How to Change the Time Limit on a TikTok Video

Ended up with a killer video idea that’s a little longer than TikTok’s default 15 seconds? Knowing how to change the time limit on a TikTok video is a fundamental skill for any creator looking to grow. This guide will walk you through exactly how to select the right video length before you record, and how to trim or adjust your clips after filming to perfect your timing.

Why Your TikTok Video Length Actually Matters

Before jumping into the step-by-step, it's helpful to understand why video length is so important on TikTok. The platform's algorithm famously prioritizes one thing above almost all else: viewer retention. In simple terms, how much of your video people watch is a massive signal of quality. A shorter video that people watch 100% of the way through will almost always outperform a longer video that people swipe away from after a few seconds.

This doesn't mean shorter is always better. It means your video should be exactly as long as it needs to be - and not a second longer. A quick, funny meme or a trending dance fits perfectly in 15 seconds. A mini-tutorial or a short story might need 60 seconds to breathe. A detailed product review or an educational explainer could easily fill three or even ten minutes.

Your goal is to match your content idea to the right time limit to maximize the chances that your audience will stick around until the very end. Choosing the right setting from the start and editing precisely are the two key skills for making this happen.

Setting Your Time Limit Before You Film

The easiest way to control your video's duration is to set the maximum length before you even press the red record button. This tells TikTok the longest your video can be, giving you enough runway for your idea without leaving you scrambling to fit it into the wrong time frame.

Step-by-Step Guide to Selecting a Record Limit:

1. Open the Camera Screen: Launch the TikTok app on your device and tap the plus icon (+) at the bottom center of the screen to open the creation camera.
2. Find the Time Limit Options: Just above the large red record button, you’ll see a carousel of time options. You can swipe left or right to switch between them.
3. Choose Your Desired Length: The standard options you'll see are:
   • 15s: This is the classic, short-form default. It’s perfect for trends, quick jokes, and punchy content where every moment counts.
   • 60s: Sometimes displayed as ‘1m’, this option gives you a full minute to work with. It's a sweet spot for slightly more detailed stories or multi-part concepts.
   • 3m: Need more room for a tutorial, recipe, or in-depth talk? The three-minute option allows for more comprehensive storytelling.
   • 10m: This function, rolled out to more users, is designed for long-form content. Creators use this for deep dives, podcast-style clips, or full-on instructional videos. Note that not every user may have access to this longest option yet.
4. Start Recording: Once you've selected your maximum length, just tap the red button to start filming. You can still record multiple smaller clips that add up to this total time. You don't have to use the entire duration you selected, it's simply a cap. If you pick 3m but stop recording after 45 seconds, your video project will be 45 seconds long.

Think of this as setting up your canvas before you start painting. By choosing the right size first, you prevent yourself from running out of space mid-thought or, conversely, having too much empty space to fill.

How to Adjust Clip Length After Recording: The Power of the Editor

What if you’ve already recorded your clips or uploaded footage from your phone’s camera roll? You can no longer change that initial 15s/60s/3m setting, but you have complete control over trimming, splitting, and rearranging your clips. This is where you can fine-tune the final video length with precision.

Many creators prefer this method. They record longer clips than they need, knowing they can find the best moments and cut the rest in the editing stage. Let's say you filmed your final clip but left the camera running for an extra five seconds while you walked over to stop it. The editor is where you'll clean that up.

Using the 'Adjust Clips' Feature Like a Pro:

1. Record or Upload Your Footage: After filming your video clips or selecting them from your gallery, proceed to the editing screen by tapping the checkmark.
2. Enter the Editing Timeline: On the right-hand menu, you'll see an icon that often looks like a pair of scissors with the text "Adjust" or "Edit." Tap it to open the detailed editing timeline.
3. Select and Trim Your Clips: The timeline displays all your clips in sequence. Tap on an individual clip to select it. It will be highlighted, usually with white bars at the start and end. To shorten it, simply drag the start handle to the right or the end handle to the left. As you drag, a preview will show you exactly where the clip will now begin or end. This is perfect for removing awkward pauses or shaky footage at the beginning or end of a take.
4. Split Clips to Remove the Middle: What if the part you want to remove is in the middle of a clip? Move the white playhead (the vertical line that shows your current position) to the spot where you want to make a cut. Tap the "Split" button. Repeat this at the end of the section you want to remove. Now you have three separate clips, and you can simply select and delete the unwanted middle one.
5. Reorder Your Clips: Want to change the sequence of your video? In the timeline view, just press and hold on a clip, then drag it left or right to a new position in the sequence.

