How to preview ads from a TikTok user account with a User ID

Last updated: October 2025

Previewing your ad allows you to envision what your ad will look like once it's been published. You can preview your ad on a mobile device from a TikTok user account by generating a user ID (UID) in the settings of your account.


Before you begin

Your ad must be approved before you can preview it.

How to obtain a user ID (UID)

To obtain a UID:

  1. Open TikTok and go to your Profile page.

  2. Click the 3-line icon in the top-right corner.

  3. Scroll down until you see your app version number.

  4. Tap continuously on the version number and your UID will appear. A notification will alert you that the UID has been copied to your clipboard.


How to preview ads using a user ID for a manual campaign

To preview ads using a UID for a manual campaign:

  1. Go to the Campaigns page.

  2. Go to your Ad list tab.

  3. Find the ad that you want to preview in the list.

  4. You can either:

    1. Check the box for the ad to select it and click Preview on the left.

    2. Hover over the ad that you want to preview to show icons. Click the dropdown arrow next to the icons and click Preview.

  5. Select the placement where you want to create a preview.

  6. Click User ID as the preview method.

  7. Enter your UID.

  8. Click Preview Now.

  9. Open the same app on your phone as the one you selected for your ad placement. Note: If you choose Automatic Placement, you can preview your ads in any of the apps available on TikTok Ads Manager.

  10. Refresh the home screen page of the app you opened on your phone and your ad preview will appear.

Previews last for 24 hours.

How to preview ads using a user ID for a Smart+ campaign.

To preview ads using a UID for a Smart+ campaign:

  1. Click the Campaigns page from the top of TikTok Ads Manager.

  2. Click the Campaigns page from the top of TikTok Ads Manager.

  3. Click the Campaign or Ad group list tab on the left.

  4. Find and hover over your Smart+ campaign or ad group to show icons.

  5. Click the View data icon to see the data page.

  6. Under the Creatives section of the data page, find and hover over your campaign or ad group to show icons.

  7. Click the Preview icon that appears.

  8. Select the placement where you want to create a preview.

  9. Click User ID as the preview method.

  10. Enter your UID.

  11. Click Preview Now.

  12. Open the same app on your phone as the one you selected for your ad placement. Note: If you choose Automatic Placement, you can preview your ads in any of the apps available on TikTok Ads Manager.

  13. Refresh the home screen page of the app you opened on your phone and your ad preview will appear.

Previews last for 24 hours.

Ad preview differences

  • There might be slight differences in appearance when it comes to different devices than the one being used for the preview.

  • For Smart+ campaigns where different creative and text combinations are generated for the asset, you may preview a specific creative but the ad preview will select a sample combination of creative and text out of the possible combinations. There is no way to specify a specific creative and text combination to preview.


Learn more

Learn more about different ways to preview ads: