How to Report Copyright Infringement on TikTok

Finding your original video duet'd without credit is one thing, finding it completely re-uploaded by another account is a truly frustrating moment for any creator. Protecting your creative work is part of growing your brand, and knowing exactly how to handle content theft is a skill every creator needs. This guide will walk you through the precise steps to report copyright infringement and reclaim your content on TikTok.

What Counts as Copyright Infringement on TikTok?

Before you file a report, it's good to be clear on what actually constitutes copyright infringement. In simple terms, copyright is the legal right you have over your original creative work from the moment you create it. You don't need to file any special paperwork for it to exist. If you filmed and edited it, it's yours.

On TikTok, copyright infringement typically looks like this:

• Full Re-uploads: Someone downloads your video and uploads it to their own account as if it's theirs. This is the most clear-cut case of infringement.
• Using Your Original Audio: If you created an original sound - a song you wrote, a unique piece of audio you mixed - and someone else rips it and uses it in their video without permission, that's infringement. (This does not apply to when they use the "Use this sound" feature on an audio you've officially uploaded).
• Compilations Without Transformation: An account takes large, significant chunks of your video (and others') and strings them together in a "best of" compilation. If they add no commentary, criticism, or new meaning, it often crosses the line from fair use into infringement.
• Using Your Video in the Background: Another user features your video playing in the background of their own video without adding anything transformative to it.

A Quick Note on "Fair Use" and Giving Credit

You might see comments like, "I gave you credit in the description!" While giving credit is a nice gesture, it does not cancel out copyright infringement. You, the copyright holder, have the exclusive right to decide where and how your content is broadcast.

Similarly, "fair use" is a legal concept that allows for the limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes like commentary, criticism, news reporting, and parody. A reaction video where someone provides genuine commentary throughout might qualify. A simple re-upload with a caption that says "wow look at this" almost certainly does not. Fair use is a complex legal defense, not a blanket permission slip.

Preparation is Everything: What to Do Before You File a Report

Jumping straight to the report button can be tempting, but a few minutes of preparation will dramatically increase your chances of a successful takedown. Think of it as building your case file.

Gather Your Evidence

Before you fill out any forms, have this information ready and organized in a text file or notes app. This will make the reporting process a breeze.

• The URL of the Infringing Video: This is the most critical piece of evidence. Navigate to the stolen video on TikTok, tap the "Share" button, and select "Copy link."
• The URL(s) to Your Original Work: This is your evidence of ownership. You need to provide a direct link to where you first published the content. This could be your original TikTok video, a YouTube video, a clip on your Instagram Reels, or even a video on your personal website. The earlier your publication date, the stronger your claim.
• Screenshots and Screen Recordings: Take a screenshot of the infringing account's profile and a screen recording of the stolen video playing on their feed. Why? Because if the user gets wind of a report, they might delete the video. Having this backup proves the infringement existed, even if they try to hide it.

Confirm It's Your Copyright to Defend

It sounds obvious, but take a moment to double-check that you own 100% of the content. Did you use any stock footage, licensed background music, or other elements that a third party owns the rights to? If someone else used the same royalty-free sad violin music from a public library, you can’t file a copyright claim against their audio. Your claim should focus only on the creative work that is originally and exclusively yours.

The Official Way: How to File a Copyright Infringement Report on TikTok

You have two main ways to report copyright infringement to TikTok: the in-app tool and the online web form. The web form is more thorough and generally the most effective method.

Method 1: Reporting Directly Through the TikTok App

This method is quick and works best for obvious, identical re-uploads of your content. It’s less detailed but can sometimes lead to a fast resolution.

1. Navigate to the video that is infringing on your copyright.
2. Tap the Share icon (the arrow pointing right) on the side of the screen.
3. From the bottom menu, tap Report.
4. Select Intellectual property infringement from the list.
5. Tap Copyright infringement report and then Report.
6. You will be taken to a form where you will be asked to provide evidence of your original work and confirm your identity. Follow the prompts carefully.

In many cases, this in-app flow will simply redirect you to the more detailed web form, so it’s often better to start there anyway.

Method 2: Using TikTok’s Online Copyright Infringement Report Form

This is the definitive, most powerful way to file your claim. It allows you to provide all the evidence you’ve gathered in a structured format that TikTok's team can process efficiently. You can find the form here: TikTok Copyright Infringement Report.

Let's break down each section of the form so you know exactly what to enter.

1. Contact Information

This section is for your personal details. It’s important to use your real, legal information.

