How to Add a Video to TikTok

Adding your first video to TikTok can feel like a big step, but it's actually a straightforward process designed to be fun and creative. This guide covers everything you need to know, from recording a clip directly in the app, uploading one from your phone, using the editing tools, to a breakdown of every setting on the final post screen. By the end, you'll be able to post your video with total confidence.

Before You Post: Choosing Your Video Source

Your journey begins with one simple choice: will you record a new video right now, or upload something you've already filmed? Both paths lead to the same editing screen, but they offer vastly different starting points for your creative process.

Option 1: Record Directly in the TikTok App

Recording inside TikTok is perfect for capturing spontaneous moments or making videos that use real-time effects and trending sounds. It puts all the creative tools right at your fingertips from the start.

Here's how to do it:

1. Open the App and Tap the Plus Icon: Find the "+" button located at the bottom center of your screen. This opens up the main recording camera.
2. Explore Your Tools: Before you hit record, look at the sidebar on the right. Here you can flip your camera, change the speed of your video (from 0.3x to 3x), apply beauty filters, set a timer for hands-free recording, and more. At the top of the screen, you'll see the "Add sound" option to film along to a specific audio track.
3. Start Recording: You have two ways to record. You can tap and hold the red record button for the duration you want to film, or you can tap the timer icon on the right, choose your clip length, and tap "Start countdown" for hands-free recording. Release the button or let the timer run out to stop a segment.
4. Record in Segments: You can shoot multiple shorter clips for the same video. Just stop and start the recording as needed. Each segment will be stitched together automatically.

Once you're done recording, tap the red checkmark to move on to the editing screen.

Option 2: Upload a Pre-Recorded Video from Your Camera Roll

If you've already filmed some awesome content outside the app - maybe with a higher-quality camera or because you prefer editing in another program - uploading is your best bet. This option gives you more control over the initial look and feel of your footage.

The process is just as simple:

1. Tap the Plus Icon: Just like recording, you'll start by opening the camera screen.
2. Select "Upload": To the right of the red record button, you'll see an "Upload" button. Tap it to open your phone's photo and video gallery.
3. Choose Your Footage: Tap on the video (or multiple videos) you want to use. You can select several clips and even photos, and TikTok will place them into your timeline. Hit "Next."
4. Trim and Adjust: Once selected, TikTok will give you a chance to trim the footage. You can drag the handles on the timeline to pick the exact start and end points for your video. When you're ready, tap "Next" to head to the main editing screen.

Pro Tip: For the best quality, make sure your uploaded video is in a 9:16 aspect ratio (1080x1920 pixels). This is the standard vertical phone screen size, meaning your content will fill the entire screen on TikTok without weird black bars.

The Editing Screen: Where a Good Video Becomes Great

Whether you just recorded something new or uploaded an existing clip, you will now land on the main editing screen. This is a creative playground where you can transform a simple clip into an engaging TikTok video. Let's break down the most important tools you'll find here, typically located along the right side and bottom of your screen.

Adding Sounds and Music: The Heartbeat of TikTok

Sound is arguably the most important element on the platform. It sets the tone, provides the context for trends, and is a massive driver of discovery.

• Tap "Add sound" at the top of the editing screen. Here, you can browse through recommended sounds, trending audio, and playlists curated by genre or theme.
• Use the search bar to find a specific song, artist, or sound effect.
• To save sounds you like for later, tap the little bookmark icon. You can find them under the "Favorites" tab.
• After adding a sound, tap the "Volume" tool on the right sidebar. You can adjust the "Original sound" (the audio from your video) and the "Added sound" (the music or audio you just selected) independently. This is extremely useful for voiceovers where you want the music to be quiet in the background.

Text, Stickers, and Overlays: Grabbing Attention

Visual aids can help you tell your story and retain viewer attention. TikTok’s text and sticker tools are incredibly robust.

• Text: Tap the "Text" (Aa) icon. You can type out your message, choose from different fonts, change the color, and add a background highlight.
• Set Duration: After adding text, tap on it. An option called "Set duration" will appear. This lets you decide exactly when the text appears and disappears in your video, allowing you to time it perfectly with your words or visuals.
• Text-to-Speech: After writing your text, tap on it and then on the icon that looks like a person's head with sound waves. This will generate a Siri-like voice that reads your text aloud.
• Stickers: Tapping the "Stickers" icon opens a library where you can add polls, mention other users, use the Q&A feature, or simply add fun animated GIFs to your video.

Filters and Effects: Setting the Mood

Visual effects can completely change the vibe of your video, from subtle color correction to wild, reality-bending animations.

