How to Edit a TikTok Video Hashtag After Posting

You’ve just published a killer TikTok video, but a second later your stomach drops - you spotted a typo in a hashtag or forgot to include your most important one. Now you’re frantically tapping around the app trying to find the edit button, but it’s nowhere to be found. The frustrating reality is that you cannot directly edit the caption or hashtags on a TikTok video after it has been posted. This article will explain the only real workaround you have, help you decide when it's worth using, and show you how to set up a foolproof process so this never happens again.

The Blunt Truth: You Can't Edit Hashtags on a Live TikTok Video

Let's get this out of the way first: Once you hit that "Post" button, your TikTok caption, including all its hashtags, is locked in. There's no hidden menu or secret button that will let you make a quick fix. While you can edit other details on your profile, the video's description is permanent. But why?

The moment you upload your video, TikTok's algorithm gets to work. It scans your caption, hashtags, audio, and the video's visual content to understand what your video is about. It then uses this data to start pushing your content to a small test audience it thinks will be interested. Those initial hashtags are a primary directional signal for the algorithm. Allowing users to change them after the fact would fundamentally disrupt this distribution process. A video initially categorized as #cleantok could suddenly become #booktok, confusing the algorithm and leading to a poor user experience. So, to keep its discovery engine running smoothly, TikTok simply disallows post-publication edits to the caption.

Your Only Real Option: The "Delete and Re-upload" Method

Since editing isn't an option, the only way to fix your hashtag problem is to remove the original video and upload it again with the corrected caption. If you decide this is the right move for your video (more on that later), it's important to do it correctly to preserve your hard work and video quality. Simply downloading from TikTok and re-uploading will leave you with a pesky watermark.

Follow these steps for a clean re-upload:

1. Secure Your Original Video (Without a Watermark). Ideally, you still have the final, edited version of your video saved to your phone's camera roll from before you ever uploaded it to TikTok. This is the best-case scenario, as it's the highest quality version of your work. If you deleted it, your options are more limited. TikTok's "Save Video" button will download the video with a watermark, which you definitely don't want on the re-uploaded version. While some third-party apps claim to remove watermarks, using them can be risky. The best practice is always to save your final video draft to your device before uploading for the first time.
2. Copy Your Original Caption &, Note Engagement. Before you delete anything, open the video you want to fix. Tap the "Share" icon and select "Copy Link." Paste this link into your notes app or a browser to easily access and copy your original caption so you don't have to rewrite the whole thing. If the video has any comments you want to remember or reply to later, take a quick screenshot.
3. Delete the Original Video. Now for the scary part. Go to the video on your TikTok profile. Tap the three dots (...) on the right side of the screen to open the options menu. In the bottom row of icons, swipe to the left until you see "Delete" with a trash can icon. Tap it, and confirm that you want to delete the video. It's now gone for good.
4. Re-upload with the Corrected Hashtags. With the slate clean, you can start the upload process over again. Tap the "+" button, select your original video file from your device, and proceed to the posting screen. Paste in your caption, and now, very carefully, type in your corrected hashtags. Triple-check everything for spelling before you hit "Post" this time.

Analyzing the Risks: When Should You Delete and Re-upload?

The "delete and re-upload" method is a powerful tool, but it's not always the right choice. Deleting a video means sacrificing any views, likes, comments, and shares it has already received. You're completely resetting its momentum. Here’s a simple framework to help you decide what to do.

Scenario 1: Re-upload Immediately

This is the best course of action if you catch the mistake within the first hour of posting and the video has very little engagement (e.g., under 100 views, a handful of likes). Situations where an immediate re-upload makes sense include:

• A major typo in a brand name or a key hashtag central to your content.
• Forgetting a campaign-specific or branded hashtag that is required for a partnership.
• Using a completely irrelevant hashtag that could send your video to the wrong audience.

In these cases, the potential gain from using the correct hashtags outweighs the loss of minimal early engagement.

Scenario 2: Do Nothing and Learn From It

Resist the urge to delete if your video has already started to gain significant traction. This is the time to let go of perfectionism. Don't make the mistake of deleting a video that's on its way to going viral over a minor hashtag error. Stick with the "do nothing" approach if:

• The video is several hours or days old and has thousands of views and strong engagement.
• The algorithm has clearly found the right audience, despite the hashtag error.
• The mistake is a small typo in a less important, secondary hashtag.

