A sound usually isn't available on TikTok for one of five reasons: your video is set to a long length the sound doesn't support, you're on a Business account and the track isn't licensed for commercial use, TikTok removed the sound, the creator removed their own sound, or there's a glitch in the app. The quickest fix for a favourite that's vanished is to set your video length to 15s or 60s on the recording screen, which TikTok's own help suggests.
It's maddening when the sound you saved last week has disappeared just as you sit down to film. The good news is that most of the reasons are about your settings, not a fault with the app. Here's how to work out which one you've hit.
The 5 reasons a TikTok sound isn't available
| Reason | How you'd notice | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Long video length | A favourite sound is missing from your favourites list | Set the video length to 15s or 60s on the recording page |
| Business account | Popular songs don't show up or can't be used | Use music licensed for commercial use, or post that song from a personal account on a non-commercial post |
| TikTok removed it | Your video has been muted and there's a notice on it | Appeal from the notice, or change the sound if it was a copyright removal |
| The creator removed it | An original sound has gone from every video that used it | Pick another sound; there's nothing to restore |
| An app glitch | None of the above fits | Submit a ticket from Need more help, with screenshots |
1. Your video length hides some sounds
This is the one that catches most people, and it's straight from TikTok's Sounds help. If you choose to upload a long video, sounds that aren't available for long videos won't be shown in your favourite sound list. TikTok's fix is to set the video length to 15s or 60s on the recording page, and the sound should come back.
It works the other way too. TikTok says that if you pick a sound before you record or upload, the length of the sound decides how long your video can be. If you want a longer video with that track, you'll need to choose the sound on the editing screen instead. My guide on how long a TikTok video can be covers the length limits.
2. Business accounts can't use every song
TikTok says that if you have a Business account, you can't use music that isn't licensed for commercial use. That's why a song you hear all over your For You feed might be missing when you search for it from a brand account. If you want to use that track for something that isn't promoting a business, TikTok says you can add it to a non-commercial post from a personal account.
The same rule applies to effect templates. TikTok says Business accounts can only use templates created with music licensed for commercial use, so a template that works for a friend might not work for your shop's account.
3. TikTok removed the sound
TikTok removes sounds it finds breaking intellectual property rules or its Community Guidelines. When that happens, you're notified and every video that uses the sound is muted. What you can do next depends on the reason shown on the notice:
- Community Guidelines. Tap the notice on your muted video and choose Submit appeal. Every video using the sound stays muted while TikTok reviews it. If the appeal is approved, the sound comes back on all of them. If it isn't, the videos stay muted and you can't replace the sound.
- Copyright. You may be able to appeal. If you can't, tap Change sound on the muted video, pick a new sound, trim it and set the volume, then tap Post or Save sound changes. You might have to wait for approval, and the change only applies to that one video.
4. The creator took their sound down
If the sound was someone's original sound, they can remove it at any time from its original sound screen. TikTok says that permanently removes it from every video that uses it, and the creators using it are told the sound's been removed. You can't bring it back, so the only fix is to choose something else.
5. It's a problem with the app
If none of the above fits, treat it as a glitch. TikTok's help points you to Need more help at the bottom of the help article in the app, where you can submit a ticket. For sounds missing from favourites, it says you can send screenshots of your recording screen and your favourite sound list so they can look into it. If the problem is that you can't hear anything at all, the checklist is different: make sure your phone isn't on silent, the volume isn't muted and your earphones or Bluetooth are working, then restart the app and your phone.
To rebuild the mix you wanted, see adding more than one sound to a TikTok.
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How to save sounds so you can find them again
When you add a sound from the recording screen, tap the Favourites button to save it. It'll sit in your Favourites tab next to For You and Recent. Just remember reason 1: a favourite can hide itself again if you switch to a long video. For the full walk-through of picking and trimming a track, see my guide on how to add music to TikTok.
My advice
Check your video length first, then check whether you're posting from a Business account. Between them, those two explain most missing sounds. If your video has been muted, read the notice before you do anything else, because it tells you whether you can appeal or need to swap the sound.
A sound you control never disappears, as recording an original TikTok sound explains.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find a sound I saved on TikTok?
If you've set a long video, TikTok hides sounds that aren't available for long videos from your favourites. Set the video length to 15s or 60s on the recording page and look again.
Why are some songs not available on my TikTok Business account?
TikTok says Business accounts can't use music that isn't licensed for commercial use. You can use that music on a non-commercial post from a personal account instead.
What happens when TikTok removes a sound?
You're notified and every video using that sound is muted. Depending on the reason, you can appeal from the notice on the video or, for copyright removals, choose a new sound.
Can I get a removed TikTok sound back?
Only if your appeal is approved, which restores it on every video that used it. If the creator removed their own original sound, it's gone for good.
