How to Repost TikTok to Instagram

Got a TikTok video that’s taking off and wondering how to get it in front of your Instagram audience? You’re in the right place. Reposting your TikToks to Instagram is one of the smartest ways to get more mileage out of the content you worked hard to create. This guide breaks down exactly how to do it, step-by-step, including methods for posting with or without the watermark and best practices to make your content feel right at home on Reels.

Why You Should Repost Your TikToks to Instagram Reels

Before getting into the "how," let's quickly touch on the "why." If you're building a brand or presence online, you can't just rely on one platform. Your audiences on TikTok and Instagram are often different, even if there's some overlap. Reposting is an efficient strategy for growth for a few simple reasons:

• Maximize Your Reach: You put time and effort into creating great video content. Letting it live on only one platform limits its potential audience. Sharing it on Instagram exposes your work to a new set of eyes, followers, and potential customers who might not be on TikTok.
• Maintain Content Consistency: Feeding the algorithm is a constant demand. Repurposing content helps you maintain a consistent posting schedule across all your profiles without having to create something entirely new every single day. This consistency is vital for organic growth.
• Cross-Promote Your Profiles: Reposting acts as a natural bridge between your accounts. A viewer who loves your content on Instagram might head over to TikTok to follow you there for more, and vice versa. It builds a stronger, more connected online presence.

The Watermark Question: A Strategic Choice

The first decision you need to make is whether to post a TikTok video with the watermark or find a way to remove it. There isn't a single "right" answer, it depends on your goals and how much time you want to spend.

Leaving the Watermark On

This is the fastest, simplest method. You download the video directly from the TikTok app and upload it to Instagram.

• Pros: It’s incredibly fast and requires no third-party tools. The watermark also provides clear attribution, showing viewers where the content originated, which can drive traffic back to your TikTok profile.
• Cons: Social media platforms generally prefer native content. Instagram has stated that its algorithm may deprioritize visibility for content that is visibly recycled from other apps (i.e., contains a competitor's watermark). It doesn't look as clean or professional, and it immediately signals to viewers that this is a repurposed video.

Removing the Watermark

This method requires a few extra steps but results in a cleaner video that feels more native to Instagram.

• Pros: The video looks professionally produced for Instagram, helping it blend in seamlessly with other Reels. Without a competing watermark, you avoid any potential algorithmic penalty from Instagram, potentially giving your Reel a better chance at reaching a wider audience.
• Cons: It requires using a third-party website or app to download the video, which adds time to your workflow. You need to be careful and use reputable services to avoid spam or security issues.

Our recommendation? Take the extra minute to remove the watermark. It creates a better user experience and aligns with Instagram's preference for original-looking content, giving your video the best possible chance to perform well.

How to Repost TikTok Videos to Instagram (Step-by-Step)

Here are walk-throughs for both methods, starting with the simplest way and then moving to the recommended watermark-free approach.

Method 1: Posting With the TikTok Watermark (The Quick and Easy Way)

If you're in a hurry, this method gets the job done in seconds directly from your phone.

1. Open TikTok and find your video. Go to your profile and tap on the video you want to repost.
2. Save the video to your device. Tap the Share icon (the arrow). In the bottom row of options, look for and tap Save video. The video will download to your phone’s camera roll with the TikTok watermark and outro included.
3. Open Instagram and create a Reel. Open the Instagram app, tap the + icon at the bottom, and select Reel.
4. Upload your video. Swipe up or tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left corner to access your camera roll. Select the TikTok video you just saved.
5. Edit and share. Make any desired edits inside the Reels editor - you can trim the clip, add text overlays, or use Instagram’s filters. A great move is to trim off the final few seconds that show the TikTok logo. Write a new, relevant caption, add your hashtags, and share it to your feed.

Method 2: Posting Without the TikTok Watermark (The Recommended Method)

This approach involves using an external tool to download a clean version of your video. While there are countless apps and websites for this, the process is generally the same for all of them.

