Over the course of its history, the length of a TikTok post has changed – according to user demand, to the kind of content that creators want to share, and to trends across the social sphere and digital marketing sector.
When TikTok was first launched, content was capped at 15 seconds. This emphasis on short, bitesize content helped to launch TikTok as an incredibly engaging and powerful platform for brands and creators alike – but that came with restrictions. And when you’re trying to drive home an important message, 15 seconds often isn’t long enough.
Which is why TikTok increased the maximum length of a post to 60 seconds, then 3 minutes.
Most recently though, TikTok has extended its content length to a whopping 10 minutes. This increase was announced and rolled out in early 2022, giving a platform to businesses and users who like to create and share more in-depth videos, tutorials, guides, and explanations.
How to Change The Length of a TikTok
When you open the TikTok app and navigate to the camera, the app gives you the option to snap a photo or record a TikTok video to a set length.
This helps creators to cap their content within certain realms – though if you set your content to 60 seconds for example, you do not have to hit the maximum cap. Your video can fall anywhere within the limit set by your decision.
Here’s how to choose the time setting for your TikTok…
- Click on the plus sign to create a new TikTok
- Above the capture button, you will see options to take a photo, add text, or capture a video. The time limits available to you will be all listed as different options, ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes
Alternatively, if you are uploading existing footage or content from your device, you can do so by clicking on the ‘Upload’ button and going through the editing process directly.
We hope this helps you to understand the different lengths of TikTok and choose the right one for you!
