- TikTok is expanding content personalization tools with the launch of Manage Topics, allowing users to set frequency preferences for over 10 broad themes.
- The Smart Keyword Filter uses AI to block content beyond exact keywords, recognizing related terms and synonyms for more effective filtering.
- A new educational guide and video series will teach users how the For You feed works and how to fine-tune recommendations.
- TikTok is adding safeguards to limit repeated exposure to content categories that may become harmful with overconsumption.
- The platform is reinforcing its commitment to responsible discovery, giving users, especially teens, more transparency and agency over what they see.
From smarter filters to topic toggles, TikTok is dialing up personalization—without making you lift a thumb more than once.
TikTok’s For You feed has long been the engine of discovery, quietly shaping what billions of users watch, enjoy, and share. But as personalization becomes an industry expectation, not just a perk, TikTok is evolving from algorithm whisperer to customization enabler.
Its latest rollout adds new tools that give users more direct input over the content they’re served and the creators they discover.
This isn’t a cosmetic update. It’s a calculated move to strengthen trust in the algorithm, combat overexposure to harmful content, and give users, especially teens, greater control over their digital environment.
A Slider-Based Shortcut to Personalization
The centerpiece of the new features is “Manage Topics,” a customizable control panel that lets users fine-tune the frequency of certain content categories.
Want to see more travel videos and fewer fitness ones? Just move a slider. The tool spans over 10 popular topics, including sports, nature, and creative arts, and allows users to influence (but not eliminate) content in each.
This design strikes a balance between user agency and algorithmic serendipity. TikTok retains the ability to surprise, but now does so on terms more aligned with evolving user preferences.
Smarter Filters for a More Comfortable Feed
TikTok’s keyword filters were already one of the more robust content moderation tools in social media. But now, with the introduction of AI-powered Smart Keyword Filters, that system gets a serious upgrade.
Instead of simply blocking explicit keywords, the tool uses natural language processing to recognize and exclude related phrases and synonyms. If a user filters out "diet," for instance, it might also suppress "calorie counting" or "meal prep," depending on context. Users will soon be able to manage up to 200 keywords, with options to manually toggle specific variants on or off.
This kind of semantic flexibility is rare—and sorely needed in a platform where trends morph hourly.
Teaching the Feed How to Behave
TikTok isn’t just handing users the keys—it’s teaching them how to drive. A newly launched educational guide centralizes feed-shaping tools, from filters to feedback mechanisms like “Not Interested.” This follows past efforts to explain why specific videos appear in a user’s feed, as well as a growing library of educational clips that have amassed over 180 million views globally.
To support the launch, TikTok partnered with digital safety advocate @cathypedrayes, whose creator-first explainer content showcases how everyday users can harness the new features to build a feed that truly reflects their interests.
@cathypedrayes Does your For You feed need a Spring refresh? TikTok is introducing more tools to personalize your feed and is also launching a new Safety Center Guide to help you understand and customize your feed even further. If you want more or less dancing, sports or want a full reset- here's a look at some of my favorite features. #tiktokpartner #tiktoktips #FYP #lifehack #didyouknow #checkyoursetting #safetycenterguide #onlinesafety #tipsandtricks ♬ original sound - Cathy
Balancing Freedom With Responsibility
The updates arrive with built-in guardrails. TikTok is continuing to enforce strict For You feed eligibility standards, ensuring that content with mature themes is limited for teen users and that certain content, like extreme fitness routines, is prevented from surfacing too frequently, even for adult audiences.
This helps mitigate exposure to content that might be harmless in small doses but problematic when consumed in loops.
This thoughtful throttling of content is part of TikTok’s broader initiative to encourage discovery while reducing algorithm fatigue and passive doomscrolling. It's not about censorship; it's about calibrated exposure.
