TikTok liked videos: the same problem as Instagram
TikTok's data export — available through Settings → Privacy → Download your data — gives you a complete list of every video you've ever liked. Every single one, going back to when you created your account.
But the export doesn't contain the videos. It contains links to the videos on TikTok's servers. The actual MP4 files are not in the ZIP.
And like Instagram's export, those links are signed URLs that expire. Wait too long, and the links are dead.
What's in the TikTok export
When you request your TikTok data, you get a ZIP file containing JSON files. For liked videos, the relevant file is in the Likes and Favorites section — it contains a list of every video you've liked, with:
- The video URL (a link back to tiktok.com)
- The creator's username
- The date you liked the video
But not the video file itself. The MP4 is still on TikTok's servers, and the URL TikTok gives you is a signed link that expires.
The 5,000-video problem
Most TikTok download tools work by scrolling your Liked Videos page in the browser and grabbing each video as it loads. TikTok throttles this — somewhere around 3,000 to 5,000 videos, the scrolling slows to a crawl or stops entirely.
If you've been on TikTok for a few years, you have more liked videos than that. The scroll-based tools can't get to all of them.
The data export doesn't have this limit. It's a complete list generated by TikTok's own database. If you liked 20,000 videos, all 20,000 are in the export. No scrolling, no throttling, no ceiling.
How to download the actual videos
- Request your TikTok data export. Go to Settings → Privacy → Download your data. Choose JSON format. Submit the request.
- Wait for the email. TikTok usually sends the ZIP within a few hours, sometimes up to 48 hours. Download it when it arrives — the links expire.
- Drop the ZIP into UnplugMe. The Chrome extension reads the export, finds every liked video, and downloads the actual MP4 for each one using your authenticated TikTok session.
- Let it run. The extension downloads in the background with conservative pacing to avoid rate limiting. It resumes if interrupted and skips videos you already have.
- Your videos are saved. Each MP4 is saved to your hard drive in a folder called "Liked" under UnplugMe/TikTok/. Organized, permanent, yours.
What about TikTok ban scares?
If you're reading this because of a TikTok ban scare or shutdown rumor, you need to move fast. The export links expire within days, and the videos themselves could become unavailable if TikTok is banned or restricted in your region.
Request the export now, download the ZIP as soon as it arrives, and run UnplugMe immediately. The sooner you download the actual files, the more you keep.
Why most TikTok downloaders don't work for liked videos
Most Chrome extensions that download TikTok videos work by scrolling your Liked Videos page and grabbing each video as it appears. This has two problems:
- The 5,000-video ceiling. TikTok throttles scrolling, and the tool stops at ~3,000-5,000 videos.
- No background operation. Because the tool is scrolling a live tab, you have to keep that tab open. Close it, and the download stops.
UnplugMe reads the data export instead — no scrolling, no ceiling, no throttling. And it runs in the background: start it, close the window, it keeps going.
How long does it take?
- Export request to email: Usually a few hours, up to 48.
- Parsing the ZIP: Under a second, even for tens of thousands of entries.
- Downloading the videos: Depends on how many you have. A few hundred is quick; tens of thousands can run for hours in the background. The extension uses conservative pacing to avoid rate limiting.
First 50 downloads are free. $23 one-time for unlimited (not a subscription). Works on up to 3 browsers.
UnplugMe is a personal data portability tool. It reads your official TikTok data export and downloads content you already have access to, using your own authenticated session. Nothing leaves your device. First 50 downloads are free.