How to Change the Cover of a TikTok Slideshow

The cover of your TikTok slideshow is the tiny billboard that convinces someone to stop scrolling, and choosing the right one can make all the difference. Get it right, and you draw viewers in, get it wrong, and your best content might get overlooked. This guide walks you through exactly how to select and change the cover for a TikTok slideshow, both before you post and what to do if you need to fix one that's already live.

Why Your TikTok Slideshow Cover Matters (More Than You Think)

In a hyper-speed feed, the cover of your video is its first and only audition. It’s not just a thumbnail, it's a strategic part of your content that serves three important functions:

• It Stops the Scroll. A compelling cover with a clear, intriguing image or text hook grabs attention and piques curiosity. It answers the viewer's unspoken question: "Why should I watch this?" A blurry, confusing, or boring cover rarely wins that battle.
• It Communicates Value Instantly. Your cover should give a hint about what the slideshow contains. Is it a tutorial? A funny story? A list of tips? A well-chosen cover frame and title can set the right expectations and attract the right audience for that piece of content.
• It Builds Your Brand Aesthetic. When a user visits your profile, your video covers create a visual grid. A collection of cohesive, well-designed covers makes your profile look professional and intentional. This visual consistency helps build brand recognition and can turn a casual viewer into a follower.

Treating your cover as an afterthought is one of the easiest ways to leave views on the table. Taking a few extra seconds to select the perfect one is a small effort with a big return.

How to Change Your Slideshow Cover *Before* Posting (The Easy Way)

Fortunately, TikTok makes it straightforward to choose the perfect cover before your slideshow goes live. This is your best and easiest opportunity to get it right. Follow these steps carefully.

1. Create Your Slideshow

Start the process like you normally would. Open the TikTok app, tap the plus (+) icon, and select "Upload." From there, switch to the "Photos" tab, and select all the images you want to include in your slideshow in the desired order. TikTok will automatically turn your selected photos into a video-style slideshow format. Tap "Next" when you’re done.

2. Go to the Posting Screen

After compiling your photos and making any edits (like adding sounds, filters, or text to the video itself), tap "Next" again. This will bring you to the final posting screen where you write your caption, add hashtags, and tag other accounts. Don’t hit "Post" just yet!

3. Tap "Select Cover"

Look at the thumbnail preview of your video on the right side of the screen. At the top of this preview, you’ll see the words "Select cover." This is where you'll make the change. Tap on it.

4. Choose Your Cover Frame and Style

Once you tap "Select cover," you'll be taken to a new screen with two primary options for customizing your slideshow's cover.

Slide to Find the Perfect Moment

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a filmstrip view of your entire slideshow. This is made up of all the photos you selected. You can drag the pink box frame left or right along this filmstrip. As you move it, the main preview image above will change, showing you exactly what that frame will look like as your cover. Slide through carefully to find the most impactful photo or moment in your slideshow to serve as the visual hook.

Add a Text Title Overlay

Below the filmstrip, you will see several stylized text options. You can choose one of these templates to add a title directly onto your cover. This text only appears on the cover thumbnail and will not be part of the actual video when it plays.

This is your chance to write a compelling headline. Something like "My 3 Best Skincare Tips" or "You Won't Believe This Ending" gives viewers a reason to click play.

• Tap on one of the text styles.
• Type your desired title and position it on the screen where it's most readable and visually appealing.
• You can move the text around, resize it, and make sure it doesn't cover the most important part of your background image.

5. Save Your Changes

Once you’ve slid the frame to the perfect photo and added an eye-catching text overlay, tap the "Save" button at the top right corner of the screen. You'll be returned to the posting page, where you'll now see your brand new cover in the preview thumbnail. From here, just finish writing your caption and you're ready to share it with the world.

Can You Change the Cover of a TikTok Slideshow *After* You’ve Posted It?

Let's get this out of the way, because it's the question that frustrates almost every creator at some point: Officially, no. You cannot edit any part of a TikTok video, including the cover, once it has been published. Unlike editing a caption, which TikTok now allows, the cover is locked in the moment you hit "Post."

