15 of The Most Popular TikTok Challenges to Try in 2023

Are you looking for a new challenge to try out on TikTok? If so, you're in luck!

In this blog post, I will list 15 of the most popular challenges that have cemented themselves in TikTok’s hall of history. 

Whether you're looking for something funny, daring, or creative, I've got you covered. So what are you waiting for? Start trying out these challenges today.

What is a TikTok Challenge?

A TikTok challenge is a feature on the social media platform, where users are encouraged to participate in various trends and challenges created by other users or brands. 

These challenges usually involve creating and sharing short videos, often set to music, with specific themes or instructions.

A TikTok challenge can take many different forms. Some challenges are centered around popular songs or dance routines, while others may involve specific movements or actions. 

Some challenges are purely for fun and entertainment, while others may be designed to raise awareness about a particular issue or cause.

@connorsmith288 #fliptheswitch #fyp ♬ original sound – Connor Smith

One example of a popular TikTok challenge is the “Flip the Switch” challenge. This challenge involves two people switching places in front of a mirror while a song plays in the background. 

The goal is to create a humorous and entertaining video that will be shared with others on the platform.

Why Should You Participate in TikTok Challenges?

TikTok challenges are a fun and engaging way to participate in the TikTok community and get creative with your content. It’s also a great way to engage and grow your audience, which will help you eventually monetize your TikTok account.

Whether you're a seasoned TikTok user or just getting started, participating in challenges can offer a number of benefits.

Here’s why you should participate in TikTok Challenges:

• Increased exposure for your content and potential growth in followers
• Opportunities to connect with other TikTok users and build community
• Pushes you to be more creative and experiment with different types of content
• Helps you develop your skills as a content creator
• Provides a fun and engaging way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and pop culture references
• Can be a great way to promote a cause or raise awareness for a particular issue
• Offers a chance to showcase your personality and unique style to a wider audience
• Provides an outlet for self-expression and creativity
• Can be a fun way to bond with friends or family members who also use TikTok

By participating in TikTok challenges, you can enhance your TikTok experience and discover new ways to engage with the platform and its community.

The 15 Most Popular TikTok Challenges of All Time

From dance crazes to viral memes, these challenges have captured the attention of millions of users around the world.

If you're looking to get in on the fun, here are some of the most popular TikTok challenges of all time.

1. The Hashtag Selfcare Challenge

As the effects of the pandemic still linger, many users decided that 2023 will be a year of change. The #Selfcare2023 challenge is simple.

Just create goals you’d like to achieve in 2023, pertaining to yourself, and share them on TikTok. The #Selfcare2023 challenge already has 6.2M views.

A lot of these are TikToks that simply write the goals out for the new year, with a cool or inspiring background. Here’s an example:

@theyouareloved it’s abt to be 2023, let’s all support one another and make this year OUR YEAR :smiling_face_with_3_hearts::tulip::white_heart:#goals2023 #visionboard #habitsfor2023 #newyears #manefestations #goals #goalslist #motivation #capcut #selfcare2023 #growthmentality #youareloved #fypシ゚viral #goalsetting ♬ stream escapism – #1 worth it. stan

What sets this challenge apart from other challenges is that it pops up every year, as the new year dawns on TikTok users these posts start popping up more and more.

2. Lip Sync Challenges

TikTok started off as a platform for sharing dance and lip-sync challenges before evolving into the massive content-sharing platform it is today. 

Even after many years since its inception in 2016, TikTok lip-sync challenges are still as popular as ever. Some of the platform's biggest stars became famous through lip-sync challenges, such as one of the most famous female TikTokersBella Poarch.

@bellapoarch To the 🐝 🐝 🐝 #fyp ♬ M to the B – Millie B

The challenge is pretty self-explanatory: all you have to do is lip-sync to your favorite song.

You can choose any song you want, but make sure to film yourself in a creative and fun way. In this case Bella is lip-syncing to Millie B’s “M to the B.” It’s also the most liked video on all of TikTok with over 61 million likes.

While the #lipsyncchallenge started with lip-syncing songs, TikTok users have since gotten creative and started lip-syncing to movie dialogues, TV show clips, and even audiobooks.

@lucy_ireland #duet with @Lucy Ireland Thought I’d remake this but add in an extra comparison! Which is your favourite? #film #theatre #cartoon #acting #tangled #disney #lipsync #fyp #Duet ♬ Mother knows best from Tangled – beeveekee

3. Spicy Food Challenge

Eating spicy food has been trending for a long time and it does not seem to be slowing down. Plenty of TikTokers, especially those who create food content such as mukbang or travel/food vlogs have at some point taken part in a spicy food challenge.