Mastering this simple-yet-powerful editor is what separates good TikToks from great ones. It allows you to control the pacing and rhythm of your video, ensuring there are no dead spots that might cause a viewer to lose interest and swipe away.

Strategy Over Speed: Choosing the Perfect Video Length for Your Goal

Now that you know the mechanics, let’s talk strategy. As a marketer or brand builder, choosing the right video duration isn't random, it's a calculated decision based on your content and audience.

When to Use 15 Seconds (or Less)

The Goal: Virality and Trends. Shorter content has the highest potential completion rate. It's easily digestible, re-watchable, and shareable.

• Content Ideas: Lip-syncing to trending sounds, quick before-and-after reveals, simple "life hacks," participating in dance challenges, or text-on-screen memes set to popular music.
• Example: A coffee shop creates a 10-second video showing a super-fast montage of their most popular latte art designs, set to a trending, upbeat audio clip. It's visually satisfying and ends before you can get bored.

When to Use Up to 60 Seconds

The Goal: Education and Storytelling. One minute gives you enough space to make a point, tell a mini-story, or provide a good level of detail without demanding too much from the viewer.

• Content Ideas: "Get ready with me" videos, packing tips for a trip, quick recipes (think sped-up footage), explaining a common misconception in your industry, behind-the-scenes tours of your workspace.
• Example: A fitness coach uses 45 seconds to demonstrate the correct form for three different ab exercises. They provide verbal cues and text overlays, offering real value that viewers might save for later.

When to Use 3-5 Minutes

The Goal: Building Authority and Deeper Connection. Longer videos are for your dedicated followers or for reaching viewers actively searching for in-depth information. Success here proves you are an expert and builds trust.

• Content Ideas: Detailed product tutorials, unboxing videos with first impressions, ranking your top 5 favorite tools for your hobby, answering a follower's question in detail (Q&A), or a step-by-step DIY project guide.
• Example: A skincare expert uses 3 minutes to walk through her entire evening skincare routine, explaining what each product does and why she uses it. Viewers interested in the topic will watch the whole thing to get the full scoop.

When to Use Up to 10 Minutes

The Goal: Maximizing Authority and Nurturing Your Community. This format is essentially TikTok's version of a mini-YouTube video. Use it sparingly, targeting high-intent viewers who have shown serious interest in your niche.

• Content Ideas: A full chapter breakdown from a book you're reading, a reaction to an industry news piece, a long and detailed tutorial (e.g., a full makeup look or a complex coding problem), or even an interview clip.
• Example: A "van life" creator films an 8-minute detailed tour of every single storage hack in their camper van. It's too long for a casual viewer, but for someone planning their own build, it's a goldmine of information.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the time limit in TikTok comes down to two key skills: choosing your maximum recording duration before you film (using the 15s, 60s, 3m, or 10m toggles) and precisely refining your video's final length using the clip adjustment tools in the editor. By aligning your video's length with your content's goal, you respect the viewer's time and significantly boost your chances of creating content that resonates and performs well.

Once you’ve perfected your content for TikTok, the next step is often tailoring it for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other platforms. As content creators managing multiple brands, we know how taxing that can be. That's why we built Postbase, a social media tool designed from the ground up for the short-form video era. It lets us plan and schedule all our video content across every platform from a single visual calendar, ending the aforementioned juggling act and giving us much-needed clarity and our time back when running multiple social brands and accounts.