How to Use a Teleprompter on TikTok

Using a teleprompter on TikTok is one of the easiest ways to level up your video quality, making you look more confident and professional with minimal effort. It’s the not-so-secret tool that top creators use to deliver flawless lines without memorizing a single word. This guide will walk you through exactly how to use TikTok’s built-in teleprompter, share some pro tips for sounding natural, and explain when it’s best to just turn it off and speak from the heart.

So, Why Bother With a Teleprompter on TikTok?

You might think a teleprompter is just for news anchors, but it’s a total game-changer for short-form video. Once you start using one, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. Here’s why it’s so powerful:

• It Erases Awkward Pauses &, Filler Words: Say farewell to "um," "uh," and "like" hijacking your videos. A script keeps you on track, delivering your message clearly and concisely.
• It Saves You So Much Time: Think about how many takes you ruin because you forget one line or mix up your words. A teleprompter drastically cuts down on retakes, which means you can create more content in less time.
• It Boosts Your On-Camera Confidence: Knowing you have your script right in front of you frees you from the anxiety of forgetting what to say. This lets your real personality shine through, making you appear more relaxed and authoritative.
• It Ensures You Don't Miss Key Points: When you're filming educational content, listing product features, or telling a detailed story, a script guarantees every important detail makes it into the final video. No more "Ah, I forgot to mention!" moments after you’ve already posted.
• It helps you make good TikTok videos. By placing the text near the camera lens, you can read your script while maintaining direct eye contact with your audience. This simple trick builds a stronger connection and makes your content feel more personal.

How to Use TikTok's Built-In Teleprompter: Step-by-Step

Years ago, you needed a clunky third-party app to get this effect, but TikTok made it incredibly simple by building a teleprompter right into the creation screen. Finding and using it is straightforward once you know where to look.

The Walkthrough:

1. Start a New TikTok: Open the app and tap the plus icon (+) at the bottom of the screen to open the video creation interface.
2. Find the Teleprompter Icon: Look at the toolbar on the right side of the screen. You'll see icons for "Flip," "Speed," "Filters," and more. Tap the "down arrow" to expand the menu if you don't see it immediately. The teleprompter icon looks like a small document with lines of text on it. Tap it.
3. Add Your Script: A window will pop up over your camera view. Tap the pencil icon or the placeholder text inside the box. Here, you can either type your script directly into TikTok or (our recommended method) paste it from a notes app where you've already written and edited it. There's a character limit, but it's generous enough for most TikTok videos (up to 1,000 characters).
4. Adjust Your Settings: Once your script is in, you have a few simple controls. You can adjust:
   • Scroll Speed: Tap the icon with the "play" arrow. A slider will appear, allowing you to control how fast or slow the words scroll up the screen. Drag it to the left (turtle icon) for a slower pace or to the right (hare icon) for a faster one.
   • Font Size: Tap the "A" icon. This lets you increase or decrease the size of the text to make it easier to read from a distance.
5. Position the Box: This step is super important. You can tap and drag the teleprompter window anywhere on the screen. For the most natural-looking videos, drag it to the very top of your screen, as close as possible to the front-facing camera lens. This minimizes eye movement and creates the illusion of direct eye contact.
6. Do a Test Run (or a Few): Before you record your masterpiece, do a practice recording. Hit the red record button and speak along with the script. Is the speed right? Can you read the font easily? This is your chance to fine-tune the settings so it matches your natural speaking pace perfectly. Don't be afraid to adjust it multiple times.
7. Hit Record for Real: When you’re ready, tap the record button. The text will begin to scroll automatically as the video records. Deliver your lines, and that's it! You've successfully used the teleprompter.

Tips for Making Your Teleprompter Use Undetectable

Using a teleprompter is easy. Sounding natural while using one is the real skill. If you sound robotic and look like you're reading, viewers will tune out immediately. Follow these tips to keep your delivery fresh, authentic, and engaging.

1. Write Like You Talk

The number one mistake people make is writing a script that feels like a college essay. No one speaks in perfectly constructed, complex sentences. Instead:

• Use short sentences and simple words.
• Embrace contractions like "don't," "it's," and "you're."
• Read your script out loud before you even open TikTok. Does it sound like something you would actually say in conversation? If you stumble over a phrase, rewrite it to be more natural. For more tips on crafting your words, learn how to write TikTok scripts.

2. Be the Master of Your Pace

Don't be a slave to the scroll speed. It’s better to set the speed slightly slower than your normal talking pace. This gives you room to pause, breathe, and add emphasis where needed. If the text is rushing by, you'll feel pressured to speed up, resulting in a panicked, unnatural delivery. You are in control, not the machine.

3. Remember to Perform, Not Just Recite

The teleprompter is there to guide your words, not your personality. You still need to perform for the camera. Be animated!

• Use Hand Gestures: Waving your hands, pointing, or gesturing to things in your environment makes your videos more dynamic.
• Vary Your Vocal Tone: Emphasize important words, raise your voice when you're excited, or lower it to create suspense. A monotone delivery is an instant scroll.
• Don’t Forget to Smile: Facial expressions convey emotion. Make sure your face matches the energy of your script.

4. Add Cues and Notes to Your Script

Treat your script like a director’s notes. Professional actors get instructions written directly into their scripts, and so can you. Add capital-letter reminders in brackets to prompt yourself to do something specific. This might look like:

"...and that's the best part. [SMILE AND NOD] But wait, there's a catch. [PAUSE FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT] You have to grab it before..."

These little cues break up the wall of text and remind you to add the non-verbal elements that make a video feel alive.

When Should You SKIP the Teleprompter?

While a teleprompter is an amazing tool, it's not right for every situation. Authenticity is currency on TikTok, and sometimes scripting a moment can kill its genuine feel. Here are a few times when you're better off ditching the script:

• For Genuine Reactions: If you're doing a stitch, duet, or reacting to a comment, the appeal is your spontaneous, unfiltered reaction. Scripting it comes across as fake.
• For Informal Chats and Vlogs: A casual "get ready with me" or a raw, behind-the-scenes update feels more personal when it’s unscripted. Your natural speaking rhythm, complete with its minor imperfections, is part of the charm.
• When You're Overthinking It: If you find that the teleprompter is making you stiff, robotic, or anxious, just turn it off. Sometimes, the best advice is to have a few bullet points in your head and just talk directly to your audience as if they were a friend.

Mastering the teleprompter is one of those small changes that can have a huge impact on your TikTok content, making you look more polished and helping you film more efficiently. It builds confidence by taking the pressure off of remembering what to say, allowing you to focus on your performance and connect with your audience. This can ultimately help increase your TikTok views.

Once you’ve perfected your on-camera delivery, the next step is managing everything efficiently on the backend. After all, brilliant video isn't much help if it's a pain to plan, schedule, and publish consistently. We found that manually juggling different platforms, especially once video content is involved, is where things start to get messy. At Postbase, we designed a simple, clutter-free content calendar specifically for people who create a lot of video, making it easy to see your whole strategy at a glance and schedule your TikToks, Reels, and Shorts in one go.