Tapping the three dots on a live video gives you countless options, but "Edit Cover" is not one of them. This can feel discouraging, especially if you notice a typo in your cover text or realize later that a different frame would have performed better. But don't worry, there's a workaround that everyone uses to fix this problem.

The Practical Workaround: How to “Change” a Cover on a Posted Slideshow

Since you can't directly edit a live post, the solution is to save your content, delete the original, and re-upload it with the correct cover. While this involves a few steps, it ensures your profile grid looks exactly how you want it and gives your content a second chance to perform with a better thumbnail.

Step 1: Save the Published TikTok Video to Your Device

First, you need to save a copy of the video you already published.

• Go to your TikTok profile and tap on the slideshow with the cover you want to change.
• Tap the three dots (...) on the right side of the screen.
• From the menu that appears, select "Save video."

The video will download to your phone's camera roll. Be aware that this version will likely have the TikTok watermark on it. This is usually fine for a quick re-upload, as the algorithm doesn't drastically penalize its own watermark.

Pro-Tip for the Future: The best way to avoid this whole process is to get into the habit of saving your videos as drafts before posting. After creating a slideshow, instead of tapping "Post," tap "Drafts." This saves a high-quality, watermark-free version in your TikTok drafts folder that you can come back to and post later, giving you a perfect original copy to work with if you ever need to make changes.

Step 2: Delete the Original Post

Now that you have a saved copy, it's safe to remove the original slideshow from your profile.

• Navigate back to the video on your profile.
• Tap the three dots (...) again.
• In the bottom row of options, swipe to the left until you see the "Delete" option (it looks like a trash can).
• Tap "Delete" and confirm.

A word of caution: when you delete the video, you will lose any views, comments, likes, and shares it has already accumulated. For a video that's brand new and hasn't gained much traction, this is an easy decision. For a video with some traction, you have to weigh the importance of a better cover against losing that initial engagement.

Step 3: Re-upload the Video and Set the Correct Cover

Finally, it's time to post it again - this time with the right cover.

• Tap the plus (+) icon to create a new post.
• Tap "Upload" and select the video you just saved to your camera roll.
• Proceed to the final posting screen as you did before.
• Here, tap "Select cover," and this time, carefully choose the frame and text overlay you want. Save it.
• Copy and paste your original caption and hashtags (another reason why saving them somewhere is helpful!) and post the video.

You’ve now successfully "changed" the cover, and your slideshow is live again with its best foot forward.

Best Practices for a Click-Worthy Slideshow Cover

Knowing how to change your cover is one thing, knowing what makes a *good* cover is another. Here are a few tips to help you design thumbnails that stop the scroll.

Clarity Over Clutter

Your cover is viewed as a tiny image in a fast-moving feed. Choose a frame that is bright, in-focus, and easy to understand at a glance. Avoid busy or dark background images where the subject gets lost. Simple works best.

Use Intriguing Text

Your on-cover title should spark curiosity. Questions work well ("Have you tried this hack?"), as do benefit-focused statements ("The easiest way to organize shoes") or results-based phrases ("How I grew my audience by 50%"). Think of it like a magazine headline.

Face Forward

If there's a person in the slideshow, covers featuring a clear, forward-facing shot tend to create a stronger connection with viewers. A smile, a look of surprise, or any expressive emotion can draw people in far more effectively than an abstract shot.

Consider Your Grid Aesthetic

Before hitting save, think about how your cover will look next to your other videos on your profile grid. Do you use a consistent font or color palette? Does it fit your brand’s mood? Creating a cohesive aesthetic makes your profile look more professional and memorable.

Final Thoughts

Getting your TikTok slideshow cover right is a small detail that has a big impact on your video's performance and your brand's overall look. Now you have the complete process: choosing the perfect cover before you hit publish, and using the save-and-repost method to fix any mistakes after the fact. Focus on creating covers that are clear, curious, and consistent for the best results.

At Postbase, we built our tool around the idea that social media management should feel intentional, not chaotic. Forgetting a small detail like a cover often happens when you're rushing to post in the moment. Using our simple visual calendar, you can plan and schedule all your TikToks in advance. This gives you the breathing room to double-check every detail - from the cover and caption to the hashtags - ensuring your content always goes live exactly as you intended.