How to Screen Record TikTok Videos on Any Device (Ultimate Guide)
TikTok has taken the social media world by storm in recent years with its engaging short-form videos. With over 1 billion monthly active users, mostly Gen Z, TikTok offers a constant stream of creative, entertaining, and viral content.
As you scroll through your TikTok feed, you‘ll undoubtedly come across videos that you want to save to watch again later or share with others. While TikTok allows you to like and bookmark videos within the app, sometimes you may want a copy saved directly to your device.
Unfortunately, TikTok doesn‘t make it easy to download other users‘ content due to permissions and copyright restrictions. But there is a simple workaround – screen recording. By recording your screen while a TikTok video plays, you can capture a copy that‘s saved as a video file on your device.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll show you exactly how to screen record TikTok videos on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows devices. We‘ll cover both built-in tools and third-party apps to give you the best options for your needs. Let‘s dive in!
Why You Might Want to Screen Record TikTok Videos
There are several reasons why you may want to record TikTok content from your screen:
- Save your favorite videos to watch offline
- Share TikTok videos on other platforms
- Reuse creative commons TikTok content in your own video edits
- Analyze viral TikTok trends and content styles
- Access region-restricted TikTok videos
- Keep a copy in case the original gets deleted
Whatever your reason, screen recording provides an easy way to capture any TikTok video to view and use in the future. Just make sure to respect the creator‘s copyright and stated usage permissions.
How to Screen Record TikTok on iPhone and iPad
Apple includes a built-in screen recording tool on iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 or later. Here‘s how to use it:
-
Open the Settings app and go to Control Center -> Customize Controls. Tap the green + button next to Screen Recording to add it to your Control Center.
-
Open TikTok and find the video you want to record.
-
Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (on iPhone X or later) or up from the bottom of the screen (other iPhones).
-
Tap the Screen Record button and wait for the 3-second countdown. To include audio, long press the button and tap Microphone.
-
Navigate back to TikTok and play the video you want to record. A red recording indicator will appear at the top of your screen.
-
Stop the recording by tapping the red status bar at the top of the screen and selecting Stop. Or open the Control Center again and tap the record button.
-
The screen recording will be saved in your Photos app, where you can trim the clip as needed.
For longer videos or if you want to record at a higher resolution, you can connect your iPhone or iPad to a Mac and record your screen using QuickTime Player:
-
Connect your iPhone/iPad to your Mac using a USB cable and open QuickTime Player.
-
Click File -> New Movie Recording. In the recording window, click the arrow next to the record button and select your iPhone or iPad as the video and audio source.
-
Play the TikTok video on your device and click the record button in QuickTime on your Mac to start recording.
-
Click the stop button when finished and save the recording to your Mac.
How to Screen Record TikTok on Android
Screen recording is also available as a built-in feature on many Android devices running Android 10 or later. The process may vary slightly depending on your phone‘s make and model, but here‘s the general method:
-
Go to Settings -> About Phone and tap the Build Number 7 times to enable Developer Options. Go back to Settings, open Developer Options, and enable Feature Flags.
-
Open TikTok and go to the video you want to record.
-
Pull down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Settings panel. You may need to swipe left to see all the options.
-
Find the Screen Recorder option and tap it. You may need to long press to configure options like recording audio or showing touches.
-
Tap Start Recording and play the TikTok video.
-
To stop recording, pull down the notification shade and tap the Stop button in the Screen Recorder notification. The video will be saved in your phone‘s Gallery or Photos app.
On some phones like Samsung and LG models, you may need to use the Game Launcher tools instead to screen record.
If your Android phone doesn‘t have a built-in recorder, you can use a third-party app like AZ Screen Recorder or XRecorder.
How to Screen Record TikTok on Windows
Windows 10 and 11 include the Xbox Game Bar, which despite its name can be used to record any application window, including the TikTok website. Here‘s how to use it:
-
Open TikTok in a web browser and find the video you want to record.
