How to use text-to-speech in TikTok

TikTok has seen an increase in popularity over the past two years. At first it was just an app with lots of dancing and lip-syncing to music. However, nowadays it is a platform with many different types of content and content creators. One of the reasons for this boom is the app's extensive and regularly updated editing features, such as Text-to-Speech.

Instead of just overlaying text into your carefully crafted video and letting your viewers read and watch, text can now be read aloud by a few automatic voice options. This way, the TikTok video is the focus of your viewer's attention and adds a more organized look to your content.

However, TikTok's editing features like text-to-speech can be tricky to use, especially for beginners. Read on to learn how to use this feature on different devices and find answers to common questions like changing voice type.

How to Use Text-to-Speech in TikTok on Android Device

The features of TikTok are the same whether you use an Android or an iPhone. However, sounds, filters, and even editing features may be different depending on which part of the world you live in. Usually, new features are only available in the United States. But since May 2022, TikTok has included Text-to-Speech functionality with a few different voices for all users around the world.

To use this feature, record your video as usual and follow these steps to add text-to-speech:

1. Tap the red checkmark at the bottom right to edit the video.
   
2. To add text, tap "Text" at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Write the text you want.
   
4. Press and hold the text.
   
5. A pop-up menu will appear where you can choose to add text-to-speech or adjust how long text is displayed on the screen.
6. Select “Text-to-Speech”.
   
7. Record the video.

Moreover, you can change between the four different voices offered by the platform and you can also change the volume of the voices. These options ensure that your background music and Text-to-Speech voice are at the desired volume.

How to Use Text-to-Speech in TikTok on an iPhone

As said earlier, there are no significant differences between using TikTok on an iPhone and an Android phone. So the steps to add Text-to-Speech functionality are the same. Record a video to the platform as you normally would, then follow these steps to add the feature:

1. Press and hold the text on your screen.
   
2. A pop-up menu with three options will appear – “Text-to-Speech”, “Set Duration” and “Edit”.
   
3. Select “Text-to-Speech”.
   
4. Finish editing your video and select "Save".

iPhone users have another option when it comes to this feature. There is a way to add Siri voice to read your text. To do this, the steps are:

1. Open "Settings".
   
2. Go to “Accessibility”.
   
3. Select “Spoken Content”.
   
4. Enable "Speak Selection".
   
5. Open your “Notes” app.
   
6. Type here the text you want to have in your TikTok video.
   
7. Open the recording tool and start recording.
8. Go to "Notes" again and select the text you wrote.
   
9. Tap the "Speak" function and let Siri read the text aloud and stop recording when she's finished.
   
10. Go to TikTok and download the recording.

How to Use Text-to-Speech in TikTok on an iPad

Using TikTok on an iPad is more convenient for some users than using a phone due to the larger screen. Some users will also find editing videos easier on an iPad. However, adding Text-to-Speech functionality is similar to adding it to an iPhone:

1. Tap the “+” button to start recording your TikTok.
   
2. When you're done recording, tap the red check mark in the lower right corner.
   
3. Select the text. »
   
4. Add the text you want.
   
5. Hold your finger over text on the screen to display a pop-up menu of options.
   
6. Choisissez « Text-to-Speech ».
   
7. Once you are done editing your video, select "Save".

You can also add Siri voice to your TikTok the same way you would on an iPhone.

1. Open the "Settings" menu.
   
2. Select “Accessibility”.
   
3. Select “Spoken Content”.
   
4. Enable "Speak Selection".
   
5. Open the "Notes" app on your phone.
   
6. Type the text you want to appear in your TikTok video.
7. Start recording with the recording tool.
8. Tap the words you typed in "Notes."
   
9. Select the "Speak" option to have Siri read the text aloud.
   
10. Stop recording when Siri has finished reading the text.
11. Upload your recording to TikTok.

How to Use SpongeBob Text-to-Speech on TikTok

Whether you're filming a SpongeBob TikTok or just want to make a fun TikTok, you might want your TikTok voiceover to sound like SpongeBob. Although this cannot be done directly in the TikTok app, you can do it using your internet browser.

1. Go to 15.ai on your browser.
2. Scroll through the character options and select SpongeBob SquarePants.
3. In the box below, type the text you want.
4. Click the "Generate" button below the text box.
5. Download the file.
6. Open the file and press "Share".
7. Now you can share it to TikTok or an editing app to edit it before uploading it to TikTok.

Additional FAQ

How to change text-to-speech voice on TikTok?

If you want to choose from the voices TikTok already has for you, first make sure your app is up to date. Once you've made sure your app is up to date, follow these steps:

1. Create a TikTok video.

2. Go to the bottom of the screen and choose "Text", then enter the text you want to convert to speech.

3. Hold down the text box until the words “Text-to-Speech” appear.

4. Select your preferred voice.

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Why is my text-to-speech not working?

If your Text-to-Speech isn't working, it could be because your app isn't updated. In earlier versions of the app, the feature was not available for all countries. Go to Google Play Store on Android or App Store on iOS devices to update your app. Search for “TikTok” and tap “Update” if the option is available in its official store entry.

If the update doesn't fix the problem, you can try reinstalling the app. To do this, hold down the TikTok icon and tap "Delete". Then go to Google Play Store on Android or App Store on iOS devices again to reinstall TikTok.

A third solution is to update your phone. If your phone's operating system is not updated, it may cause compatibility issues with different apps and some features may not work properly.

Hurry up

Adding different voices and adjusting them to your liking lets you tap into your creative potential. Keep in mind that you need to change the duration of the text. Otherwise, it will remain on the screen even after being read aloud.

Did you use Text-to-Speech? Do you prefer videos with text-to-speech or without? Do you think this was an impactful addition to the TikTok edit mode? Share your opinion in the comments section below!