How to Get TikTok Sounds on CapCut

You’ve found the absolute perfect trending TikTok sound, but TikTok’s in-app editor just isn’t powerful enough for the video you have in mind. You need the precision and creative tools of CapCut, but how do you get that viral audio into your project without a headache? You've come to the right place. This guide covers the best and easiest methods for getting any TikTok sound into your CapCut timeline, so you can combine the discovery power of trending audio with the editing power of a pro-level tool.

Why Bother Using TikTok Sounds in CapCut?

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly touch on the "why." This isn't just about adding an extra step, it's a strategic move that top creators make every day. The reality is, audio drives trends on TikTok. Using a sound that’s currently blowing up is one of the most effective ways to get your video seen by a wider audience. People scrolling their For You Page might stop for a sound they recognize, giving your content a chance to shine.

So, why not just edit in TikTok? While TikTok’s editor is decent for quick clips, CapCut is a powerhouse. It gives you:

• Multi-layer editing: Add text, overlays, and picture-in-picture videos with far more control.
• Precise timing: Cutting your clips to the exact beat of a song is much easier in CapCut’s timeline-based editor.
• Advanced effects: CapCut offers a massive library of transitions, effects, and animations that go beyond what TikTok provides.
• Keyframing: Want to animate text, stickers, or even the video clips themselves? CapCut's keyframing makes complex movements simple.

By bringing a trending TikTok sound into CapCut, you get the best of both worlds: unbeatable discoverability from the audio and a polished, professional video that stands out from the crowd.

Method 1: The Screen Recording Method (The Easiest Way)

This is the fastest, most straightforward method to grab an audio clip when you're in a hurry. It requires no third-party apps or websites and can be done entirely on your phone in under a minute. The audio quality might not be 100% perfect, but for most viral sounds, it's more than good enough.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Find the sound on TikTok. Open TikTok and find the video that uses the sound you want. Let the video start playing.
2. Start a screen recording. Swipe down to access your phone’s control center (on both iPhone and Android) and hit the screen record button. Make sure your phone’s volume is turned up so the audio is captured clearly. It’s also smart to turn on 'Do Not Disturb' to prevent notification sounds from ruining your recording.
3. Let the segment you need play. You don’t need to record the entire video - just a clean section of the sound that’s long enough for your edit. Once you’ve captured it, stop the screen recording. The video will automatically save to your photo gallery or camera roll.
4. Open CapCut and import your clips. Start a new project in CapCut and import the main video clips you want to edit, as well as the screen recording you just made.
5. Extract the audio. Tap on the screen recording clip in your CapCut timeline to select it. With the clip selected, look for the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Scroll right until you see an option called "Extract audio." Tap it.
6. Clean up your timeline. CapCut will instantly create a new purple audio layer below your video tracks containing the sound from your screen recording. Now, you can delete the screen recording video clip from your timeline, leaving just the audio you need. That's it! You can now trim, slice, and position the audio just like any other track.

Pros & Cons

Pros: Insanely fast, no external tools needed, ideal for quick edits.

Cons: Audio quality can be slightly compressed, may capture unwanted notification sounds if you’re not careful.

Method 2: The Direct Download Method (For Higher Quality)

If pristine audio quality is your priority, this method is for you. It involves using a third-party website or app to download the TikTok video directly to your phone. This preserves the original audio quality and often gives you the option to download without the TikTok watermark, which is a nice bonus.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Find the TikTok video and copy the link. Open the TikTok video with your desired sound. Tap on the Share button (the arrow icon) and select Copy Link.
2. Use a TikTok video downloader. Now, open a web browser and search for "TikTok video downloader". There are several websites that can do this. Be careful and choose a reputable one that’s well-reviewed. SSSTik.com, SnapTik.app, and MusicallyDown.com are popular options. Paste the link you copied and click the download button.
3. Download the video to your phone. The website will typically give you the option to download with or without the TikTok watermark. Choose your preferred option and save the video to your phone's camera roll.
4. Bring the video into CapCut. Open CapCut and start a new project. Import the videos you want to edit, as well as the TikTok video you just downloaded.
5. Extract the audio. Just like with the first method, tap on the downloaded TikTok clip in your timeline. Find the Extract audio option in the bottom toolbar and tap it. CapCut will immediately create a clean, high-quality audio track from the video.
6. You can now safely delete the downloaded TikTok video clip from your timeline and are ready to edit with the perfect audio.

Pros & Cons

Pros: Best possible audio quality, often removes the TikTok watermark.

Cons: Requires an extra step using a third-party tool, so you need to be careful about which one you choose.

Method 3: The Official TikTok Sync in CapCut

This is a game-changer if you have both a CapCut and a TikTok profile. CapCut has direct integration with TikTok that lets you sync your "favorite" sounds from TikTok directly into CapCut without needing to screen-record or download anything. This is the cleanest and most convenient method.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Favorite the sound on TikTok. When you find a sound you want to use in TikTok, tap the sound icon in the bottom corner. On that sound's page, tap the "Add to Favorites" bookmark icon. This saves the sound to your TikTok profile.
2. Access the Sounds Library in CapCut. Open CapCut and start a new project. Tap the "Audio" button in the bottom menu. On the next screen, tap on the "Sounds" option.
3. Sync your TikTok account. In the Sounds Library, you should see a TikTok icon or a tab labeled "Your Sounds" or something similar. If prompted, allow CapCut to sign in and connect to your TikTok account. This only needs to be done once.
4. Add Your Sound. Once connected, you will see a list of all the sounds you've favorited in TikTok. Find the one you want, tap the plus (+) icon next to it to add it to your timeline, and that's it! You can edit the track as you normally would.

Pros & Cons

Pros: By far the cleanest and most official way. No downloads or screen recordings, and it maintains high audio quality.

Cons: Requires you to be signed into your accounts, relying on the app updates for the sync to function properly.

A Note on Copyright and Commercial Use

This is a big one. For personal, fun content, you generally don't need to worry. If you see a trending sound that is a popular song by a major artist, it is protected by copyright. Using it for a personal, non-commercial video is generally fine on the platform. However, if you're a business or brand creating an ad or promotional video, you cannot legally use copyrighted sounds without a license.

To avoid this, TikTok offers a Commercial Music Library (CML), which is a collection of thousands of tracks that are pre-cleared for brands to use in their content. Major brands on TikTok use this exclusively. When in doubt, stick to songs in the CML or use your own royalty-free music to ensure you stay in the clear.

Bonus Tips: Make Your Audio Stand Out

Once you've got the track in CapCut, don’t be afraid to get creative:

• Change the speed. Alter the speed of your audio for a dramatic slow-motion or frantic fast-forward effect.
• Use voice effects. CapCut's pitch and voice effects can give your sound a completely new feel from the original.
• Add volume keyframes. You can adjust the volume throughout your video by adding keyframes. This allows you to fade the music in or have it dip automatically when someone is speaking, helping your dialogue stand out.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to get TikTok sounds into CapCut opens up a world of creative possibilities. Whether you choose the quick screen recording shortcut, the high-quality download option, or the seamless official TikTok sync, you now have a powerful method under your belt for turning an idea into a reality. A professional final product is key to standing out.

Once your video is perfected with synced audio and slick edits, the next step is sharing it with the world. Juggling different platforms effectively requires careful planning and scheduling. We built Postbase to simplify that process, bringing all your social platforms into a single, clean visual calendar. You can schedule content to consistently post on TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, and many other channels, letting you focus on creativity while we handle the boring parts for you.