One of these spicy food challenges that went viral was the spicy ramen challenge. The brand Buldak Ramen sells a 2x spicy chicken flavored ramen that quickly went viral.

@iz_eatz Eating some SPICY Buldak Ramen 🔥🍜😋 #buldakramen #ramen #izeatz #eatingramen ♬ original sound – Iz Eatz Everything

This spawned an endless amount of spicy challenges, including eating the hottest peppers in the world, trying spicy snacks from around the world, and of course, eating as many packets of spicy ramen as one could possibly eat.

@lukedidthat.usa

Korean Fire Noodles Limit 🥵 (x10 Packs)

♬ original sound – LukeDidThat

4. The Don’t Rush Challenge

This challenge is all about make-up and has over 1.2 billion views! The name comes from the song played throughout the video which is “Don’t Rush” by Young T & Bugsey.

The song came out in November 2019, just before the pandemic. It became popular all throughout 2020 as users were stuck at home, but still wanted to show off their makeup skills. 

The challenge itself is fairly simple. Take a video of yourself before doing your makeup, then grab/catch a brush, wave it over the lens, then cut to yourself with your makeup on.

Here’s an example:

@victorialyn Me and my friends getting ready for PROM! Virtually👑💖👗💃🏻🎉 TAG your favs! #dontrushchallenge #beauty #makeup #style ♬ Don't Rush (feat. Headie One) – Young T & Bugsey

Some TikTok users got creative with their TikTok video for the #DontRushChallenge. This mashup of two challenges is a match made in heaven. Users do the #dontrushchallenge with the #selfcarechallenge, using skin products and showing the results after.

@victorialyn #dontrushchallenge Self-Care skincare edition🙌🏼✨💕Tag your favorites! #beauty #makeup #style #skincare ♬ Don't Rush (feat. Headie One) – Young T & Bugsey

5. The Face Wax Challenge

This is a challenge that seems absolutely painful to the creator, but somehow satisfying to users watching. The face wax challenge is all about “beauty coming at a cost” and involves TikTokers waxing their face.

I'm not sure if you're brave enough to try it, but many men did the challenge of beard waxing to feel the pain that women go through nearly every month.

I'm not sure I could do it, but not to worry as TikTok influencer @damianappice did the challenge in 2022.

@damianappice FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM 😳 #waxingvideos #waxing #hygiene #LIKEABOMBSHELL ♬ original sound – damian appice

6. The Cha-Cha Slide Challenge

The Cha-Cha Slide Challenge is a fun and easy way to get your groove. The song itself, performed originally by Mr C The Slide Man, was released in August 2000. Even after 2 decades, this song is still a hit at any party, which means it was only time before it would become a viral TikTok challenge.

To do the Cha Cha Slide challenge all you need is a group of friends, some music, and a willingness to have a good time. First, practice dancing to the Cha Cha Slide. Next, choose your dance partner/partners. Then record the dance and add the song to the video.

@gilmhercroes #ChaChaSlide 😂😂 @jaydencroes | #CroesBros ♬ Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper

7. The Silhouette Challenge

The silhouette challenge became famous when Doja Cat dropped a remix of her song Streets which featured an intro part from the song “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” by Giulia Di Nicolantonio. 

In the music video, around the 28 second mark, there is a drop and the video transitions into a red filter silhouette, which takes inspiration from TikTokers who used the song for the challenge.

The challenge itself is simple: a TikToker plays the song, at first acting normal in a well-lit room. Once the drop starts, the lights turn off with only a red light and silhouette visible.

@phoebebroughtonx here goes nothing … 🤣 #fyp #silouettechallenge #trending #blowthisup ♬ Put Your Head On My Shoulder – Giulia Di Nicolantonio

8. The Most Popular TikTok Dance Challenges

Dance is the second most-watched TikTok category with 580 billion views, only after the “Entertainment” category. And within the “Dance” category, there are a variety of popular dance challenges that users can participate in.

One of the most popular TikTok dance challenges the #RenegadeChallenge.

#renegadechallenge

The original video of the Renegade Challenge was created by 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon, who choreographed the dance to the song “Lottery (Renegade)” by K Camp.

Harmon’s dance quickly went viral on TikTok, with people of all ages and backgrounds learning and performing the choreography. The Renegade Challenge has been so popular that even celebrities like Lizzo and Will Smith have done it.

Other popular dance challenges on TikTok include the #ToosieSlideChallenge, created by Canadian rapper Drake, and the #CupidShuffle dance challenge, which has been around for over a decade.

