How to edit TikTok videos: a step-by-step guide

Do you want to split, trim and edit your way to viral success? Learn how to edit TikTok videos with built-in features and the best third-party apps.

How to edit TikTok videos: a step-by-step guide

Do you want to split, trim and edit your way to viral success? Learn how to edit TikTok videos with built-in features and the best third-party apps.

Contents

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media apps in the world. With more than 1.8 billion users at the time of writing, its popularity is largely due to the boom in short-form video content.If you're part of the TikTok revolution, you likely shoot and edit videos, ensuring they're perfect before posting them for everyone to see. And, while you can edit videos with TikTok's built-in tools, you aren't confined to using them.Whether you post how-to videos, dance tutorials, or your attempt at the latest challenges, learn how to edit TikTok videos and find the right third-party apps for your editing style.

How to edit TikTok videos

You could use TikTok's built-in tools and edit videos without leaving the app. Or, you download third-party apps, edit videos within these apps and launch them on TikTok.After recording or uploading a video, TikTok provides a few editing options. You'll see a screen that enables you to add text, stickers, effects, filters, and more. Let’s explore how to make the most of these features.

How to add effects

TikTok has an ever-growing collection of video effects, from interactive visuals to augmented reality (AR). Add effects before and after recording videos. However, some effects are only available before or during recording, while others can only be used after editing.

  • Before or during recording: These effects are on the app’s recording screen. Countless effects are available, including trending, AR, green screen, and more. You can also use interactive effects, such as quizzes. Here’s how.
    • Tap the “Effects” button on the left of the red record button.
    • Select the desired effect from the selection.
    • Start recording. It’s as easy as that!
  • After recording: Use these only after recording new videos. They include stunning visual effects, such as rain, flash, and rainbow strobe. As fancy as they sound, these are just as simple to use as the other effects.
    • Tap “Effects” on the editing screen after recording a video clip.
    • Choose the effect you want to include and apply it to the video.

How to add text stickers and emojis

TikTok's sticker collection resembles Instagram's well-known library – use stickers and emojis to add questions, polls, hashtags, and more to interact with followers. You can also add animated stickers to improve videos' visual appeal. Plus, TikTok has relevant stickers depending on the country you're in.Add stickers and emojis to existing videos or apply them after recording. Here's how.

  1. Go to the editing screen and look for stickers using the search bar at the top.
  2. Tap “Sticker” to access TikTok's vast collection of stickers and emojis.
  3. Select the sticker you want to add.
  4. Pinch the sticker to enlarge or reduce its size, and drag it to the desired position on the screen. Drag stickers to the screen’s bottom to remove them.
  5. Tap the sticker and select “Set duration” to determine how long it stays on the screen.

How to add filters

Filters are an omnipresent feature on content creation apps today, and TikTok is no different. It offers a wide selection of filters that enhance videos and allow you to change your video content’s aesthetic, especially if you're looking for something different from what your phone's standard camera modes provide.

  • Color filters: As the name suggests, these allow you to change the saturation, hue, temperature, and other color-related settings for videos.
  • Beautify filters: These enhance facial features, such as modifying mouth shapes, whitening teeth, and removing the red reflex in eyes. Even makeup overlays are available for those looking to add a layer of blush.
  • Enhance filters: These let you significantly alter the mood of prerecorded videos by adjusting the brightness, exposure, and color using presets.

Adding filters is as simple as finding the one that suits your videos best and applying it with a single click.

  1. Tap the “Filters” button on the right-hand side of the screen.
  2. Select an applicable filter, and browse through different filters to preview them.
  3. Adjust the selected filter’s intensity using the red slider.

Note: removing filters takes a few more steps, but it’s equally straightforward.

3 third-party video-editing apps for TikTok

Although TikTok's in-app video editing tools are excellent, you may want to experiment with third-party apps to explore your editing capabilities. Plus, external apps offer features you won't find on TikTok, giving videos an edge of uniqueness that might help stand out on the platform and encourage people to repost your content. Here are a few apps to try.

InShot

InShot has a user-friendly interface with practical features, such as trimming videos, adding stickers and effects, and including music and voice-overs. Some of our favorite effects include cinematic filters and blur backgrounds, which give a lovely bokeh effect for those crisp, depth-of-field shots.InShot is a free app, but you can't remove watermarks without upgrading to the premium version. It's available on both iOS App Store and Android Play Store.

CapCut

CapCut and TikTok are sister companies, owned by parent company ByteDance. As a result, CapCut is tailor-made for editing TikTok videos and is fast becoming a popular tool among creators. No wonder it has more than 357 million downloads.It's jam-packed with imaginative filters, catchy sound effects, and basic editing features, such as splitting and trimming. It also houses smart features, such as speech recognition, which is excellent for those who want to add subtitles or voice-overs to videos.CapCut is free to download and is available on iOS and Android.

Funimate

Funimate’s video editor offers unique features for creating trendy TikToks and stories, such as AI effects, sleek transitions, and multilayer editing. It even has a 3D space designer that lets users scan an area and edit via keyframes.It's easy to use and allows you to flex your creative muscles. But the free version contains ads, which you can remove by upgrading the app to the Pro version.

FAQs about editing TikTok videos

Editing videos is fun, but the learning curve can be slightly challenging for beginners. Fortunately, we’ve addressed a few frequently asked questions for any lingering doubts.

How do you edit TikTok videos after posting?

Unfortunately, you can't edit published TikTok videos. The only thing you can change is the video's description. If you've made a mistake or uploaded the wrong video, delete and reupload it.

How do you edit TikTok videos with pictures?

Open the TikTok app on your phone, and tap the “Plus” icon on the screen’s bottom. Click “Upload” and select “Multiple.” Choose images and videos from the gallery. Hit “Next” and continue editing.

How do you edit multiple videos in TikTok?

Launch TikTok, tap the “Plus” icon and select “Multiple.” Check the boxes on the videos you want, and click “Next.” TikTok combines these clips and strings them together into a single video. Tap “Default.” Drag both ends of the trimming bar to set the clip’s start and end times. Finally, tap “Next.”

How do you edit TikTok videos on a PC or a Mac?

Edit videos that fit TikTok’s video aspect ratio using third-party apps. After editing, transfer videos to your phone and publish them on TikTok.

Ace TikTok with Linktree

We hope our step-by-step guide helps you learn the TikTok trade to take your social media presence to the next level. Follow trends, learn how to write killer TikTok bios, and share creative clips with online pals and the rest of the world.But posting TikToks isn't enough. Get a free Linktree URL to add to your bio and keep all your social media platforms – such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – in one place. Not only does this give your profile an organized look, but it also leads followers to all your accounts to enjoy a steady stream of fresh content!

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