Your TikTok algorithm probably isn’t “broken forever” — but right now there are real glitches plus all the usual reasons the For You Page gets weird.

Quick Scoop

  • There was a recent TikTok outage in the US that messed up a lot of people’s FYPs , showing old, random, or irrelevant content.
  • On top of that, your own watch history, likes, skips, and new “control” features all constantly reshape what you see.
  • The good news: you can usually “retrain” your FYP in a few days by being intentional with how you use the app.

What’s Going On With TikTok Right Now

1. Recent outage = weird FYP

  • Over the last few days, many US users saw old videos, irrelevant stuff, and low views on their own posts because of a power outage at a US data center.
  • TikTok’s new US joint venture said the outage disrupted how the recommendation algorithm works and delayed how new content circulates.
  • Some people reported that their algorithm felt “reset” or totally off, even on long‑running accounts.

So if your FYP suddenly went from “this is scarily accurate” to “why am I seeing 2022 slime videos,” you’re not alone.

How the TikTok Algorithm Thinks (In 2025–2026)

TikTok’s FYP isn’t random; it’s more like a very intense note‑taker watching everything you do.

Key behavior it tracks:

  • What you watch all the way through (or rewatch).
  • What you like, comment on, share, or save.
  • What you skip fast or mark “Not interested.”
  • The topics, sounds, and hashtags in the videos you linger on.
  • Your settings and topic preferences (including new tools like Topic Management and Smart Keyword Filters).

Even small changes in how you scroll for a few days can push you into a completely different content rabbit hole.

Non‑Glitch Reasons Your FYP Feels “Messed Up”

Even without the recent outage, these common things can make your TikTok feel off:

  • You binge‑watched one type of video (e.g., drama, conspiracy, niche fan edits), and the algorithm decided that’s your whole personality now.
  • You interacted with a polarizing topic and now your FYP is flooded with “takes” and responses.
  • You changed how you use the app: new interests, different watch times, or you took a break and came back.
  • You turned on or tweaked topic/keyword filters , so TikTok is avoiding a bunch of stuff and filling the gaps with whatever it can.

A simple example: you watch three long rant videos to the end “just to see what happens”; the system sees high watch time and thinks, “Oh, they love this.”

What’s New: More User Controls

In the last year or so, TikTok has been adding tools that let you manually steer your algorithm instead of just hoping the FYP gets your vibe.

Some notable features:

  • Refresh your For You feed : Resets your feed to a more generic, “new slate” of popular content so the system can learn you again.
  • Topic Management : Lets you say which categories (humor, sports, beauty, nature, etc.) you want more or less of, without fully wiping your history.
  • Smart Keyword Filters : You can block content containing specific words/hashtags so it doesn’t show up.
  • Not interested : You can long‑press and tell TikTok you don’t want similar content.

If these settings are mis‑tuned, your feed might look broken when it’s actually just following your current filters.

Step‑by‑Step: How To Fix a “Messed Up” TikTok Algorithm

Think of this as a mini “algorithm detox” you can do over a few days.

1. Use the “Refresh FYP” feature

  • Go to Settings and privacy → Content preferences → Refresh your For You feed (wording may vary slightly by region/app version).
  • This gives you a clean(er) slate filled with general trending content so the system can relearn what you like now.

2. Clean up topics and filters

  • Open Topic Management and adjust which categories you actually want to see more or less.
  • Check your keyword filters for words you may have blocked by accident or no longer need.
  • If your feed suddenly feels too narrow, loosen these filters; if it feels chaotic, tighten them a bit.

3. “Train” the algorithm intentionally for 2–3 days

For a little while, treat your FYP like a training session instead of mindless scrolling:

  • Fully watch the kind of videos you actually want more of.
  • Like, comment, or save them to send a strong positive signal.
  • Immediately scroll away from anything you don’t like; don’t linger just to gawk.
  • Use Not interested on topics you’re tired of seeing.

Do this for 10–15 minutes a few times a day and you’ll usually feel your FYP course‑correct within a week.

4. For creators: why your views feel broken

If you post and your views suddenly tank, it can be:

  • Temporary outage or slower distribution (like the recent data center issue).
  • Low early watch time (people aren’t watching past the first few seconds).
  • Weak hook, confusing topic, or mismatched hashtags.

Quick creator tweaks that help: strong opening 3 seconds, clear topic, 3–5 relevant hashtags, and testing different posting times.

Forum Vibes & Trending Talk

If you jumped on forums or social media this week, you probably saw posts like:

“Did TikTok just wipe my whole algorithm overnight?”
“Why am I getting old content and zero in‑the‑moment news?”
“Views are dead, my account is cooked.”

That spike in complaints lines up with the outage and with TikTok’s recent US restructuring, which has people extra paranoid about censorship or secret changes.

Officially, TikTok is blaming a technical power outage , saying any algorithm weirdness is a side effect, and that they’re working with their data center partner to stabilize everything.

Quick FAQ

“Is my algorithm permanently ruined?”
Very unlikely. Outages and bad recommendation streaks are usually temporary, and your own behavior plus the refresh/tools can pull it back.

“Why am I seeing old or irrelevant videos?”
That’s exactly what many users see during distribution glitches: old or recycled content filling the feed because newer videos are delayed.

“What’s the fastest thing I can do right now?”
Refresh your FYP, clean up topics/filters, then spend a few sessions only interacting with content you really want more of.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.