1. Copy the link to your TikTok video. Open the TikTok app and navigate to the video you want to repost. Tap the Share icon and then select Copy link.
2. Use a third-party TikTok downloader. Open your web browser on your phone or computer and search for a "TikTok video downloader without watermark." A handful of popular and reliable services like Snaptik, SSSTikTok, or TikMate will likely appear at the top. Choose one, navigate to the site, and paste the video link into the provided field.
3. Download the video. Follow the site's prompts to download the video. It will usually give you a few options, like "Download without watermark." This will save a clean MP4 file of your video to your device.
4. Open Instagram and upload to Reels. Just like in the first method, open Instagram, start a new Reel, and upload the watermark-free video you just downloaded.
5. Optimize for Reels and post. Now you can add a trending sound from Instagram’s audio library, write a fresh caption, add relevant hashtags, choose a custom cover image, and share your pristine-looking Reel.

Best Practices to Make Your Reposted TikTok Shine on Instagram

Simply reposting the video is just the first step. To make your content truly effective on Instagram, you need to optimize it for the platform. A video that went viral on TikTok won't automatically do the same on Reels without a little finessing.

1. Write a New, Platform-Specific Caption

Don't just copy and paste your TikTok caption. The two platforms have different caption styles and functionalities. TikTok captions are often short, punchy, and part of the video's direct context. Instagram allows for longer, more detailed captions where you can share more stories, insights, or information.

Action Tip: Use your Instagram caption to provide extra context that you couldn't fit in the video. Ask questions to encourage comments and engagement, something that's more common in Instagram caption culture.

2. Ditch the TikTok Sound and Use Instagram's Audio Library

Trending audio is platform-specific. A sound that’s hot on TikTok might be old news on Instagram, or not even available due to licensing differences. Using a trending sound from within the Reels audio library is one of the biggest factors for boosting your video's visibility.

Action Tip: After uploading your silent, watermark-free video to Reels, tap the Audio icon. Search for a song or sound that’s currently trending on Reels (look for the little diagonal arrow next to the sound name). This attaches your video to that trend, increasing the likelihood that Instagram will show it to new audiences.

3. Use Relevant Instagram Hashtags

Hashtag strategies differ between platforms. While they are useful on both, the way they are used changes. On Instagram, a mix of broad, niche, and community-specific hashtags helps categorize your content and get it in front of the right viewers.

Action Tip: Research hashtags that are relevant to your video's topic on Instagram. Don't recycle your TikTok hashtags blindly. Use a mix of 5-15 hashtags that range from large (e.g., #socialmediatips) to very specific (e.g., #videocontentideasforrealtors).

4. Choose an Engaging Cover Photo

Your Reel's cover photo is what people see on your profile grid and on the Explore page. A blurry, awkward, or uninteresting frame from the middle of your video won't entice anyone to click. Instagram allows you to select a specific frame from your video or upload a custom cover photo (if you create one separately).

Action Tip: In the final posting screen for your Reel, tap Edit cover. Slide through the video to find a clear, compelling frame that captures the essence of the video. Even better, add a text overlay to headline what the video is about.

5. Review and Engage With Instagram Comments

Your job isn't done once you hit "Share." Engagement is a two-way street. Once your Reel is live, make it a priority to respond to comments and answer questions. This activity signals to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable and engaging, which can help increase its reach even further.

Action Tip: Set aside time after posting to reply to the first wave of comments. Liking comments and replying with thoughtful answers makes your community feel heard and encourages more people to interact with your future content.

Final Thoughts

Reposting your TikTok videos to Instagram Reels is a powerful, time-saving strategy that vastly expands the reach of your hard work. By taking a few extra moments to remove the watermark and optimize your content for Instagram's audience and algorithm, you can effectively double your impact without doubling your workload.

Managing a strong content strategy across multiple platforms can feel chaotic, but having the right workflow makes all the difference. In building our own brands, we quickly realized we needed a better way to handle planning, scheduling, and engaging without losing our minds. That’s why we built Postbase - a tool designed for modern social media, where short-form video reigns supreme. We use its visual calendar to plan our TikToks and Reels side-by-side, spotting gaps and keeping our messaging consistent so nothing falls through the cracks.