- Two ways to make your own sound on TikTok
- How to record a voiceover on TikTok, step by step
- A couple of recording details worth knowing
- What TikTok means by an original sound
- How to remove your own sound from every video
- Why TikTok might remove your sound for you
- Using your own sound for a business
- My advice
- Frequently asked questions
To make your own sound on TikTok, put your own audio on a post: record with your own voice, or open the editing screen, tap Voice on the side panel, then Record to add a voiceover. Don't add a track from the sound library, because TikTok says changing the music replaces your background audio and voices. Once a sound you've added gets used by other creators, TikTok calls it an original sound and gives you a button to remove it.
A sound of your own is one of the nicest things you can make on TikTok. If people start using it, every one of their videos points back to yours. Here's how to make one, what TikTok's help says about it, and the two things that can make it vanish.
Two ways to make your own sound on TikTok
| Method | Where you do it | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Record with your own audio | Tap Add post, then record a video with your voice or whatever's around you | Talking to camera, a catchphrase, a live moment |
| Record a voiceover | Editing screen, Voice on the side panel, then Record | Narrating clips you've already filmed or uploaded |
The thing to avoid is the library. TikTok's Sounds help is blunt about it: once you've changed the music successfully, all previous background music and voices will be replaced. So if your voice is the sound, don't add a song over it.
How to record a voiceover on TikTok, step by step
- In the TikTok app, tap the Add post button at the bottom.
- Take a video, or tap Upload to use one from your phone.
- Tap the Edit button on the side panel to open the editing tools.
- Tap Voice on the side panel.
- Tap Record at the bottom, then tap the Record button to record your voiceover.
- Tap Done to save the audio, pick a voice effect if you want one, then tap Save at the top.
If you want your voice to sound different, the same Voice menu has voice effects you can preview before you save. I've rounded those up in my guide to TikTok voice effects.
A couple of recording details worth knowing
- Length. TikTok says videos you record in the app can be up to 10 minutes long, and uploads up to 60 minutes. If you pick a sound before you record, the sound's length decides how long the video can be.
- The camera. You can't use your phone's own camera app inside TikTok. If you'd rather record elsewhere, film it separately and upload it.
- Missing audio. If your recording comes out silent, TikTok's checklist is: phone not on silent, volume not muted, sound recording from the phone's own camera, earphones or Bluetooth working, then restart the app and the phone.
What TikTok means by an original sound
TikTok's help uses the term original sound for a sound you've added to TikTok that other creators can use on their own videos. When someone taps the sound at the bottom of your video, they land on the original sound screen. That's where people go to use your audio, and it's also where you control it.
How to remove your own sound from every video
You can take your sound back at any time. TikTok's steps are:
- Tap the sound at the bottom of your video to open the original sound screen.
- Tap the Share button at the top.
- Tap Remove sound, then tap Remove and confirm.
Think hard before you do it. TikTok says the sound is permanently removed from every video that uses it, including yours, and other creators are told their sound has been removed.
Why TikTok might remove your sound for you
TikTok says it removes sounds that break intellectual property rules or its Community Guidelines. If that happens, you're notified and every video using that sound is muted. What you can do depends on the reason:
| Reason | What TikTok lets you do |
|---|---|
| Community Guidelines | Submit an appeal from the notice on your muted video. Videos stay muted while it's reviewed; if the appeal fails, you can't replace the sound |
| Copyright | Appeal if the option is there, or tap Change sound on the muted video and choose a new one, which only updates that one video |
That's the main reason I'd always make a sound from your own voice. If your original sound is really somebody else's song playing in the background, it's the copyright route you'll end up on.
Want more than one track in a video? See how to add multiple sounds on TikTok.
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Using your own sound for a business
If you're on a TikTok Business account, a sound of your own is often the easiest choice. TikTok says Business accounts can't use music that isn't licensed for commercial use. A short line in your own voice, or a voiceover explaining your product, sidesteps that problem completely. For the other side of this, choosing tracks from the library, see my guide on how to add music to TikTok.
My advice
Keep it simple: record your voice, or add a voiceover, and leave the library alone for that post. Make the first few seconds memorable so other people want to reuse it. And remember the remove button is there, but it takes your sound off everyone's videos at once, so it's a last resort, not a tidy-up tool.
If a track has gone missing, check why a sound isn't available on TikTok.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make my own sound on TikTok?
Record a video with your own audio, or open the editing screen, tap Voice on the side panel, then Record to add a voiceover. Don't add a library track over it, because TikTok says changing the music replaces your background audio and voices.
What is an original sound on TikTok?
It's TikTok's name for a sound you've added to TikTok that other creators can use. Tapping the sound at the bottom of your video opens its original sound screen.
Can I delete my original sound on TikTok?
Yes. Tap the sound on your video, tap the Share button, then Remove sound and confirm. TikTok says it's removed from every video that uses it, including yours, and other creators are notified.
Why was my TikTok sound removed?
TikTok removes sounds that break intellectual property rules or its Community Guidelines, and mutes every video using them. You can appeal from the notice on your muted video, or for copyright removals you may be able to choose a new sound.
