is true that the quality of the content posted on TikTok may impress you, you don’t have to worry.
In this article, you are going to realize that creating TikTok videos is very easy, as it comes with very useful creative tools that are already integrated into the application itself.
Therefore, it is very simple to make TikTok videos quickly and easily tailored to your own audience. Whether you’re just starting out on TikTok or want to bring an organic strategy to life, in this tutorial you’ll learn how to record a TikTok step-by-step so you can tell your stories or your brand’s story in a unique way.
have your smartphone handy! let’s get started!
1. Press the + sign at the bottom of the screen
The first thing you should do in the TikTok interface is to select the Create option by pressing the plus sign (+). Here you will be able to adjust all your preferences on the shot your camera will take. At this point, you can also activate filters or effects, and you can even change the speed.
Pro tip: when recording in TikTok, you have a variety of options, depending on what you want to create. do you want to make a lip sync, a dance challenge or a reaction to a funny video? Once you’re familiar with the TikTok environment, you’re ready to take action. Then continue learning how to record a TikTok step by step in the next section.
Image: Hans’ iPhone
2. Set the length of your video
Knowing how to record a TikTok also involves choosing the length of your video, as you can choose from more than one length. Recently, the platform added a new update allowing the creation of videos of up to 10 minutes, as reported by the portal El Mundo.
In this sense, those who are looking for how to record a TikTok to explain a topic or make tutorials -if this is your case- will now have different lengths that you will see below:
TikTok videos that can last 60 seconds.
The videos that can last 3 minutes and can be uploaded to the platform.
And finally, TikTok videos that can last up to 10 minutes, as announced by the company.
To know how to record a TikTok step by step including the duration, follow the directions below:
Go to the bottom of your cell phone screen.
Choose between 15s or 60s. Note that if you choose 15s, your TikTok video will automatically stop after 15 seconds. Or in case you want to go for the 60s option, you can press the red record button at any time, or the camera will simply stop recording automatically after 60 seconds.
The length of the video will depend on the length of the sound you choose. Remember that you can select a sound before recording or uploading your video to the platform.
Pro tip: keep in mind that the duration influences the size of your video, i.e. the file size of a TikTok video. Also, to understand how to record a TikTok is to also understand the dimensions of TikTok videos when they are posted to the platform. That said, remember that there are variations for what can and cannot be uploaded.
Image: iPhone by Hans
3. Choose a sound or a song
Actor, musician and influencer, Sebastian Silva, teacher of the TikTok course for content creators, teaches us how to add audio to a TikTok:
“First, we are going to find a button at the top where we can choose a sound or a song to record our TikTok. When we enter, we will see a search engine and, in addition, many options of viral songs to make our TikTok. In this case, we are going to grab the song from the Favorites tab, there I have the audio of #goodbyemysunshine that, if we play it, it will play and then we click here on the ‘little dove’, on the red ‘chulito’. That’s going to make our audio already loaded”.
For example, if you want to learn how to do a dancing TikTok, then you will need music. Putting in other words what the “teacher” said, before you start recording, you will go to the top of the screen and click on the Sounds option so you can see the music options. You will find everything from reggaeton to rock to remixes of songs your grandparents used to listen to.
1. Go to the Add sound section.
Image: iPhone by Hans
2. Go to the Favorites or Recommended section. Or you can also go to the TikTok search engine for more options.
Image: Hans’ iPhone: Favorites section
Once you’ve chosen the song that motivated you to learn how to do a dance TikTok, you can decide where you want it to start from to play it while recording and better sync your shots to what’s playing.
Now, remember that you can only play one song per video in the TikTok app. But you may want to try how to record a TikTok by editing with other applications to add what you want and then upload it from the Upload option. In addition to that, you can record a voiceover and sound effects.
4. Select the Record button
Once you have chosen any of the above options, i.e. 15s or 60s, press the red (Record) button so that you can start and stop your recording. You can resume recording by pressing the red button again. You can record a continuous video or split it into several takes.
If you make a mistake in any of them, on the right side of the Record button you have a white button with an ‘x’ that you can use to delete the last recording. After pressing it, choose the Discard option. You will then be able to re-record the rest of your video in TikTok.
Image: Hans’ iPhone
5. Check it when you’re done
When you have all the recording, you can press the check ‘arrow ‘ on the right side. After doing this, TikTok will take you to another screen where you can add more effects, text and stickers.
Image: iPhone by Hans
You can also adjust the length of your video once you’ve recorded it. After pressing the check button, do the following:
Go to the top right.
Click Adjust snippets.
Image: Hans’ iPhone
3. Then, slide the red bar to the left or right to decide how long you want your TikTok video to be.
Image: Hans’ iPhone
6. Make additional editing settings
As you have noticed, it is very easy to know how to record a TikTok in just a few steps. But we won’t limit ourselves to just that, as the app offers very powerful tools. So it is worth learning how to use TikTok perfectly. Moreover, those who need to know how to record videos in TikTok in an agile way will find that its fast and easy workflow even allows you to edit videos on the fly.