Chasing a perfect hashtag isn't worth killing a video that's already performing well. Just make a note of the mistake and be more careful next time.

Scenario 3: The Gray Area

What if your video is an hour or two old with a few hundred views and a decent number of likes and comments? This is a judgment call. Ask yourself these questions:

• How critical is the error? Is it a minor typo or a tag that fundamentally miscategorizes your content?
• What is the source of the engagement? If the views are mostly from your existing followers (from the "Following" feed), you might not lose much momentum by resetting. If it's starting to get traction on the "For You Page," be more hesitant to delete.
• What's the potential upside? Do you genuinely believe the corrected hashtag will dramatically increase the video's potential reach?

If you have a strong reason to believe the hashtag error is severely limiting performance, a re-upload might be worth it. Otherwise, it's often safer to leave it be.

"Workarounds" That Don't Work (And Bad Advice to Ignore)

In your search for a solution, you may come across misguided advice on forums or other blogs. Let's debunk a few common myths so you don't waste your time.

• Myth: Adding the correct hashtags in the comments section will fix it. While adding comments is great for engagement, placing hashtags here does virtually nothing for the algorithm's discoverability. The algorithm prioritizes hashtags included in the original caption, not the comments.
• Myth: Editing the caption when you "repost" a video helps. TikTok's repost feature is like a "share" button. It lets you add a brief caption to the reposted video that appears on your friends' feeds, but it does not alter the original video in any way.
• Myth: Sharing the video to other platforms lets you edit it. While you get to write a new caption when you share your TikTok to Instagram Stories or X, this only applies to that specific share. The original TikTok video on its own platform remains unchanged.

Don't fall for these tempting but ineffective tricks. The only real methods are to re-upload or to leave it as is.

The Proactive Strategy: Getting Hashtags Right the First Time

The best way to fix a hashtag mistake is to never make one in the first place. This isn't about being perfect, it's about having a solid process to minimize errors and reduce stress during the posting process.

Step 1: Build a Hashtag Library

Stop trying to come up with hashtags on the fly. Instead, create a "hashtag library" or "bank" in a notes app or document on your computer. Research hashtags for each of your main content categories or pillars. For each category, create a pre-vetted group of 5-8 hashtags that includes:

• 2-3 Broad Hashtags: High-volume tags that describe your general topic (e.g., #digitalmarketing, #bakingrecipe).
• 2-3 Niche Hashtags: More specific tags that connect you with a relevant sub-community (e.g., #socialmediamanagerlife, #sourdoughstartertips).
• 1-2 Branded or Unique Hashtags: Tags specific to your brand or a series you run (e.g., #postbasetips, #maryskitchenmondays).

When you're ready to post, you can just copy and paste a relevant group, saving time and preventing typos.

Step 2: Draft Your Captions in a Text Editor

Never write your caption directly in the TikTok app when you're about to post. The interface is small, and it's easy for your thumbs to make mistakes. Instead, write your caption and select your hashtags in a notes app or a text editor first. This gives you a better view of your text, allows spell check to catch obvious errors, and lets you re-read for clarity and tone without the pressure of the "Post" button looming over you.

Step 3: Do a Final Proofread Before Posting

Once you've copied your text from your notes app into TikTok, take one final breath. Before your finger goes anywhere near the "Post" button, read through the entire caption and every single hashtag one last time. This final check is the most important step in the process and takes less than 15 seconds. It's the last line of defense against mistakes and will save you the panic of having to decide whether to delete and re-upload.

Final Thoughts

In short, you can't edit a TikTok video's hashtags once it's live, and the only solution is to delete and re-upload - a decision that depends heavily on the video's current performance and how severe the error is. Ultimately, prevention is far better than the cure, and building a simple content planning process is the best way to safeguard against these frustrating mistakes.

We actually built Postbase to solve this exact kind of headache. Instead of rushing to post directly in an app, our visual calendar allows you to plan, draft, and schedule your TikToks ahead of time. You can write your captions and organize your hashtag sets right within our tool, giving you a calm, clear space to review and proofread everything before it goes live, ensuring you catch any slip-ups when they're still easy to fix.