The Supreme Court has upheld a ban on TikTok. Before the app goes dark on Sunday, you’re probably wondering how to back up the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of videos you might have on the platform.
Whether you want to save your favorite videos or videos you’ve posted yourself, here’s how to do it. And we’ve rounded up some TikTok alternatives in case you’re starting to panic.
How to download individual TikTok content
If you want to save some of your favorite TikTok videos or photos to your device, it’s very simple.
To download a video on an iOS or Android device, go to your TikTok profile page, select the video you want, and tap the Share button on the right side of the screen. Then select “Save Video”. You can download photos in the same way.
However, be aware that creators can control whether others can download their content. This means that some videos from your Likes, Reposts or Bookmarks tabs may not have a download option available.
If you have a lot of videos to download, this process may take time, as you will need to repeat these steps for each one. There are various third-party apps available that allow bulk downloads, but their reliability can vary, so proceed with caution.
How to get your TikTok data
You may also request a copy of your TikTok data, which may consist of your username, watch history, comment logs, and privacy settings. However, TikTok warns that not all data may be available for download, “especially if it affects the privacy of others,” the company writes on its support page.
To search for your TikTok information, navigate to your profile, tap the Menu button at the top to access Settings, and go to Account. Select “Download your data” to select the data you want to include in your downloadable file and choose a file format: TXT or JSON. Finally, tap on “Request Data”.
After you submit your request, TikTok compiles a data file that you can download from the app. Keep in mind that it may take a few days to prepare the file, but TikTok will notify you once it’s ready for download. Given the possible ban coming this Sunday, we advise you to do so as soon as possible.
When your file is ready, tap download in the app. It will be available for up to four days.