With so many fun and popular dance challenges to choose from, there’s no excuse not to get out there and start dancing! So put on your favorite song and get moving.

9. The Towel Challenge

The internet is full of weird and wonderful challenges, but the towel challenge has to be one of the strangest.

The premise is simple enough – take a photo of yourself holding a towel in front of your face. But the results are often hilarious, as people try to contort their features into all sorts of strange shapes.

The challenge has been taken up by celebrities and everyday people alike, and there are now hundreds of different takes on the towel challenge from couple pranks to untangling towels.

@sheenamelwani @shalinisamtani said she could get out!#newchallenge #towelchallenge #closethewindows ♬ Mission Impossible Theme (Movie Trailer Mix) – Dominik Hauser

If you're feeling brave, why not give the towel challenge a try? Who knows, you might just end up with a hilarious photo to share with your friends.

10. The Tortilla Challenge

If you and your friends are feeling like trying an out-of-the-box challenge, then the tortilla challenge is for you.

All you need is some friends and a pack of tortillas. The challenge is simple.

Two people stand across from each other, each holding a tortilla. Each player then takes a turn to slap the other player across the face with a tortilla. The goal of the challenge is not to laugh or react.

@katrina_ashleighh #tortilla #tortillatrend #challenge #funny #australia #fyp @Kody Manning ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

12. The Bottle Flip Challenge

Flipping a bottle might seem like a mundane thing to create a challenge for, but TikTokers can get quite creative with simple concepts.

The #bottleflipchallenge became a massive hit on TikTok when creators found all different ways to flip a bottle creatively, and make it look good.

@thatsamazingytb

Bottle Flips from Level 10 to Level 100

♬ original sound – That's Amazing

The challenge is simple. Just flip a bottle and look cool doing it. One of the most recent, and funniest iterations of the bottle flip challenge is when two people take turns flipping a bottle successfully, which allows them to eat the delicious food whilst the othe tries to flip the bottle.

13. Mukbang Challenges

Mukbangs are common on TikTok. These videos are all about eating a large amount of food. Some mukbang are ASMR, some are funny, and then there are the mukbang challenges.

These mukbang challenges can be from a TikToker simply cooking a lot of food at home and eating it all, but the most interesting mukbang videos are when TikTokers take on famous challenges at restaurants.

@happeeyeppi wow first time seeing huge curry🍛😳😍 tzuyang on youtube #mukbang #asmr #food #tiktokfood #fyp #tzuyang #tzuyangfangirl ♬ original sound – tzuyang mukbang – 😋

14. The Eyes Closed Challenge

The #eyesclosedchallenge is a more recent addition to the hall of fame when it comes to the most popular TikTok challenges. 

This hilarious challenge is also a prank, which means you’ll need an unsuspecting victim to take part in your TikTok challenge.

The challenge itself involves a famous TikTok effect called “eyes closed.” With this effect on, your eyes will look closed on the video, even if they are open.

Now ask the person participating to stand behind you and show a number of fingers that you will then guess. The trick is that even though it might look like your eyes are closed to them, they’re actually open and you can easily guess correctly every time.

@lukeandsassyscott Eyes closed challenge 👀 #challenge #eyesclosedchallenge #eyesclosed #funny #sassy #brother #fyp #prank #trick ♬ original sound – Luke And Sassy Scott

15. The Leave It Challenge

This adorable challenge usually involves pets, which makes it the cutest challenge on TikTok.

The challenge is simple, leave some food near your pet, and tell them to leave it. Some creators take it even further, enticing their pets by letting them sniff the food, but they are not allowed to eat it.

Elliegoldenlife is a famous golden retriever on TikTok, and her response to the challenge is absolutely adorable.

@elliegoldenlife Can Ellie resist steak and chicken?!? #goldenretrieverlife #dog #leaveitchallenge ib @tuckerbudzyn ♬ original sound – Golden Retriever Life

FAQs

Which of These TikTok Challenges Will You Try First?

TikTok has come a long way from simply being a dance and lip-syncing platform with all sorts of video content and challenges trending at once.

No matter what type of content you like to create, there will be a TikTok challenge for you to take part in. These viral TikTok challenges, although some of the most viral on the platform, are merely scratching the surface. 

With that in mind, if you are looking to create some interesting content that will get great engagement rates, any of these popular TikTok challenges will do the trick.
Have you tried any of the TikTok challenges to grow your TikTok followers? Which ones are your favorites? Let me know in the comments below.