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This wikiHow guide teaches you how to take a video in TikTok on your iPhone or iPad without having to keep your finger on the record button.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using the Stopwatch

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  1. It’s the black icon with a white music note inside.
  2. It’s at the bottom-center part of the screen.
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  3. You can put it on a tripod if you have one or just lean it against something. Just make sure the viewfinder is showing where you want it to capture.
  4. It's towards the bottom of the icon column on the right side of the screen.
  5. Drag the pink line along the timeline to indicate how long you want your video to be; the app will stop recording automatically at that point.
  6. A countdown will begin (3, 2, 1…). When the countdown ends, TikTok will begin recording immediately. There’s no need to press the recording button, though.
    • To pause the recording, tap the stop button at the bottom of the screen.
    • To start recording hands-free after pausing, tap the timer icon again.
  7. It's at the bottom right of the screen.
  8. Use the editing options at the top and bottom of the screen to adjust the way your video looks.
  9. It's the pink button at the bottom of the screen. Your hands-free video is now shared on TikTok.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using "Tap to Shoot"

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  1. It’s the black icon with a white music note inside.
  2. It’s at the bottom-center part of the screen.
  3. You can put it on a tripod if you have one or just lean it against something. Just make sure the viewfinder is showing where you want it to capture.
  4. 4
    Tap on the recording button to start recording. TikTok will start recording, and continue recording until you tap the button again to stop.
    • To start recording hands-free after pausing, tap the button again.
  5. It's at the bottom right of the screen.
  6. Use the editing options at the top and bottom of the screen to adjust the way your video looks.
  7. It's the pink button at the bottom of the screen. Your hands-free video is now shared on TikTok.
  8. Advertisement



Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I make the timer be longer than 3 seconds?
    Aasim
    Top Answerer
    You cannot change the timer length. However, you can change the length of the video by tapping on the "more" button and choosing the recording mode button.
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About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 190,716 times.
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Co-authors: 12
Updated: February 24, 2025
Views: 190,716
Categories: Tik Tok
Article SummaryX

1. Open Tik Tok.
2. Tap +.
3. Select a song.
4. Tap the stopwatch icon.
5. Select when you want the video to stop recording.
6. Click Start Countdown to begin the countdown to your recording.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 190,716 times.

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