How to Change the Sound on a TikTok Video After Posting

You hit Post on your latest TikTok video, only to realize the sound is completely wrong. Maybe it doesn't sync up, you found a better trending audio moments later, or you accidentally used a funky instrumental when you meant to use the version with lyrics. This article explains exactly what you can - and can't - do to fix it and walks you through the only effective solution available right now.

Can You Actually Change the Sound on a TikTok After Posting?

Let's get the bad news out of the way first: No, you cannot directly edit or change the sound on a TikTok video once it has been published. After a video goes live, the clip, its sound, filters, and effects are all locked in. TikTok does this for a few reasons, including content integrity and the complex web of music licensing agreements. They can't allow users to get views with one popular, licensed sound and then swap it for another self-promotional one.

So, if you can't hit an "edit sound" button, are you stuck? Not at all. While there isn't a direct edit feature, there is a widely used and effective workaround. You'll need to save your existing video, delete the original post, and then re-upload it with the correct audio. It seems like a hassle, but it gives you complete control to get your video just right.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your TikTok Sound (The Workaround)

If you've decided the sound has to be changed, following this process is your best bet. It puts your video back in front of the For You Page algorithm with the perfect audio track to help it perform its best.

Step 1: Save Your Original Video to Your Device

Before you do anything else, you need a copy of the video you posted. Don't rely on having the original raw file on your phone, downloading the already-posted version preserves any edits you made directly in TikTok, like text overlays and timing.

• Open the TikTok app and go to your profile.
• Tap on the video you want to fix.
• Tap the three dots (...) on the right side of the screen.
• In the menu that appears, select "Save video."

The video will download to your phone's camera roll. Be aware that it will include a TikTok watermark. For most people, simply re-uploading the video with the watermark is perfectly fine and a common practice on the platform. If you're determined to have a clean version, you can search for third-party "TikTok watermark remover" apps, but this adds an extra step to the process.

Step 2: Take a Deep Breath and Delete the Original Post

This is the part that feels scary, but it's a necessary step. Leaving the old video up can confuse your followers and your analytics. Plus, you want to give the new version the best possible chance to succeed without competing with itself.

Just remember: Deleting a video is permanent. You will lose all the views, likes, comments, and shares it has accumulated.

• Go to the video on your profile again.
• Tap the three dots (...) menu.
• Swipe along the bottom row of options until you see "Delete." Tap it.
• TikTok will ask you to confirm. Press "Delete" one more time.

Step 3: Re-upload the Video and Choose Your New Sound

Now you get to the "fixing it" part. You'll start the upload process just like you would with any new video, but you'll be using the clip you just saved.

• Tap the plus sign (+) at the bottom of the TikTok home screen to create a new video.
• Instead of recording, tap the "Upload" button on the right of the record button.
• Select the video you saved from your phone's gallery.
• Once the video is loaded into the editor, tap "Add sound" at the top of the screen.
• Search for the new audio you want to use. You can browse trending lists, search for a specific song, or pick from your saved favorites.

Step 4: Fine-Tune and Repost with a Fresh Strategy

With the new sound selected, don't just rush to post it. Take a moment to optimize everything for a fresh launch. This is your chance to correct more than just the audio.

• Adjust the volume: If your original video has spoken words or important background noise, tap "Volume" on the right-hand editing menu. Here you can adjust the balance between the "Original sound" and the "Added sound" so they don't clash.
• Write a new caption: Don't just copy and paste the old one. Is there a better hook you can use? A more engaging question for your audience?
• Update your hashtags: Hashtag trends move fast. See if there are any new, relevant tags you can add to give your video a boost. Remove any that might now be outdated.
• Pick a good time to post: Instead of posting immediately, consider when your audience is most active. Check your analytics (Profile > Three lines > Creator Tools > Analytics > Followers) to find your peak hours.

Once you've done all that, hit post and watch your refreshed video go live with the perfect soundtrack.

A Strategic Guide: When Should You Bother Changing the Sound?

Knowing how to change the sound is one thing, knowing when it's worth the effort is another. Deleting a video means sacrificing all of its existing social proof, so it’s not always the right move. Here's a simple framework to help you decide.

You SHOULD change the sound if:

• The video is new and has very low engagement. If you just posted it and it only has a handful of views and no comments, you have almost nothing to lose. Go for it.
• You used a sound that was immediately removed for copyright reasons. Sometimes TikTok removes audio from a video after posting. Your video will be muted, so re-uploading is your only option to fix it.
• You found a much better, new trending sound. If an audio track has just taken off and it fits your video perfectly, you could give your clip a second chance at going viral by leaning into the new trend.
• The wrong sound completely ruins the video's context. If you made an obvious mistake that makes the video confusing or ineffective, a repost is a good idea.

You should PROBABLY NOT change the sound if:

• The video already has significant engagement. If your video has thousands of views, hundreds of likes, and dozens of comments, think twice. Deleting it erases all that progress. Is a slightly better sound worth starting over from zero? Usually, the answer is no.
• The original audio is integral to the video. If your video is based on a specific audio clip - like a lip-sync, a dialogue, or a dance to a particular song - changing it wouldn't make sense. It’s better to leave it as is.
• The video is old. If the post is more than a week or two old, its moment in the algorithm has likely passed. Instead of reviving an old clip, channel that energy into creating great new content.

How to Avoid This Problem in the Future

The best way to fix a sound mistake is to prevent it from happening in the first place. A few good habits can save you a lot of future headaches.

1. Use Your Drafts Folder Liberally.
Before you hit "Post," always consider saving your video to "Drafts." Your drafts folder is a private staging area where you can review your video one last time away from the pressure of posting. Watch it back. Does the sound sync correctly? Is the volume okay? Is the caption free of typos? Saving to drafts first is the single best way to catch mistakes.

2. Check Business Account Sound Restrictions.
If you're using a TikTok Business Account, your sound options are limited to the Commercial Music Library. This is to protect you and your brand from copyright infringement lawsuits. If you try to use a trending sound not in this library, it might be muted after you post. Always choose your sound from the correct library from the start to avoid this problem.

3. Listen with Headphones Before Posting.
Your phone's speakers can sometimes be misleading. Listening with headphones gives you a much clearer idea of the audio quality and the volume balance between your original audio and the sound you added. A quick listen-through can help you catch subtle issues before your entire audience does.

Final Thoughts

While you can't edit a live TikTok, the "save, delete, and re-upload" method is a reliable solution for correcting a mistake with your audio choice. The most important part is weighing the video's current performance against the potential benefit of a better sound, so you can make a smart choice for your content strategy.

Getting your content right before you post helps you avoid this entire process. At Postbase, we designed our visual content calendar to prevent these moments of post-and-panic. By planning your TikTok content alongside your posts for other platforms, you can see everything in one place, double-check your captions and sound choices ahead of time, and schedule with confidence, knowing every detail is exactly how you want it.