# What Does Nudge Mean on TikTok? Plus How to Turn Off Read Receipts

> A nudge on TikTok is a quick poke to get someone's attention in messages, or to ask a creator to go live. What nudging means and how to turn off read receipts.

Canonical: https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/what-does-nudge-mean-on-tiktok
Last updated: 2026-10-28

Category: TikTok. 

A **nudge** on TikTok is a quick poke to get someone's attention. In direct messages, tapping **Nudge** sends the other person a notification that you're waiting for a reply. On some creators' profiles, a nudge lets them know you'd like them to **go LIVE**. It's a light reminder, not a message, and the other person can ignore it.

TikTok tests features with some accounts before others, so you may not see every kind of nudge in your app.

## The different nudges on TikTok

| Where | What a nudge does | What the other person sees |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A chat in your inbox | Reminds them to reply | A notification and a pointing-finger emoji in the chat |
| A creator's profile (bell or LIVE option) | Asks them to go live | An alert that a viewer wants them to go LIVE |
| A reposted video (in some versions) | Lets the original creator know it was reposted | A notification about the repost |

"Nudging" simply means sending one of these.

## How to nudge someone in messages

1. Open **Inbox** and tap the conversation.
2. Look for the **Nudge** button above the message box (it has a pointing-finger emoji). It usually appears when the other person hasn't replied in a while.
3. Tap it. TikTok sends the reminder.

If you don't see the button, the feature isn't available on your account yet, or the chat doesn't qualify. Use it sparingly: repeated nudges can come across as pushy, and the person can mute or block you.

## How to ask a creator to go live

On some profiles, tap the **bell** icon or the LIVE prompt and choose the option to request a LIVE. The creator gets an alert and decides whether to start a stream. If you go live yourself, see [how to go live on TikTok](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/how-to-go-live-on-tiktok) for the follower and age requirements.

## How to turn off read receipts on TikTok

TikTok calls read receipts **read status**. Turning it off means people won't see when you've read their messages.

1. Go to **Profile** and tap the **menu** (three lines).
2. Tap **Settings and privacy > Privacy > Direct messages**.
3. Turn off **Read status** (it may sit under "Message preferences").

Read status works both ways: if you turn yours off, you also can't see when others have read your messages. It only shows when both people have it on.

Other settings on the same screen let you choose who can message you and who can add you to group chats. For more on chats, see [how to make a group chat on TikTok](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/how-to-make-a-group-chat-on-tiktok).

## Can you turn off nudges?

There's no dedicated "turn off nudges" switch at the time of writing. If someone keeps nudging you, mute the conversation (tap their name in the chat, then **Mute notifications**), restrict who can message you in Direct messages settings, or block them.

## Nudges and creators

For creators, LIVE nudges are a small signal that viewers want more from you. If you'd rather keep regular videos going while you plan streams, Schedule For You queues TikTok videos and photo posts for set times, so your profile stays active between lives. LIVE itself stays in the TikTok app.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does a nudge on TikTok send a message?
It sends a notification and a short nudge marker in the chat, not a text message you've written.

### Can someone see if I ignore a nudge?
Only through read status. If you both have read status on, they can see that you've opened the chat.

### Why can't I nudge someone on TikTok?
The button only appears in some chats and on some accounts while TikTok rolls the feature out. Update the app and check again later.

### Does turning off read status hide when I'm online?
No. Activity status is a separate setting in Settings and privacy > Privacy > Activity status.

## Related

- [All guides](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog)
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