• Filters: Located in the right sidebar, filters offer color presets to enhance your video's aesthetic. You can browse through categories like "Portrait," "Landscape," "Food," and "Vibe" and use a slider to control the intensity.
• Effects: The "Effects" button (at the bottom next to the timeline) brings up TikTok's massive library of AR effects. These range from trendy Greenscreen backgrounds to funny face-altering distortions. While many are best used during recording, a huge number can also be applied to pre-uploaded footage.

Trimming and Adjusting Clips: Perfecting the Pace

If you've stitched together multiple clips, you’ll probably want to fine-tune them. Tapping "Adjust clips" from the right sidebar opens a more advanced timeline editor.

• Reorder Clips: Tap, hold, and drag a clip to change its position in the timeline.
• Trim with Precision: Select any individual clip to make it shorter or longer. This is perfect for cleaning up awkward pauses at the beginning or end of a segment.
• Split a Clip: Move the playhead to the point you want to cut a clip in two, and tap "Split." This is great for inserting a different clip or text in the middle of a continuous shot.
• Delete Unwanted Clips: Simply select the clip you no longer want and hit the delete button.

The Post Page: Getting Your Video Seen

Once your edits are done, hit "Next" to land on the final publishing screen. This page is all about how your video will be presented to the world. Don't rush through it - every element here contributes to your video's discoverability and performance.

Writing a Killer Caption

Your caption is your video's headline. It can provide context, ask a question to drive engagement, or include a call to action.

• Keep it Concise: People are there for the video, so don't write an essay. A short, punchy sentence often works best.
• Ask a Question: Encouraging comments is a great way to boost your video's engagement. Ask viewers about their own experiences or opinions related to your video.

Mastering Hashtags: Your Key to Discovery

Hashtags help TikTok's algorithm understand what your video is about and show it to people who are interested in that topic. A good hashtag strategy is essential for reaching new audiences.

• Use a Mix: Aim for 3-5 relevant hashtags. Include a combination of broad, popular tags (like #foodie), niche community tags (like #mealprepsunday), and maybe one trending or branded hashtag.
• Check What's Trending: Type the "#" symbol and start typing a word to see how many views hashtags containing that word have. You can often find great ideas this way. Do not blindly use #fyp or #foryoupage, as they don't do as much as people claim they do.

Tagging People and Locations

• @Mention People: If your video features other creators or references another account, tag them using the "@" symbol. They will receive a notification, and it can increase the visibility of your post.
• Add Location: If your video is location-specific (e.g., a travel vlog, restaurant review), adding a location can help it reach a geographically relevant audience.

Choosing Your Cover: The First Impression

The cover is the thumbnail image people see on your profile grid and before your video plays. A good cover draws people in.

• Tap "Select cover" on the video preview.
• Scrub through your video to find the most visually interesting frame.
• You can also select from styled text layouts to add a title directly onto your cover, making it act like a true thumbnail.

Configuring Your Post Settings

Before you hit post, tap "More options" or review the settings on the screen to control who can interact with your content.

• Who Can Watch This Video: Set it to "Public" if you want anyone to see it, "Friends" for mutual followers, or "Only You" to keep it private.
• Allow Comments: Keep this on to foster community and engagement.
• Allow Duet and Stitch: These are collaborative features at the heart of TikTok culture. Turning them on allows other users to build on your content, which is a powerful way to increase your reach. A Duet places their video side-by-side with yours, while Stitches let them use a short portion of your video at the beginning of theirs.

Showtime: Hitting Post and Saving Your Work

You've done all the work - now it's time to share it.

Posting Your Video vs. Saving it to Drafts

On the post page, you have two final actions:

1. Post: The red "Post" button sends your video live immediately to the audience you selected.
2. Drafts: The grey "Drafts" button saves your video - including all your edits, caption, and settings - to a private folder on your profile. This is an absolutely fantastic feature for batch-creating content. You can make several videos in one session and publish them over the next few days. You can find and edit your drafts later right from your personal profile.

Once you post it, sit back and watch the views and comments come in. Make an effort to reply to comments early on, as this signals to the algorithm that your post is fostering engagement.

Final Thoughts

Getting your content on TikTok is a flow of simple, creative steps. From choosing your footage and layering it with sounds, text, and effects to fine-tuning the caption and hashtags, every part of the process is designed to help you share your unique point of view with the world.

Once you get comfortable creating single videos, the next big step is building a consistent content calendar without feeling completely burned out. Managing multiple platforms manually can quickly become overwhelming, and that's precisely why we built Postbase. Our tool is designed for a video-first world, allowing you to plan your TikToks visually, schedule them in advance, and publish them alongside your Reels, Shorts, and other content - all from one clean, simple dashboard.