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 may have on the platform.
Whether you want to save your favorite videos or videos you posted yourself, here’s how to do it. And we’ve rounded up some TikTok alternatives in case you were starting to panic.
How to download individual TikTok content
If you want to save a few of your favorite TikTok videos or photos to your device, it’s quite 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, choose “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 Bookmark tabs may not have a download option available.
If you have many videos to download, this process can be time-consuming, as you’ll need to repeat these steps for each one. There are various third-party apps available that allow for bulk downloads, but their reliability can vary, so proceed with caution.
You can also request a copy of your TikTok data, which may consist of your username, viewing history, comment logs, and privacy configurations. However, TikTok warns that not all data may be available for download, “especially if it impacts others’ privacy,” the company writes on its support page.
To request your TikTok information, navigate to your profile, tap the Menu button at the top to access Settings, and go to Account. Choose “Download your data” to select which data you wish to include in your downloadable file and pick a file format: TXT or JSON. Finally, tap “Request data.”
Once you submit your request, TikTok compiles a data file that you can download from the app. Keep in mind that it might take a few days to prepare the file, but TikTok will notify you once it’s ready for download. Given the potential ban coming this Sunday, we advise you to do this as soon as possible.
When your file is prepared, tap download in the app. It’ll be available for up to four days.