Let’s say you want to know how to make a dancing TikTok. Just go to Adjust Clips or Adjust Snippets, as we had shown you, on the right side of the screen and choose the clips you want to modify. Note that each clip has a number above it indicating its length.
You can move them on the timeline as you see fit. All you have to do is hold down the clip, drag it to the right place and tap Save. Done! Now it’s time to start adding sounds, effects and text.
Image: Hans’ iPhone
After adding the finishing touches to your video in TikTok, select Next on the bottom right side. This will open the publishing window.
7. Write the description of your video
In this last window, you will see all the TikTok tools to set up your video for the viewing audience to see. Here you will have to write a description for your video, you can take the opportunity to use hashtags and tag your friends.
In addition, you can configure the following video options.
Who can see this video
Allow comments
Allow Duets
Allow Paste videos
Save to device
At the bottom of the video you also have an option to share a TikTok on Whatsapp, Facebook or Instagram. already set up your video? You are just one step away from finishing this process.
8. Publish your video
You are now one step away from finishing learning how to record videos for TikTok. Once you’ve made the editing settings, set up the audio, effects and text, it’s time to publish it! There are many similar features between how to use Instagram and how to use TikTok, so it’s worth mentioning that you have the same option to add hashtags and tag your friends, as well as add more accounts in the Tiktok description box.
You can also publish your video in public, private or exclusively for your followers. You can even disable comments in case you are not interested in knowing the opinion of others about your video.
After learning how to record a video in TikTok, the application gives you multiple options:
For example, you can let people use your video for reactions and allow duets, which is a great way to get your followers to use your content and be able to have fun. Of course, this is with the hope that, once you know how to record on TikTok, your content will go viral, right?
Even if you decide not to follow the popular trend of how to make a dance TikTok (not everyone is good at “rocking the boat”), making aneducational TikTok, for example, can also be a great way to get your video seen by your community.
By the way, don’t forget to use the Stitch feature, which allows other people to use your TikTok on their profile. So think of this as a way for people to access your TikTok video and react in a personal way.
ah! Lastly, we also advise you, after you know how to record on TikTok, to save your video on your cell phone. At the end of the day, with so many posts we make, it can get misplaced. So it’s best that they stay with you always. Eventually, you can share it on Instagram and Snapchat, as well as send it directly to your friends with a personalized text message.
After making all the settings, your video is ready to be published. In this last step, you just have to press the Publish button.
Frequently asked questions about how to record a TikTok
how does TikTok work?
If we talk about the basic functions of TikTok, we can talk about the generation of content, as well as the consumption of videos generated by its own users. Here are some of the features of the video application.
TikTok content is usually between fifteen seconds and one minute long. Some users have an extended time of up to three minutes.
This app has video editing and customization tools to make your compositions.
The platform has a library of songs, effects, filters and bites to add to your videos.
In TikTok you have the option to respond to a video made by another user, as if it were a ‘duet’. This feature splits the screen in two, showing the original video in one of these parts and the reaction in the other.
When navigating the TikTok interface you will see that in the menu on the inside you have the options: Home, Trends, Create, Inbox and Me.
Image: Pixabay
how to upload a video to TikTok?
what if you already have the material you want to work with? In that case, you have the alternative of uploading a video to TikTok. This will allow you to access the material in your gallery to select videos that you have already recorded. how to take advantage of this TikTok functionality? We tell you in simple steps.
1. Select the Create option
It is important to remember that to make a TikTok, no matter if it is recorded from the same application or you want to upload the material, you have to start by pressing the Create button.
2. Uploading videos to TikTok
On the right side of the Record button you will find an option that says Upload. By pressing it, you will have access to your gallery.
3. Select the videos
Once you are in the gallery window, you can start selecting the content you want to add to your video on TikTok. Press Next and define the fragment of the video you want to include. Then, once again you will have to press Next.
4. Edit your video and publish
The rest of the steps are quite similar to the first tutorial for recording a TikTok. In the new window you will have to select the filters you want to add, whether you want to include voice effects, text or some other addition. Then select Next to move on to the publishing part. Once you have written your description and set your preferences, click Publish.
how to save a draft in TikTok?
Now that you know how to save a TikTok, let’s tell you about this other feature of the application. If you have recorded a video that you want to upload, but you don’t want to do it at that moment, in TikTok you have the option to save a draft to be able to publish it later.
All you have to do is follow each of the publishing steps until you reach the last window. In this last section, instead of selecting Publish, choose the option Drafts. This will allow you to save a draft in TikTok very easily.
So much for our post on how to save a TikTok step by step. We are sure it will be very useful for your first videos on TikTok. The platform has already surpassed two billion downloads on the App Store and Google Play, according to The Verge. So imagine the reach you can have with your content. Remember to explore the app frequently to familiarize yourself with its digital environment.