How to Add Music to TikTok Longer Than 1 Minute

You’ve edited the perfect 90-second clip for TikTok, found the ideal emotional track to match, and then you hit the sixty-second wall - the music cuts out right before the big reveal. It’s a frustratingly common problem for creators who are moving beyond short skits and into longer storytelling. This guide will walk you through several effective methods for adding music to your TikToks that go beyond the one-minute limit, so your audio can finally match your creative vision.

Understanding TikTok’s One-Minute Music Limit

Before we get into the solutions, it helps to understand why this limit exists in the first place. It all comes down to music licensing. TikTok has complex agreements with record labels and artists to use their music on the platform. Most of these licenses are specifically for short-form content, typically capping usage at 60 seconds.

That’s why you’ll often see popular, trending songs available only in shorter snippets. TikTok has to stay within the legal bounds of their agreements. However, this doesn't mean you're out of options. As users demanded the ability to create longer content, TikTok and creators themselves have developed a few solid workarounds.

Creator vs. Business Accounts: A Quick Note

One more thing to remember: your account type matters. A Creator Account (or a standard personal account) has access to a vast library of popular commercial music. A Business Account, however, is restricted to TikTok's Commercial Music Library - a collection of royalty-free tracks cleared for marketing and promotional use. If you have a Business Account and can't find a trending song, this is why. The methods below still work for both, but your initial sound library will be very different.

Method 1: Using TikTok's Native Longer Sounds

The easiest and most straightforward way to use longer music is to find sounds that have already been cleared for extended use within the TikTok app. While the selection isn't as vast as the entire library of minute-long pop hits, you can still find great options if you know where to look.

This method is perfect when you don't have a specific, chart-topping song in mind and are open to finding a track that fits the vibe of your longer three-minute or ten-minute video.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start Your Video: Open TikTok, tap the + icon, and either record your video or upload your pre-edited clips. Just make sure your final video length is set to whatever you need, like "3m" from the scroller at the bottom.
2. Access the Sound Library: Once your video is in the editor, tap "Add sound" at the top of the screen.
3. Find Longer Tracks: In the sound library, you can browse "Recommended," "Playlists," or use the search bar. The important thing to look for is the duration listed next to the song title. Instead of the usual "1:00," you'll see times like "2:35," "3:14," etc. These are the tracks you can use in their entirety for your longer videos.
4. Add and Trim the Sound: Select a long track. TikTok will automatically add it to your video. To adjust which part of the song plays, tap the scissors icon ("Trim"). You can then slide the waveform left or right to align the perfect section of the music with your video content.

When to use this method: This is ideal for quick turnarounds when you need a simple background track for a tutorial, story time, or vlog that is longer than 60 seconds. You stay entirely within the TikTok ecosystem, and it’s fast and simple.

Method 2: The Video Editor Workaround (The Most Powerful Method)

If you're set on using a specific full-length song that TikTok only offers in a 60-second clip, you’ll need to do the work outside of the app. This involves using a third-party video editor to permanently "bake in" your full-length audio before uploading the video to TikTok. This gives you complete creative control and is the method most professional social media managers and creators use.

Popular and easy-to-use video editing apps for this include:

• CapCut: Made by Bytedance (TikTok’s parent company), it integrates well and is packed with creator-friendly features.
• InShot: Excellent for intuitive editing, text effects, and formatting.
• VN Video Editor: A powerful and free editor with no watermarks.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Part One: Creating Your Video Outside of TikTok

1. Source Your Audio: First, you need an audio file of the song. For business and monetized content, it is vital to use music you have the rights to. Subscribing to a royalty-free music service like Artlist or Epidemic Sound is the safest bet. They offer endless high-quality tracks that are cleared for commercial use. For personal creator accounts, some users get audio by screen recording from other apps, but be mindful of copyright guidelines.
2. Import Your Media: Open your chosen video editor (we'll use CapCut as the example) and create a new project. Import the video clips you want to use and your full-length audio file.
3. Edit to the Beat: This is where the magic happens. Drag your video clips onto the timeline and align them with your music. You can make precise cuts that sync with the beat drops, add text overlays that appear with the lyrics, and build your entire story around the full song. This level of control is something you just can't achieve in the TikTok editor.
4. Check Sound Levels and Export: Once your edit is perfect, make sure the audio levels are good and export the final video. This file, with the full song seamlessly attached, is what you’ll upload.

Part Two: Uploading to TikTok and Optimizing for Discovery

Now that you have your video file, it's time to upload it to TikTok. When you do, the official sound on the video will be displayed as "Original Sound - YourUsername." This is fine, but you can miss out on the discoverability that comes with using an official, trending track. Here's a clever trick to get the best of both worlds.

The Sound Layering Trick for Maximum Reach

This strategy allows you to keep your full-length original audio while linking your video to TikTok's official (and shorter) version of the song for algorithmic purposes.

1. Upload Your Externally-Edited Video: In TikTok, tap the + icon, select "Upload," and choose your finished video. Tap "Next."
2. Add TikTok's Official Sound: Now, tap "Add sound." Search for the same song you already used in your edit. It will likely appear as the 60-second version. Go ahead and select it. Don't worry, we won't actually be using this sound at full volume.
3. Adjust the Volume: In the next editor screen, you’ll see some icons on the right side. Tap the "Volume" icon. You will now see two volume sliders: one for your "Original sound" and one for the "Added sound."
4. Turn the Added Sound Down: Slide the "Added sound" volume all the way down to 0% or 1%. Make sure your "Original sound" slider is at 100%.
5. Post Your Video: Once you tap "Done" and post, your video will play your beautiful, full-length original audio. However, at the bottom of the screen, the clickable sound link will point to TikTok's official, trending version of the song! This connects your content to the trend, potentially boosting its visibility in the "For You" page algorithm without sacrificing your audio.

Method 3: Using a Third-Party Scheduler or Desktop Upload

When you have a business workflow, uploading everything from your phone isn’t always efficient. Uploading from a desktop browser can be simpler, especially when dealing with high-quality files exported from professional editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro.

To do this, simply navigate to TikTok.com on your computer, log in, and click the "Upload" button. You can then drag and drop your final video file (which you created using Method 2) directly into the browser. This process preserves quality and is often much faster.

This method doesn't unlock any secret music features, but it supports the professional workflow required for Method 2, allowing for a smoother transition from your editing computer straight to TikTok's platform.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it - several reliable ways to break free from the 60-second music limit on TikTok. Whether you're finding longer pre-cleared tracks in the app or using a video editor for complete creative control, you can now pair your longer stories with the full song they deserve. Using the sound-layering trick is an extra step, but it’s an effective way to improve your video's potential for discovery.

Creating compelling, longer TikToks often means building a workflow that extends beyond the native app. We understand that juggling video editors, planning your content calendar, and scheduling finished videos can easily become a headache. That's why we built Postbase from the ground up for today's video-first social media landscape. You can schedule your finalized videos across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts from one clean, visual calendar and trust that your carefully crafted content will publish reliably, every time.