How to Continue Editing a Draft on TikTok's New Update

You’ve been there. You spent an hour getting the perfect lighting, nailing a transition, and finding an audio that hits just right. You saved it as a draft to add the text later, but when you came back, TikTok looked different. The app updated, the menus shifted, and now your masterpiece is seemingly lost in the digital ether. Finding where your drafts went - and figuring out the new editing system - can be frustrating when you just want to get your content out.

This guide will walk you through exactly where to find your drafts after the latest TikTok update. We’ll cover how to get back into the editor, navigate any new changes, and even share some strategies for using drafts more effectively to keep your content calendar full and your audience engaged.

First Things First: Where Did My TikTok Drafts Go?

Let's get straight to the biggest source of panic: locating your saved drafts. Thankfully, while the interface may have gotten a facelift, your drafts are almost certainly safe. TikTok has historically kept drafts in the same location, and the recent updates are no exception. They’re just integrated a bit more cleanly into your profile view.

Here’s the simple path to finding them:

1. Open your TikTok app and tap on the "Profile" icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Once on your main profile page, look at the grid of videos you've already posted. Your drafts will appear as the very first item in this grid, at the top-left.
3. You'll see a tile with a preview of one of your drafts, an overlay that says "Drafts: X" (where X is the number of drafts you have saved). It will be located right where a newly posted video would normally appear.
4. Tap on this "Drafts" tile to open a gallery of all your saved, unposted videos.

From here, you can tap on any video draft to reopen it in the TikTok editor and continue right where you left off. It's a subtle change, but instead of being a distinctly separate folder above your content, drafts are now treated as the first piece of content in your gallery.

Pro Tip: If you don't see a "Drafts" folder, it means you don't have any saved. Also, remember that drafts are saved locally to your device. If you delete the TikTok app or switch to a new phone, your drafts won't transfer over.

Navigating the New Editing Experience: Resuming Your Creation

Once you’ve opened your draft, you’re back in the editor. While the fundamental tools remain, TikTok is constantly tweaking the user experience for editing clips, sound, and text. Let’s break down the key areas you'll need to master to finish your video.

The Editing Timeline: More Control Over Your Clips

The core of editing happens on the main post-production screen, accessible after shooting or uploading your media. When you open a draft, you'll be dropped right back here.

• Accessing Adjustments: After opening your draft, look for the "Adjust clips" button, usually represented by a little scissor-like icon on the right-hand menu. This takes you to the detailed video timeline editor.
• Trimming and Splitting: Here, you can trim the beginning or end of each clip by dragging the white handles. To split a clip in two, move the white playhead line to your desired split point and tap the “Split” button. This is perfect for removing an awkward pause in the middle of a clip or creating jump cuts.
• Rearranging Clips: Once you have multiple clips, just tap, hold, and drag any clip to rearrange its order in the timeline. The latest update has made this drag-and-drop movement smoother, so you get a better real-time preview of how the new sequence will flow.
• Replacing Clips: Not happy with a segment? You can tap on a specific clip in the timeline and hit the “Replace” button. This lets you swap it out with another video from your camera roll without having to start the entire draft over from scratch.

Sound Sync and Audio Editing

Sometimes you open a draft only to realize the sound feels off or has been removed due to licensing changes - a common frustration. Here’s how to handle audio in the updated editor.

Re-syncing or Changing Audio:

1. Tap the "Add sound" option at the very top of the editing screen. This opens TikTok's commercial music library.
2. From here, you can browse trending sounds or search for something specific. By selecting a new sound, it will replace the old one in your draft.
3. After adding sound, use the "Volume" feature in the right-hand menu to adjust the balance between the "Added sound" and your video's "Original sound." This is how you create those popular voiceovers where the original audio is quiet and the music is loud, or vice versa.

The "Audio Removed" Problem and a Smart Workaround:

You may open an older draft to find a "Sound removed from this video" error. This usually happens when a trending clip's license expires. It's frustrating, but it doesn't mean your visual work is lost.

When this happens, you already have your cuts and transitions perfectly timed to a specific rhythm. Simply search for another sound with a similar beat or BPM (beats per minute) to lay over your existing video edit. It won't be identical, but it's often better than trying to re-edit everything from scratch.

Advanced Text, Stickers, and Effects

A static image or clip is one thing, but dynamic text and effects are what make a TikTok feel truly native to the platform. The tools for these have become more powerful with recent updates.

• Editing Existing Text: If you already placed text overlays in your draft, you can edit them by simply tapping on the text box. The options to change font, color, and background will reappear. To change when the text appears, tap the text box and select "Set duration." This opens a mini-timeline where you can drag the pink bar to control the exact start and end time of your overlay.
• Text-to-Speech: This remains one of TikTok's most popular features. After typing your text, tap the text box and look for the icon of a person speaking (it might just say "Text-to-speech"). You can then choose from various voice options.
• Layering Effects: Don’t forget that you can layer multiple effects. You can find these in the "Effects" tab. Instead of applying just one filter to the entire video, you can now add different visual effects to different clips in the timeline. Go to the "Adjust clips" screen, tap a clip, and add an effect just for that segment. It unlocks another level of creative control.

A Strategic Approach: Using Drafts to Beat Creator Burnout

Your drafts folder isn't just a holding bay for unfinished work - it's a massive strategic advantage. As a marketer or creator, thinking of your drafts folder as a content library waiting for deployment changes the game.

Instead of the stressful "shoot, edit, post" cycle every single day, try this batching workflow:

1. Theme Your Shooting Days: Dedicate two or three hours one day a week solely to filming. If you run a business, that could mean filming three "how-to" videos, two "behind-the-scenes" clips, and four product showcases all at once. Don’t worry about perfection, just get the raw clips down.
2. Save Everything as a Draft: Instantly upload these raw clips into TikTok and save each concept as a separate draft. They can be rough, single-clip videos for now. Your goal is simply to get them out of your camera roll and into the app.
3. Edit When You're Inspired: Later in the week, when you have a creative moment (but maybe not the energy to set up a camera), open your drafts folder. Now you can get to the fun part: trimming clips, picking music, and adding captions. Add text and sound to a few, re-save, and keep them ready.
4. Post When It's Relevant: You now have a folder of nearly-finished videos ready to go. When you see a new trending sound that fits one of your drafts, you can add it in seconds and post. Or, when a relevant real-world event pops up, you might have the perfect video waiting.

This method frees you from the pressure of constant, on-demand creation. It turns your draft folder from a mess of forgotten videos into an organized, strategic asset that helps you post consistently without burnout.

Final Thoughts

Navigating TikTok's latest update can seem like a headache, but locating and editing your drafts is still straightforward once you know where to look. From finding the updated folder on your profile to mastering the refined clipping and text tools, you have complete control to finish your creations and get back to connecting with your audience.

While TikTok's a great tool, we know firsthand that building a genuine brand on social media requires more than just in-app drafts. At Postbase, we designed our platform for the reality of being a creator or marketer today. Our visual content calendar lets you plan, schedule, and see your entire multi-platform strategy - including all your short-form videos like TikToks, Reels, and Shorts - in one clean view. It helps you turn that collection of drafts into an organized, efficient content machine that drives real results.