How to add custom sounds and music to a TikTok, or pick from TikTok's pre-made library

Melanie Weir

May 7, 2020, 20:25 IST

How to add custom sounds and music to a TikTok, or pick from TikTok's pre-made library

It should only take a few moments to add sounds to a TikTok video.BigTunaOnline/Shutterstock

You can't add your own sounds to TikTok anymore, but you can still select from their vast library of music, voiceovers, and sounds.
If you want to add your own original sounds to a video from an audio library on your phone, you can do so using the Inshot Video Editor app.
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TikTok allows people to share short videos centered around nearly any topic, including humor, music, and dance, and edit them in any way they see fit.

Being that it began as a lip syncing app, adding sound and music to your TikToks is a vital part of the video making experience.

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You used to be able to upload your own sounds and music directly within the app, but TikTok recently discontinued that feature due to copyright issues.

Now, if you want to add sound to a TikTok, you have two options: Choose one of the sounds that exist on the platform already, or add them to the video using a third party app.

Here's how to add sounds to your TikTok video, using apps available for both iPhone and Android devices.

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How to add a sound to a TikTok video within the app

1. Record your TikTok video as you normally would. Once you're done reviewing the footage, in the bottom-left corner of your video, tap "Sounds."

2. Select a song from the list of songs. To see more than just the recommended list, tap "More" at the beginning to bring up the music menu in full.

3. Click and drag the soundwaves at the bottom to the left or right, to choose which part of the song you want to play in your video. Tap the checkmark when you're done.

4. Once you're satisfied, continue to follow the on-screen prompts to finish uploading your video as you normally would.

How to add your own sound to a TikTok video using a third-party app

Note that TikTok has cracked down on users' use of copyrighted music in videos of late; the audio you add here should be original to avoid the sound being removed from your video.

1. Download and open the InShot Video Editor app on your iPhone or Android device.

2. Under "Create New," tap "Video."

3. From your phone's photo library, select the video you want to upload.

4. If you want to get rid of the video's original sound, In the menu under the video, scroll to the right until you find the "Volume" button. Tap it, turn the volume all the way to zero, then tap the checkmark.

5. Next, scroll back to the left and tap the "Music" button.

6. Tap the button labeled "Tracks" to add sounds or music from your phone.

7. To add files from folders in your phone, tap "Imported music" under the "Featured" tab, and follow the on-screen instructions to find the file in your phone.

To add music from your iTunes account, tap the "iTunes" tab at the top of the menu, then select a song from your library.

8. To edit the track, tap on it in the editing menu at the bottom of the screen, then select the "Edit" button on the toolbar above.

9. Trim the clip as desired, depending on what point in the song you want in your video. You can also adjust the volume and tap the "Fade in" and "Fade out" buttons if you want a fading effect on either end.

Once you're satisfied, tap the checkmark next to the name of the track.

10. Return to the editing menu and drag your edited song clip around above your video clip until the song starts at the point in the video you'd like it to.

When you're satisfied, tap the checkmark.

11. Watch a preview of your finished product to be sure you're satisfied. Once you are, tap the export button at the top-right of the screen to save it to your phone.