Here’s what that red person icon means on TikTok, which appears next to usernames

When you’ve been doomscrolling on TikTok this week, you’ve probably noticed a new little red person icon appear next to some people’s names. It’s started popping up beside certain usernames when you search something in the search bar, but what does it actually mean? Here’s a full explanation, if you’re confused.

Credit: TikTok

Here’s what that red person icon means on TikTok

The red person icon basically just means you’ve searched that profile before, so you have an instant connection with them. It could be a friend, celebrity or just a random TikTok account. It doesn’t matter how many followers they’ve got, they’ll have the red person next to their name as long as you’ve searched for them and clicked on their profile.

It doesn’t appear next to trends or other random words you’ve searched at 1am either. The red person symbol is completely reserved for profiles you’ve visited before, showing that you’ve interacted with them in the past. There’s no real purpose for it other than that, and it doesn’t make any difference to how you use the app.

The symbol first started appearing a few months ago now in around May 2025, but has suddenly been rolled out to loads more accounts in December 2025, which is why you’re suddenly seeing it now. Nobody needed or asked for it, but it’s now a permanent part of the app. And it’s not the only symbol that’s been confusing everyone, either.

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You may also notice a red dot now appears across your TikTok account too, usually next to the “Profile” tab in the bottom bar. This one signifies that you’ve got a new notification that needs to be opened. If you can’t find the notification to clear the red dot, try looking in the settings because it’s usually something there.

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Featured image by: TikTok