-
Press the Windows + G keys to open the Game Bar.
-
Click the Start Recording button or press Windows + Alt + R to begin. You can also turn on your microphone to record external audio.
-
When finished, click the Stop button or press Windows + Alt + R again. The recording will be saved in your Videos -> Captures folder.
The Xbox Game Bar has some limitations – it can only record one application window at a time, has no ability to record system audio, and lacks editing features.
For more flexibility, you can use a free third-party tool like OBS Studio. This open-source app lets you record one or more windows plus audio and add your own watermark and overlays.
Benefits of Using Third-Party Screen Recording Tools
While built-in screen recorders work fine for basic needs, third-party tools offer more features and customization to take your TikTok recording to the next level:
- Select custom frame rates, resolutions, and bitrates for better quality
- Record multiple application windows or your full desktop screen
- Capture computer system audio without needing a microphone
- Get a floating webcam overlay to add reactions and commentary
- Access a built-in editor to trim, add captions, combine clips, etc.
- Automatically remove background noise for clearer audio
- Compress recordings to smaller file sizes
- Directly export to YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
Many third-party screen recording tools are free or offer free plans, so they are definitely worth exploring if you plan to record TikTok videos regularly.
Best Third-Party Apps for TikTok Screen Recording
Here are a few top screen recording apps that work great with TikTok on Windows and Mac:
-
EaseUS RecExperts
This full-featured but beginner-friendly tool lets you capture TikTok videos in a click, with options to record your entire screen, a custom region, or a specific window. You can record audio from both your mic and computer, and easily trim or edit the recording. Available for both Windows and Mac. -
iTop Screen Recorder
iTop is another easy-to-use recorder that works well for TikTok. You can capture HD video, record your webcam, and select from several output formats. The built-in video editor lets you add annotations, callouts, and effects to your recording. -
Bandicam Screen Recorder
Bandicam is a lightweight yet powerful recorder for Windows that can handle TikTok videos up to 4K resolution. You can capture your entire screen, a region, or around your mouse cursor. It also lets you add a logo overlay and record your webcam in 4K. -
Apowersoft Unlimited
This web-based tool works on both Windows and Mac and makes it easy to record TikTok videos without installing any software. You can launch it right from the Chrome browser to capture your screen and audio in a few clicks. A companion desktop app unlocks more editing features.
Tips for Editing Recorded TikTok Videos
Once you‘ve captured your TikTok video, you may want to do some light editing before sharing or repurposing the clip. Here are a few tips:
- Trim the beginning and end of the recording to cut out any unwanted parts
- Use a free online video editor like Kapwing to resize the clip for other social media platforms
- Add captions, stickers, and other graphics with a tool like InVideo or Adobe Spark
- Use Canva to repurpose the video into gifs, quote graphics, and other formats
- Try a mobile video editor like InShot to edit TikTok clips right on your phone
Remember to always respect the original creator‘s copyright when editing and reusing their content. Only use the video for personal, non-commercial purposes unless you have explicit permission from the creator.
Summary
As you can see, it‘s easy to screen record TikTok videos on any device using both built-in and third-party tools. Just a few taps let you capture, edit and share your favorite TikToks.
To recap, here are your best options for each device:
- iPhone/iPad: Use the built-in Screen Recording tool in Control Center or connect to a Mac and record with QuickTime
- Android: Use the built-in Screen Recorder option in Quick Settings or get a third-party app like AZ Screen Recorder
- Windows: Use the Xbox Game Bar or OBS Studio
- Mac: Use QuickTime Player, OBS Studio, or an app like Capto
Once you‘ve captured your TikTok, trim off the extra bits and use free online tools like Kapwing and Canva to resize and repurpose the video for other platforms.
To take your TikTok game to the next level, explore tools like Tokboard and Exolyt to find and analyze top performing videos and influencers in your niche.
Now you‘re ready to screen record and get the most out of TikTok! Do you have any other tips for capturing great TikTok content? Let me know in the comments.