• Full Legal Name: Enter your full name. This will be shared with the user you are reporting as part of the legal process.
• Your Address: Provide your physical mailing address.
• Email and Phone Number: Use an email address you check constantly, as this is where TikTok will send all communications about your case.

2. Copyright Owner Information

Here you’ll clarify who owns the work. Most creators will select "I am the copyright owner." If you are a manager or lawyer filing on behalf of a client, you would select "I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner."

3. Your Copyrighted Work

This is where you present the evidence of your masterpiece.

• Description of the work: Be specific but concise. For example: don't just say "My video." Instead write, "An original 30-second video tutorial demonstrating how to cook lasagna, which I filmed and edited."
• Link to your original work: This is where you paste the URL you gathered earlier. Paste the direct link to your original TikTok, YouTube short, or Instagram Reel. This is the single most important piece of proof.

4. The Allegedly Infringing Material

Now, you point TikTok to the stolen content.

• Give a clear description of how your work has been infringed upon. For example: "This user downloaded my entire video and re-uploaded it to their account without my permission." Or, "This video uses a 15-second clip of my original work from the 0:10 mark to the 0:25 mark."
• URL(s) of the allegedly infringing work: Paste the link to the stolen TikTok video here. You can add multiple URLs if several videos from the same user are stealing your content.

5. Legal Declarations & Signature

This final section is a series of legal statements you must agree to by checking the boxes. This is the serious part that confirms you are filing a legitimate claim. Essentially, you are stating:

• You have a "good faith belief" that the use is not authorized.
• The information you provided is accurate.
• You are testifying "under penalty of perjury" that you are the copyright owner. This means there are legal consequences for filing a false report, which helps prevent abuse of the system.

Finally, type your full legal name in the signature box. This acts as your electronic signature. After that, hit submit.

The Waiting Game: What to Expect After You Hit ‘Submit’

Once your report is filed, TikTok's intellectual property team will review it. Be patient, as this can take anywhere from 24 hours to several days.

Here are the likely outcomes:

• The infringing content is removed. Congratulations! TikTok has sided with you, and the video has been taken down. The other user will receive a copyright strike on their account. Multiple strikes can lead to their account being permanently banned. You will receive an email notification about the successful removal.
• Your report is rejected. You may receive an email stating that your claim could not be processed. This often happens if the evidence you provided was insufficient (e.g., a broken link to your original work) or if TikTok's reviewers determined the use case fell under an exception like fair use.
• The user files a counter-notification. The person you reported has the right to dispute your claim. If they file a counter-notification, you will be notified by TikTok. At this point, the content may be temporarily restored unless you provide TikTok with evidence that you have filed a court action seeking an order to restrain the user's infringing activity. This is a rare escalation for most independent creators but is a part of the official legal process.

Playing Offense: How to Proactively Protect Your Content

Constantly filing takedown notices is draining. The best strategy is to make your content harder to steal and easier to identify as yours from the start.

Watermark Your Videos

A visible watermark with your username or logo is a great deterrent. While someone can crop it out, it adds a layer of effort that will stop lazy content thieves. You can add a subtle one in a corner using a video editing app before you upload. TikTok's own watermark with your username is also automatically added when people download videos, providing a native layer of protection.

Establish a Multi-Platform Presence

Post your important videos on more than one platform, like Instagram or YouTube Shorts, around the same time you post to TikTok. This creates a wider, time-stamped public record of your ownership, making your claims even stronger.

Keep Your Raw Files

Always save your original, unedited video footage and the project files from your editing software. These raw assets are the ultimate proof of creation if you ever find yourself in a more serious dispute over ownership.

Periodically Search for Re-Uploads

Every now and then, search on TikTok for keywords from your most popular videos' titles or descriptions. You might be surprised to find smaller accounts re-uploading your content that didn’t appear on your For You Page.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with content theft is an unfortunate reality for creators, but you are not powerless. By methodically gathering evidence and correctly using TikTok's official copyright report form, you can effectively defend your work and get stolen content removed. A proactive approach, where you watermark your videos and maintain a solid record of your creations, will always be your strongest defense in the long run.

A big part of protecting your work is establishing a clear, time-stamped history of your content across multiple platforms. At Postbase, we understand that managing a multi-platform presence can feel chaotic. Our platform makes it simple to plan, schedule, and publish your content everywhere at once from a beautiful visual calendar. This not only builds your brand but also creates a public record of your original work, making it even easier to prove ownership when you need to.