How to Add a Voice Memo to a TikTok Video

Ever wonder how your favorite creators narrate their videos, adding that personal, conversational touch? They're using a voiceover, and it's one of the simplest yet most effective ways to make your TikToks more engaging. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add audio from a voice memo to your videos, whether you record it directly in the app or use an audio clip you've already saved.

Why Adding a Voiceover Transforms Your TikTok Videos

Before jumping into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." Adding your voice over a video does more than just explain what's happening. It's a powerful tool for connection and storytelling that can completely change how your audience experiences your content.

• It builds a personal connection: Hearing your actual voice makes your content feel more authentic and personable. It's like you're having a direct conversation with the viewer, which helps build a stronger community around your brand or profile.
• It provides critical context: Some videos just don't make sense without a little explanation. A quick voiceover can guide viewers through a recipe, explain a complex topic, or narrate a "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) routine. It turns a silent clip into a valuable piece of content.
• It hooks viewers instantly: A compelling opening line in a voiceover can stop scrollers in their tracks. Think of trending videos that start with, "You're not going to believe what I just discovered..." That's the power of a spoken hook.
• It creates a foundation for humor: Voiceovers are a golden opportunity for comedic timing. You can narrate everyday situations with a sarcastic tone or add funny commentary to clips of pets, friends, or yourself. This style of humor is native to the platform and performs incredibly well.

In short, a voiceover gives you another layer to work with. You have your visuals, your on-screen text, your background music, and your voice. When they all work together, your content becomes more dynamic, memorable, and shareable.

The Easiest Method: Using TikTok’s Built-In Voiceover Tool

For most creators, the most straightforward way to add a voice memo-style narration is by using the tool built right into the TikTok app. It's intuitive, fast, and gives you all the control you need for a great result. Think of it as creating a voice memo directly onto your video.

Here's the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Record or Upload Your Video Footage

First things first, you need the visual part of your TikTok. You can either record a new video directly in the app by holding down the red record button or upload a pre-recorded clip from your phone’s photo library. Once you’re happy with your footage, tap the red checkmark in the bottom right corner to move to the main editing screen.

Step 2: Find the Voiceover Feature

On the editing screen, you'll see a panel of icons on the right side. This is your editing toolkit. Look for a microphone icon labeled "Voiceover." It's usually nested under the down-arrow that reveals more options. Tap it to open the voiceover recording interface.

Step 3: Record Your Audio Narration

This is where the magic happens. You'll see your video timeline at the bottom of the screen. You can tap and drag the white line (the playhead) to the exact spot where you want your voiceover to begin.

When you're ready, tap or hold down the big red Record button to start recording your voice. As you speak, you'll see a blue line appear on the timeline, indicating your recorded audio. You can stop and start as many times as you want, recording audio in different sections of the video.

A key tip: Notice the checkbox at the bottom that says, "Keep original sound."

• If you uncheck it, TikTok will mute the original audio from your video footage wherever you record a voiceover. This is perfect for when you want your voice to be the only thing audiences hear.
• If you leave it checked, TikTok will layer your voiceover on top of the original audio. This is great if you want to keep ambient sounds (like the sizzle of food cooking or background city noise) while you talk over it.

Step 4: Review and Save Your Work

After you've recorded your audio, play the video back to hear how it sounds. Does the timing feel right? Is the audio clear? If you made a mistake, no problem. Just tap the Undo button (it looks like a back arrow) to remove the last audio clip you recorded and try again.

Once you're completely satisfied with your voiceover, tap Save in the top right corner. This will take you back to the main editing screen, with your new voiceover now embedded into your video.

How to Use a True Pre-Recorded Voice Memo (The Advanced Way)

What if you already have the perfect audio clip saved in your phone's Voice Memos app? Maybe it's a high-quality recording you made with a proper microphone or just a funny thought you captured on the fly. Unfortunately, TikTok doesn't let you directly upload an audio file (like an M4A or MP3) to use as a voiceover. But don't worry, there's a simple and effective workaround involving a third-party app.

We'll use CapCut for this example, which is a free and popular video editor that integrates beautifully with TikTok.

Step 1: Get Your Voice Memo Out of the App

First, you need to save your voice memo as a file. Open the Voice Memos app, tap the recording you want to use, tap the three dots icon (…), and select "Save to Files." Save it somewhere easy to find, like on your desktop or in a designated folder.

Step 2: Start a New Project in CapCut

Open CapCut and create a new project. Select and add the video footage you plan to use for your TikTok. This will be the visual layer of your video.

Step 3: Extract the Audio from Your Voice Memo

This is the clever part. In CapCut's main editor:

1. Tap on the Audio option in the bottom menu.
2. Select Sounds.
3. Tap the folder icon, then tap From device.
4. Find the voice memo file you saved earlier and tap the "+" button to add it to your project timeline.

You'll now see your video track and a separate audio track for your voice memo layered underneath. You can trim, split, and adjust the timing of the audio track to perfectly match up with your video.

The Screen Recording Alternative

If you have trouble saving your voice memo, here's another quick workaround. Start a screen recording on your phone, then open the Voice Memos app and play your audio file all the way through. When you're done, stop the screen recording. Now you have a video file that contains your audio.

Bring that screen recording into CapCut. Select the clip, find the "Extract audio" tool in the bottom menu, and tap it. CapCut will separate the audio into its own track. You can then delete the screen recording video and you're left with just the original voice memo audio to use with your actual video footage.

Step 4: Export and Upload to TikTok

Once your video and voice memo are perfectly synced in CapCut, tap the export icon in the top right corner. You can export it directly to TikTok or save it to your camera roll first. Now you can upload your polished video to TikTok, add trending sounds if you like, write your caption, and post!

Pro Tips for Making Your Voiceovers Stand Out

Knowing how to add a voice memo is the first step. Here's how to make your narration compelling and professional.

• Write a loose script: You don't need to read word-for-word, but having a few bullet points keeps you from rambling and ensures you hit all your key messages. This reduces the "ums," "ahs," and long pauses that can bore viewers.
• Sound crisp and clear: Find a quiet spot to record. A closet full of clothes is a classic pro-tip because the fabric absorbs echo. Also, using your phone's included headphones with a built-in microphone will almost always give you better quality than the phone's built-in mic.
• Show your personality: Don't speak in a monotone. Vary your pitch and speed. If the video is exciting, sound excited! If it's a calm tutorial, use a relaxing tone. Your voice is an extension of your brand, so let your personality shine.
• Check your volume levels: Back on the main TikTok editing screen, use the "Volume" option to adjust the volume. You can precisely control the level of the "Original sound" and the "Added sound" (which includes your voiceover). Make sure your voice is loud enough to be heard clearly over any background music or ambient noise.
• Always add captions: A huge percentage of users watch TikToks with their sound off. Use TikTok's auto-caption feature or add your own on-screen text to make your content accessible to everyone and ensure your message lands, even in silence.

Final Thoughts

Adding a voiceover or voice memo is one of the most accessible ways to level up your TikTok content. Whether you use the platform's quick and easy built-in tool or an external editor for more precise control, learning this skill gives you a powerful new method for engaging your audience and telling better stories.

Of course, making fantastic content is only the first part of a successful social media strategy. The second is managing it all without getting overwhelmed. At Postbase, we designed a simple, video-first social media management tool because we know that outdated platforms struggle with today's content formats. Once your expertly narrated video is ready, we help you plan it in a visual calendar, schedule it across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts simultaneously, and make sure it reliably goes live - every single time.