Okay, this article is for those who have never posted a video on TikTok. The rest of you? Stop giggling and go.
ContentsGet startedAdding soundUploading videos and photosPreparing your video
Are we alone? OK, let's go. For starters, there are actually more newbies on TikTok than you might think. But the service is definitely worth exploring:TikTok is a really fun (and sometimes even educational) app. And after going through a bunch of videos – some awesome, some really funny, and some you wish you'd never seen – you might want to try making your own.
TikTok has its own culture:straightforward, brash, sometimes (in fact often) overstepping the bounds of what many would consider good taste. That's why he's so creative. But while you can be as wild as you want (within limits, of course), you don't have to let go, especially if you're just trying it out. When you try your first video, go where you want.
And what's even better, you can keep your videos private until you're ready to release them to the world.
Here's how to make your own TikTok video. We'll just cover the basics and give you the tools to explore further. A note here:This was made using an Android Pixel phone, so there may be minor differences in the interface.
Start
- Tap the plus sign at the bottom center of the screen. You are now in camera mode. If you want to make a video inside TikTok, hit the big record button and start recording. But first, some tips.
- Just above this button are the time limits for your video. You can choose one of three:15 seconds, 60 seconds, or 3 minutes. (This latest is a new update, so it may not have rolled out to your phone yet. Please be patient.)
- Beneath the button is a label for the camera button, and to its right is a link to a series of templates that will take many of your photos and put them into a pre-packaged form. Looked; these can be cool if you want to share a TikTok as a card with friends, but they're not very exciting. (There are other designs available online if you want to go look.)
- More interesting (to me, anyway) is the Effects button to the left of the camera button, which will add some cool effects to your video while you shoot it. Go ahead and check it out, but be warned:it may take the rest of your afternoon.
Adding sound
And then there's the sound.
There are many ways to add music or other audio elements to your videos.
- If you like the sound of a video you're watching, you can tap the moving circle in the lower right corner. This will take you to a videos page featuring music from the artist. If you're currently creating your own video, you can hit the big "Use this sound" button at the bottom to add it to your video. Alternatively, you can simply "Add to Favorites" by tapping the button at the top.
- When you're ready to add sound to your new video and you're in camera mode, tap the "Add sound" button at the top of the screen. You can search for an artist or song in the top search box, find new sounds using the Discover list in the bottom left, or check out your previously chosen favorite in the bottom right.
- But wait, there's more:swipe down the page and you can find categorized playlists. Further down, you can see examples of the types of music available; if you like a category, tap "See All" for more selections. Stick on the flag icon to favorite the one you like.
(Note:If you're creating a Promoted Video - in other words, if you get paid for your video - tap the "Sounds" label at the top and choose "Commercial Sounds" to access to audio licensed for commercial use.)
Downloading videos and photos
- If you prefer to use a video you have already shot, press the "Download" button on the right side of the camera button. This will take you to your Photos app, where you can select one or more videos or photos in any combination you like.
- When you choose a photo or video, a thumbnail will appear at the bottom of the screen, numbered in order of presentation (which we assume is in the order you took them chosen). If you want to put them in a different order, tap the button thumbnail and drag it left or right; you will see that the numbering in the main window changes. When ready, select "Next".
Preparing your video
- On the next screen, your video will play, with a crop box at the bottom that lets you crop it from the beginning or the end. You can also speed up your video by 2x or slow it down by 0.5x by tapping the clock icon or rotate the image in 90 degree increments by tapping the square icon. When you are ready, press the Next button.
- This is where you can add sounds (if you haven't already) and effects (including color effects or transitions; you can also play with time using repeats or slowdowns). You can add text or stickers. If you're feeling even more ambitious, you can add a filter (to change the hue) and do a voiceover.
- You can also add captions. This can be a significant addition; it makes your video more accessible and also allows people to watch it when they can't get sound. Note:When you enable automatic captions, you must consent to the "collection and use of audio".
- Don't be afraid to play; each of these features can be modified in several interesting ways.
- Finally, you have reached the last page. Describe your video; put some hashtags or tag friends; add a link. You can also decide to allow comments and allow people to use your video in a TikTok Duet (where they could save a video side-by-side with yours) or a Stitch (where others can use parts of your video while crediting you). And (perhaps most important when you're a newbie) you can decide if you want to keep it private, share it only with friends, or throw it out into the world.
- If you still want to play around with it a bit, hit Drafts. Otherwise, tap Publish.
And you're done!
