TikTok live streams now a lot harder to scroll past? You're not alone

If you’ve recently been scrolling through your TikTok feed, you may have noticed something frustrating — live streams are getting a lot harder to skip past. It’s not just you! This new annoyance has left many users wondering if their screens or apps are acting up, but nope — it’s all TikTok’s doing.

Reports started trickling in a couple of weeks ago and they haven’t stopped as of this writing, and it seems TikTok is making it more difficult to scroll away from live streams. Users have to linger on a live video for a few seconds before they can move on, and some say it’s even taking multiple swipes to finally escape the endless stream of, well, streams. This isn’t just a random glitch; it’s something TikTok users are now bonding over in frustration, with many swapping stories about their near phone-throwing experiences.

Some iPhone users initially thought it was an issue with their devices, but nope — whether you’re on iOS or Android, the problem persists. And no, clearing your cache or reinstalling the app doesn’t seem to fix it for everyone, though some lucky souls have found relief in this basic troubleshooting.

TikTok appears to be increasing the prominence of live streams, possibly in a bid to encourage more interaction, gifting, and engagement during these live sessions. After all, the emotes users send during lives make TikTok some serious coin. The theory? By making it harder to swipe past lives, TikTok is hoping you’ll stick around just long enough to decide, “Hey, why not join the fun?” But the general consensus among users? No one’s having it.

This change has left users feeling like they’re being tricked into watching more live streams, with some threatening to ditch the app for Instagram’s Reels. But beware that some Instagram users are unable to pin or unpin Reels. A few have even resorted to watching their old, liked videos just to avoid the frustration.

Unfortunately, TikTok has yet to acknowledge or address this issue officially. In the meantime, a few users have found minor workarounds:

1. Clear the cache: This has worked for some, offering a temporary fix. To do this, head to your TikTok App info page and clear the cache. Don’t get your hopes too high, though, as others have reported no change after trying this.

2. Refresh the feed: If you’re really stuck on a live, refreshing the For You page might give you a short break — until the next live pops up.

3. Take a break: Some users are simply taking a break from their FYP altogether, going back to old favorites or avoiding the app entirely until TikTok fixes the issue.

For now, users will have to deal with this new scrolling hurdle. Hopefully, TikTok takes note of the outcry and gives users back the seamless scrolling experience they love. If not, we might be seeing a few more TikTok detoxes in the near future.