You can block someone from your story without blocking them from your entire account

TikTok lets you hide your story from specific people without cutting off their access to your main feed. When you block someone from your story, they cannot see it when they visit your profile, and they will not receive notifications about new stories you post. The person remains able to view your regular videos unless you block them entirely from your account.

This is useful when you want to share stories with most of your followers but keep them private from certain people — a coworker, an ex, or someone you are not close to anymore. It takes about 30 seconds to set up and you can change it anytime.

Key Takeaways

  • Open your profile, tap the three dots, select Privacy, then Story and choose who can see it.
  • You can hide your story from specific accounts by selecting "Custom" and typing their usernames.
  • Blocked people cannot see your story, but they can still see your regular posted videos unless you block them entirely.
  • You can change your story privacy settings at any time, and the change takes effect immediately on new stories.
  • TikTok does not notify the person that you have hidden your story from them.

How to block specific people from your story

Open TikTok and go to your profile by tapping the person icon at the bottom right. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top right corner, then select Settings and privacy. From there, tap Privacy, then Story.

You will see options for who can view your story. Select Custom to choose specific people to hide it from. Tap Hide story from and type the usernames of the accounts you want to block from your story. You can add multiple usernames by typing each one and confirming. Once you finish, tap Save or Done depending on your app version.

The setting applies to all new stories you post going forward. Stories you posted before changing the setting remain visible to whoever could see them before.

The difference between hiding a story and blocking an account

Hiding someone from your story is not the same as blocking them entirely. When you hide someone from your story, they can still see your regular posted videos on your profile and in the For You feed. They can still comment, like, and message you unless you have blocked them from doing those things separately.

If you want to prevent someone from seeing everything you post — stories and videos both — you need to block them entirely. To do that, go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select Block. A blocked person cannot see your profile, videos, or stories, and they cannot message you or interact with your content.

What the blocked person sees

When you hide your story from someone, they will not see it when they visit your profile. If they try to view your story directly from a link or notification, they will see a message saying the story is no longer available or they do not have permission to view it — the exact wording varies by app version.

The person does not receive a notification that you have hidden your story from them. They may notice over time that you are posting stories but they cannot see them, but TikTok does not send them an alert about it.

Changing or removing story blocks later

You can change your story privacy settings anytime. Go back to Settings and privacy > Privacy > Story and select Custom again. You can add more usernames to the hidden list or remove names you previously blocked from your story.

If you want to let someone see your stories again, find their username in the hidden list and remove it. The change takes effect immediately, and they will be able to see any new stories you post from that point forward. Old stories they could not see before will still be unavailable to them.

Other story privacy options on TikTok

Beyond hiding your story from specific people, TikTok offers a few other story privacy choices. You can set your story to be visible to Friends only, which means only accounts you follow and who follow you back can see it. You can also choose Everyone to let all TikTok users view your story, or No one to disable stories entirely.

If your account is private, your story is automatically visible only to your approved followers. If your account is public, your story is visible to everyone unless you change the setting to Friends only or Custom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my story from someone without blocking them?

Yes. Hiding someone from your story is separate from blocking them. They can still see your regular videos and interact with you unless you block them entirely from your account. Use the Custom story setting to hide from specific people without affecting the rest of your account.

Will the person know I hid my story from them?

TikTok does not send a notification when you hide your story from someone. They may notice over time that you post stories they cannot see, but the app does not alert them directly.

Can I hide my story from someone and still see theirs?

Yes. Story privacy is one-way. You can hide your story from someone while still being able to view their stories. The two settings do not affect each other.

What happens to old stories when I change my privacy settings?

Stories you posted before changing your privacy settings keep their original visibility. If someone could see a story before you hid it from them, they can still see that old story. The new setting only applies to stories you post after you change it.

Can I hide my story from someone temporarily?

Yes. You can add someone to your hidden list, then remove them later whenever you want. Go back to your story privacy settings, select Custom, and remove their username from the hidden list. They will then be able to see your new stories again.