You're scrolling through TikTok and you see it—that one profile you just have to know more about. Maybe it's a competitor in your niche, or maybe you're just a little nosy about who your favorite creator is rubbing shoulders with lately. We’ve all been there. But here's the kicker: TikTok isn't exactly making it easy.
Back in the day, social media was a bit like a glass house. You could see everything. Now? It’s more like a fortress. If you want to know how to see who someone recently followed on TikTok, you have to navigate a maze of privacy settings, algorithmic sorting, and—let’s be real—a fair share of scams promising "secret hacks."
I’m going to level with you. There is no magical "Spy Mode" button. But, if you know where to look and how the app's plumbing works, you can piece it together.
The Chronological Mystery: Is the List Actually in Order?
First things first. Let’s talk about the "Following" list itself.
If you tap on someone’s profile and hit that "Following" number, you get a list. But is it chronological? Honestly, it’s hit or miss. For your own account, TikTok generally sorts your followers and the people you follow by the most recent activity. Newest at the top, oldest at the bottom. Simple.
But when you’re looking at someone else's profile? That’s where things get murky.
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TikTok often randomizes or uses an "interest-based" algorithm for public viewing of following lists. This means the person at the top might just be someone you both know, or a high-profile creator, rather than their most recent follow. However, in 2026, many users still find that if they check a public list via the desktop browser version of TikTok, it tends to lean closer to a chronological order than the mobile app does.
Why the Desktop Version is Your Best Friend
If you’re serious about this, put down the phone. Open TikTok on a laptop.
- Log into your account (or don't, but being logged in helps with search).
- Navigate to the user's profile.
- Click on Following.
On the desktop interface, the "Recently Followed" accounts often float to the top because the web version doesn't always apply the same "relevancy" filters that the app does to save data. It's a subtle difference, but it's often the most reliable way to spot a new addition to their circle.
The "Private Following List" Roadblock
You click the Following tab and... nothing. "Following list is hidden due to this account's privacy settings."
Ouch.
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This is the ultimate buzzkill. TikTok allows users to set their following list to "Only Me." If they’ve done this, you aren't seeing that list. Period. No app, no website, and no "coding trick" is going to bypass TikTok’s internal servers to show you that data.
Avoid the Scams
I cannot stress this enough: if you see a website asking for your TikTok password or a credit card to "unlock" a private following list, run. They are phishing for your data. These "TikTok Tracker" apps are almost always total junk. At best, they show you public info you could find yourself; at worst, they steal your account.
Looking for Clues: The "Indirect" Method
If the list is private, or the order is scrambled, you have to play detective. You can still see who someone recently followed on TikTok by looking at their engagement patterns.
People usually follow someone because they like their content. Check the user’s "Likes" tab (if it’s public). If you see a sudden influx of likes on a specific creator’s videos, there is a 99% chance they just hit that follow button.
Also, look at the Friends tab. If you and the person follow each other, TikTok will prioritize mutual connections. If a new person suddenly appears in your "Suggested Friends" or "People You May Know" with the tag "Followed by [User]," that’s a massive breadcrumb. TikTok’s algorithm is essentially telling on them.
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Checking the "Followers" List of the Other Person
This is a pro move. If you suspect User A followed User B, go to User B’s profile and look at their Followers.
Unlike the "Following" list, the "Followers" list is almost always strictly chronological. If User A is at the very top of User B's follower list, they followed them recently. It’s a bit of extra legwork, but it’s the only way to get factual, time-stamped proof.
Monitoring Growth with Analytics
If you’re a brand or a creator trying to track a competitor, you don't need to see who they followed as much as you need to see their activity.
Tools like HypeAuditor or Upfluence (and even TikTok’s own Creator Center) provide insights into account growth. While they won't name every single person a user follows, they show spikes in following activity. If a competitor's "Following" count jumps by 50 in one day, they’re likely on a networking spree or using a follow-back strategy.
Summary of the Best Tactics
Since there isn't a single "view" button, you have to use a combination of these:
- The Desktop Check: Use a browser to see if the list defaults to chronological order.
- The Follower Inverse: Check the target's follower list to see if the person appears at the top.
- Engagement Tracking: Watch the "Likes" and "Reposts" tabs for new faces.
- Mutual Suggestions: Keep an eye on "Suggested for you" tags.
Your Next Step
Go to the profile you're curious about and check if their "Likes" tab is public. If it is, scroll through the last ten videos they liked. Cross-reference those creators with the user's "Following" list. If those creators are in the top few slots of the following list, you've found your answer—the list is likely sorted by recent activity for that account.
That’s the reality of TikTok in 2026. It’s a game of bits and pieces, but the data is there if you know how to look for it without falling for "hacker" traps.