Short answer: before an account promotes your app, use it like a normal viewer in the app's niche for about a week: finish the profile, watch niche videos, search the problem your app solves, and like occasionally. Then start with useful, non-promotional posts and introduce app mentions gradually. The numbers here are a cautious starting point, not a rule TikTok publishes.
Why app accounts need extra care
A new account whose first posts are all ads looks like what TikTok's guidelines describe as spam: accounts operated "to distribute high-volume commercial content" (integrity and authenticity, as of 17 September 2026). A short history of normal viewing and useful posts gives the account a niche and a reason to exist beyond promotion.
A warm-up plan for app accounts
| Days | Viewing | Search terms (made-up budgeting app) | Posting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–2 sessions, 5–10 min; finish profile | None yet | None |
| 2–3 | 2 sessions, 10–15 min | "budget tips", "saving money" | None |
| 4–7 | 2–3 sessions, 10–20 min; a few likes and follows | "student budget", "split rent" | 1–2 useful, non-promotional posts |
| 8–14 | Normal use between posts | Keep searching the niche | Daily; about one in three mentions the app |
| 15+ | Normal use | As needed | Your plan; keep useful posts in the mix |
All figures are assumptions to adjust. The general version is in TikTok account warm-up, and the Instagram one in Instagram account warm-up.
What "useful, non-promotional" means
- A tip in the niche that stands without the app.
- An answer to a common question.
- A relatable problem the audience has.
Then the app appears where it genuinely helps. When a post promotes the app, turn on TikTok's Commercial Content Disclosure setting (TikTok Ads help, as of 17 September 2026).
Profile setup
- A name and photo that fit the niche.
- A bio that says the account is run by (or for) the app.
- The tracked link, once the account is allowed to show one; see tracking installs.
Signs the account is ready
- The For You feed shows mostly niche videos.
- Your first useful posts get some views from people outside your follows.
- The profile looks complete and says who runs it.
If the feed is still random after a week, keep searching and watching the niche for a few more days before promoting.
What not to do
- Don't buy followers or likes, or use engagement groups.
- Don't comment the app's name on other people's videos at volume.
- Don't open new accounts to replace a restricted one.
- Don't fake the account's location.
Automating these apps may breach their terms, and nobody can promise an account will never be restricted.
Warm-up with Farmero
Farmero's optional warm-up runs on your own iPhones through the real app: it scrolls the feed, watches for varying times, uses jittered scroll paths and likes at a rate you set. Search mode warms on a keyword's results, which fits an app niche ("budget tips"). You set a ramp of N days before an account publishes, and choose warm-only, post-only or both per account. See how warm-ups work and warm-ups. For the posting side, see spam signals to avoid.
FAQ
How long should I warm up an account before promoting an app?
About a week of normal viewing, then gradual promotion, is a careful start. TikTok doesn't publish a required period.
Should the first post mention the app?
It's safer to start with useful niche posts and bring the app in over the second week.
Does warm-up prevent restrictions?
No. It makes the account behave like a normal new account, but nobody can promise an account won't be restricted.
What keywords should I search during warm-up?
The problems your app solves, in the words your audience uses.