikTok Makes This So Hard
The app used to be a bit more lax. A few years ago, you actually could change your birthday within the app settings. But then the regulators came knocking. TikTok has paid millions in fines—notably a $5.7 million settlement with the FTC back in the Musical.ly days—for mishandling under-age data.
Now? The "Age" field is locked tight.
If you try to find a "Change Birthday" button in your account settings today, you’ll find... absolutely nothing. It doesn’t exist. This is intentional. TikTok uses your age to determine if you can see "mature" content, who can message you, and whether you can receive "Gifts" (which translate to real money) during lives. If they let people change their age at will, a 12-year-old could suddenly become a 25-year-old to bypass safety filters. That is a legal nightmare TikTok wants to avoid at all costs.
The Only Real Way to Change Your Age
There is exactly one "official" path. It involves talking to a human being. Or, at least, a support ticket system managed by humans.
You have to file a report.
- Open the app and head to your Profile.
- Hit those three lines (the hamburger menu) in the top right.
- Tap Settings and Privacy.
- Scroll down until you see Report a Problem. It’s usually under the Support & About section.
- Search for "Account and Profile" or just type "Age" into the search bar.
- You’ll eventually see an option for "Other" or "Changing account information."
- You need to select "Need more help?" at the bottom.
This is where you explain your situation. You’ve got to be honest here. Tell them you entered the wrong birth date during registration and you need to correct it.
The Proof Problem
Here is the kicker: TikTok will almost certainly ask for ID.
They aren’t just going to take your word for it. They usually require a government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport) or a school ID if you’re a minor. They might even ask for a photo of you holding that ID. It feels invasive. It is invasive. But from TikTok’s perspective, it’s the only way to verify that you aren't a kid trying to sneak into the adult side of the app.
If you don't have an ID, or you're uncomfortable sharing it, you are basically out of luck with this method.
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The "Nuclear Option" (Starting Over)
Honestly? For most people, the support ticket takes too long. TikTok support is famously slow. You might wait weeks only to get a canned response saying they can’t verify your identity.
If your account is brand new or doesn't have a massive following, the fastest way to change my age on TikTok is to delete the account and start over.
I know. It sucks.
But if you’re locked into a "Minor" account (under 13) and you’re actually 20, you’re losing out on the full FYP experience, DMs, and monetization. Creating a new account with the correct birth date from day one saves you the headache of begging a moderator for help. Just make sure you use a different email or phone number, or wait the full 30 days for your old account to be permanently deleted before reusing the credentials.
What Happens if You Lie?
People do it all the time. They put 1980 just to be safe. But there’s a catch. TikTok’s algorithm is incredibly smart. It tracks how you interact with the app. If your "age" says you're 45, but you're only engaging with content made for 14-year-olds and your face (if you post videos) clearly looks like a teenager's, TikTok’s "age estimation" tech might flag you.
In 2023, TikTok began implementing more aggressive automated age-estimation tools. They use facial recognition patterns in videos to guess if a user is younger than they claim. If the AI thinks you’re a kid and your profile says you’re an adult, they might prompt you for ID anyway—or just shadowban your content from certain feeds.
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The Restrictions You're Likely Trying to Avoid
Usually, when people ask can I change my age on TikTok, it’s because they hit a wall. Here are the age-gated features that usually trigger the search:
- Direct Messaging: If TikTok thinks you're under 16, you can't send or receive DMs. Period.
- Live Streaming: You generally need to be 18+ to go Live.
- The Creator Fund/Rewards: You must be 18+ to earn money directly from TikTok.
- Virtual Gifts: You can't buy or receive "Coins" or "Gifts" unless the app recognizes you as an adult.
If you’re 17 and 364 days old, TikTok doesn't care. You’re a minor until that clock strikes midnight on the date they have on file.
A Word on Privacy
If you decide to go the "Report a Problem" route and send your ID, be aware of what you're doing. You are handing a government document to a global tech giant. While TikTok claims they delete this data after verification, many privacy experts remain skeptical about the long-term storage of biometric data and ID scans.
If you’re a parent trying to fix a kid’s account, it’s often better to just oversee the creation of a new account with the correct info (assuming they are actually old enough to be on the platform) rather than sending a child's passport to a support desk.
Actionable Steps to Fix Your Account
Don't just sit there. If your age is wrong, it’s going to mess up your experience eventually.
- Check your current status: Go to your "Settings and Privacy" > "Family Pairing." If you can't even see certain options, your account is likely restricted due to age.
- Try the Support Ticket first: Go through the "Report a Problem" flow. Be polite. Be clear. Say "I entered my birth year as 2010 but it is actually 1990. I have ID to prove this."
- Prepare your document: If you're going to use an ID, black out sensitive info like your Social Security number or specific address if possible, but keep the birth date and your name clearly visible.
- Backup your videos: If you decide to go the "new account" route, use a TikTok downloader to save your favorite videos without the watermark so you can repost them on the new profile.
- Check your linked accounts: Sometimes your age is pulled from a linked Google or Facebook account. If you signed up via a third party, check the birthday on that account first. Sometimes updating it there and re-syncing can (rarely, but sometimes) trigger a refresh.
The reality is that TikTok has built a fortress around the age setting. It's not about being annoying; it's about staying out of court. If you can't prove who you are, the app will always err on the side of caution—which usually means keeping you in the most restricted version of the app possible.