7 Basic Editing Tips for Creating TikTok Videos On-the-Fly

1. Basic Cutting

Like Vine, TikTok enables you to edit your video while shooting. You can start and stop recording as you go, and the app automatically adds clips to your timeline as you capture them.

Hit the red Record button once to let it roll, or hold and release to record a specific length. To start editing, go to Adjust Clips on the right side of your screen. Each clip has a tiny number showing its length. Hold down the clip you want to move, drag it to the right spot, and hit Save.

2. Audio

Look at the top of your screen for Sounds, and tap it to browse music. Once you've picked a song, you can choose where it starts and play it as you record to sync your shots.

TikTok lets you work with multiple audio layers — recorded clip audio, music, sound effects. Hit the arrow on the side, choose Volume, and you'll see two sliders: Original sound (in-camera audio and voiceovers) and Added sound (music you chose).

3. Sound Effects

Under Sounds, search for sound effects or add your own. Enter descriptive words plus "sound effect" to find them. To add your own, hit Voice-Over and record. You can edit the clip audio timing and volume.

4. Using Transitions

After recording or uploading clips, go to Effects and choose Transition. Find ones you like, tap on your timeline to place them. The app's transitions are perfect for transformations and reveals — replay the clip to ensure the desired result.

5. Working with Text

Hit Text at the bottom. Choose font, color, size, and orientation. The "speech to text" option dictates what you say into your microphone. Tap the title once to Set Duration or Edit positioning.

6. Effects

Effects are where TikTok shines. Two ways to apply — before and after recording.

Before Recording:

• Flip: Switch camera direction
• Speed: Record in slo-mo (0.3x, 0.5x) or sped up (2x, 3x)
• Enhance: Face smoothing
• Filters: Preset looks
• Timer: Countdown recording
• Flash: Continuous flash for dark scenarios

After Recording:

• Filters: Normal, Sunny, Vitality, Warmth, Island, Vlog, Movie, and more
• Voice Effects: Cat, Flute, Chipmunk, Baritone, Megaphone, Robot, Echo, Helium, Giant
• Captions: Auto-populate captions (accuracy varies by sound quality)
• Noise Reducer: Lower background noise

As of right now, you can only apply one effect at a time per clip. One effect must end before adding another.

7. Export/Publish

Once finished, publish options include Public, Private, or Followers only. You can disable comments, Allow Duets (others can play off your content), and Allow Stitch (others can use your TikTok in theirs).

You can also save to your phone and publish simultaneously to Instagram and Snapchat.