How to Do Voice-Overs on TikTok

Doing a voice-over on TikTok is one of the simplest ways to add a layer of personality and storytelling to your videos. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add your voice to any clip using TikTok’s built-in tools, share some pro tips for making your audio sound great, and give you a few creative ideas to get you started.

Why Voice-overs Are a Game-Changer on TikTok

Before jumping into the "how," it’s worth understanding the "why." A voice-over isn't just a technical feature, it's a powerful creative tool that can transform your content from simply being good to being unforgettable. It allows you to become the narrator of your own story, adding context, humor, or emotion that the visuals alone can't always convey.

Think about it:

• It builds a stronger connection. Hearing your actual voice helps your audience feel like they know you better. It makes your content more personal and authentic, fostering a loyal community around your brand or profile.
• It clarifies your message. Whether you're creating a cooking tutorial, a workout guide, or a product review, a voice-over allows you to walk viewers through the steps clearly. You can explain what’s happening on screen, eliminating confusion and making your content more valuable.
• It opens up new content formats. Voice-overs are the foundation for some of TikTok’s most popular trends. From “Day in the Life” vlogs narrated in a conversational tone to hilarious commentary over pet videos, adding your voice unlocks endless creative possibilities that help your content stand out.
• It improves accessibility. For viewers who are visually impaired, a descriptive voice-over makes your content accessible and enjoyable. It's a thoughtful touch that inclusive creators prioritize.

In short, a great voice-over elevates your content by letting you control the narrative and add your unique personality, turning a simple video into a captivating story.

How to Do a Voice-Over on TikTok: The Step-by-Step Guide

TikTok’s editing suite has everything you need to record a clear voice-over directly in the app. The process is straightforward once you know where to look. Follow these steps, and you’ll be narrating your videos in minutes.

Step 1: Record or Upload Your Video

First, get your visual content ready. You can either record a new video directly in the TikTok app by tapping the plus (+) button at the bottom of the screen, or you can upload an existing video clip (or multiple clips) from your phone’s camera roll by tapping the Upload button.

Once you’ve recorded or selected your videos, tap Next to move to the main editing screen. This is where all the magic happens.

Step 2: Access the Voice-over Tool

On the right side of the editing screen, you’ll see a vertical menu of icons (Text, Stickers, Effects, etc.). Look for an icon that says Audio or Audio editing - it often looks like a microphone or a music note. Tap it.

This will open up TikTok’s audio editing suite. Near the bottom, you'll see a record button icon labeled Voiceover. This is your destination. Tap it to open the voice-over recording interface.

Step 3: Record Your Narration

You’re now ready to record. The interface will show your video timeline at the bottom of the screen. You can scrub through the video timeline with your finger to find the exact point where you want your voice-over to start.

To begin recording, tap or long-press the big red Record button. As you hold it down, speak clearly into your phone’s microphone. You'll see your voice-over audio appear as a blue bar on the timeline underneath your video clip. You can record your voice-over in one long take or in short segments. To record in segments, just lift your finger off the record button to pause, scrub the timeline to a new spot, and press record again.

A handy tip: If you make a mistake, don’t worry. You can tap the Undo button (it often looks like a back arrow) to remove the last recorded segment and try again. Precision is your friend here, so take your time finding the right starting and stopping points.

Step 4: Adjust Your Audio Levels

After you’ve finished recording your narration, you need to balance the sound. Most likely, your original video has some background noise or dialogue. You need to decide whether you want to silence that original sound or just lower its volume so your voice-over is front and center.

Tap Done after recording to go back to the audio menu. Look for a section called Sound Balance or an icon that looks like a mixer. From there, you'll see two sliders:

• Original sound: Controls the volume of the audio from your initial video clip.
• Added sound: Controls the volume of your voice-over (and any music you might have added).

Slide the Original sound volume all the way down to 0 if you want your voice-over to be the only thing viewers hear. If you want some of the original ambient sound to remain, lower it to around 10-20%. Be sure to keep your Added sound slider at 100% or higher so your voice is loud and clear.

Step 5: Final Edits and Posting

When you’re happy with the audio balance, tap Next one last time. This takes you to the final posting screen.

Here, you can write your caption, add relevant hashtags, tag other accounts, and choose your cover image. This is also the perfect time to add captions or auto-generated subtitles to make your video more accessible and engaging for people who watch with the sound off. Simply tap More options and then toggle on Allow auto-captions if available, or generate them manually in the editor.

Once everything looks good, hit Post, and your perfectly narrated video is live!

Pro Tips for Better Sounding Voice-overs

Recording a voice-over is easy, but making it sound genuinely good takes a bit more effort. Here are some simple tips to elevate the quality of your audio from amateur to professional.

1. Write a Simple Script or Outline

You don't need a word-for-word screenplay, but jotting down a few bullet points will prevent you from fumbling over your words. It helps you stay focused and deliver a more confident, coherent message. This is especially helpful for longer tutorials or story times. An outline gives you structure without making you sound robotic.

2. Find a Quiet Recording Space

Background noise is the biggest enemy of a clean voice-over. Find the quietest room in your house to record. Avoid rooms with humming refrigerators, air conditioners, or street noise. Soft, furnished rooms are better than empty, echoey ones. Pro tip? A walk-in closet is a content creator's best friend - the clothes are fantastic at absorbing sound and reducing echo.

3. Use Good Mic Technique (Even With Your Phone)

You don’t need an expensive microphone to get good audio. Your smartphone mic will work just fine if you use it correctly. Instead of holding the phone up to your ear, hold it a few inches from your mouth and speak towards the mic at the bottom. This prevents "plosives" - the harsh popping sounds from words starting with "p" and "b" - and gives you a clearer, more consistent sound.

4. Speak with Personality

Your delivery matters just as much as your words. Speak at a natural, slightly energetic pace. Vary your tone and inflection to keep your audience engaged. A monotone voice will make viewers scroll away fast. Pretend you're talking to a friend - it’ll help you sound more relaxed and authentic.

Creative Voice-over Ideas to Try Today

Stuck on what to create? Voice-overs unlock a ton of popular and engaging video formats. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Tutorial or "How-To": Walk your audience through a process step-by-step. This works for anything: a recipe, a makeup routine, a simple home repair, a software trick, or a craft.
• A "Day in the Life" Vlog: Film short clips throughout your day and narrate them later. This personal, behind-the-scenes format helps your audience feel more connected to you.
• Funny Commentary: Find a video - of your pet, a friend, a random clip - and add your own hilarious commentary over it. This "mystery science theater" style is a TikTok staple.
• Story Time / GRWM (Get Ready With Me): Tell a compelling personal story while you do something visually interesting, like your morning routine, makeup, or an unboxing. The visual element keeps viewers hooked while they listen.
• Breaking Down a Complex Topic: Use your expertise to explain a subject simply. Narrate over stock footage, an animation, or a simple text-on-screen video to create valuable, educational content.

Final Thoughts

Mastering voice-overs on TikTok is a fantastic skill that adds a huge amount of personality and storytelling depth to your content. By following the simple steps in the app and focusing on clear, high-quality audio, you can start creating videos that not only capture attention but also build a genuine connection with your audience.

Of course, making great video content is just one part of the puzzle, consistently planning and scheduling it is how you turn creativity into meaningful growth. After spending so much time perfecting a great video, we know how frustrating it is when a legacy scheduling tool can't handle modern formats. That's why we built Postbase, with its visual content calendar, to be a modern hub for all your short-form videos - helping you map out and schedule your TikToks right alongside your Reels and Shorts.