Part of the TikTok platform’s success is the focus on short-form video. How long can a TikTok be in 2022?
ByteDance is experimenting with the ability to upload videos as long as 10 minutes in length. It’s the second change in video length for the platform in as many years. In 2021, TikTok increased the max video length to its current three minutes. The previous max length for TikTok videos was 60 seconds, which expands on the original 15-second video format. (Those old Vine videos that kicked off the short-form video format were only 6 seconds long.)
“We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the experience,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement. “Last year we introduced longer vieos, giving our community more time to create and be entertained on TikTok.”
“Today, we’re excited to start rolling out the ability to upload videos that are up to 10 minutes, which we hope would unleash even more creative possibilities for our creators around the world,” the statement continues. So as the rest of the social media world becomes more like TikTok – the platform is becoming YouTube.
Part of TikTok’s culture thus far has been to release multi-part videos, encouraging follows from viewers. It’s a great way to get engagement from viewers, but it leads to a frustrating experience for videos in a long serial format. By increasing the max length of TikTok videos – the viewer experience becomes better.
ByteDance surely has its eyes set on YouTube and the platform’s massive $28.8 billion in ad revenue from 2021. YouTube has introduced its TikTok clone called YouTube Shorts to its community in an attempt to stave off creators from leaving the platform. But the platform’s combination of filters, special effects, music catalog, and massive popularity keeps it in focus for the younger generations.
So how long can a TikTok video be?
ByteDance says the option to record the new 10-minute length videos will roll out in waves. Some users will see the feature available in the app now – while others may have to wait a few weeks. Eventually, all creators on TikTok will be able to create longer videos than three minutes.
Still don’t have the feature? Try updating the app on iOS or Android. If that doesn’t work, uninstalling and reinstalling the app may force the update to show up.