TikTok Won’t Record Video? – (Found a FIX!) in 2024

Lights, camera, but no action on TikTok? TikTok Won’t Record Video? We all know the rush of creativity that takes over when crafting the perfect TikTok video, so it doesn’t take much to imagine the frustration one must go through when the perfect take is thwarted by recording issues.

TikTok can sometimes be incredible for creativity, but let’s face it – the app still has its fair share of bugs and glitches that can crash the party, like just the ultimate plot twist you never signed up for! Chances are you’ve found yourself tapping the Record button in the TikTok app only to be met with a frozen screen or the app downright crashing.

You’re not alone. In fact, you may be surprised how frequently the problem occurs for countless other TikTok users. So, what to do when TikTok won’t record video? Lucky for you, we’ve got a few solutions to offer.

Let’s dive into troubleshooting these recording hiccups so you can get back to turning those ‘no-record’ moments into ‘record-breaker’ ones!

How to Fix TikTok Won’t Record Video Issue?

Relaunch TikTok

Have you tried closing and reopening the TikTok app? Whether you can’t record a video or scroll between random TikTok clips, whatever technical trouble you might be experiencing, relaunching the app should resolve it most of the time. Trust us – it works like a charm.

Backing out of the app isn’t enough. If you’re using an iPhone, open the App Switcher menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Then select the TikTok app’s preview card and swipe up on it to close it.

Similarly, if you have an Android device, open the Recents menu and swipe up/sideways on the app preview to quit it. On Android, you can also force-stop apps to end any background activities. Long-tap on the TikTok app icon, select the App info ⓘ option, and in the following menu, tap Force stop.

Now relaunch the TikTok app from your home screen or app drawer and see if you can record and create videos again.

Restart Your Device

Ah, the good ol’ suggestion of restarting your device. Since the very early days of modern technology, it’s been the ultimate fixer among common troubleshooting steps. After all, its success rate remains impressive, so why not give it a shot?

Whether you’re using an Android or iPhone, rebooting it is simple. On Android, long-press the Power button (or the Volume Up key alongside it simultaneously), then select Restart.

On iOS, press and hold the side and either volume keys at the same time, after which you swipe the “power off” slider to turn it off. With your device turned off, hold down the side button again until the Apple logo appears.

With your phone rebooted and connected to the internet, open TikTok and check if you can now record as intended.

Clear App Cache

Caches are like memory snapshots apps create on your device as you use them, speeding up loading times and even letting you access content offline.

When you scroll through TikTok and watch videos, the app dumps temporary data in your device’s memory. As you watch more, these caches grow, taking up space. When they fill up to the limit or become corrupted, you may have a hard time using TikTok with frequent crashing, freezing, glitching – and a whole lot more.

Clearing this cache can not only free up storage space but also sometimes fix random app issues, such as being unable to record TikTok videos. Here’s how you do it on Android and iOS:

• In the TikTok app, tap your Profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the navigation bar.
• Next, tap the burger (≡) menu icon in the top-right corner of the screen, followed by Settings and Privacy.
• Scroll down to the “Cache & Cellular” section and tap Free up space.
• Hit the Clear button next to “Cache.”

• • You can do the same for “Downloads,” but it’ll delete any videos you’ve saved for offline viewing. You may also need to re-download some stickers, filters, and effects afterward.

With that, relaunch the TikTok app and try recording a video again.

Give TikTok the Necessary Permissions

Without system-level camera and microphone permissions, you won’t be able to record videos in the TikTok app. Usually, you’ll see a black screen or be prompted to grant the app the necessary permissions to capture video or audio, in which case you must perform the following steps:

iOS

• Go to the Settings app, then scroll down and select TikTok from the list. You should see the permissions available to the app.
• Make sure the slider next to “Camera” and “Microphone” is set to the ON

Android

• Long-press on the TikTok app icon, then tap the App info ⓘ Or navigate to Settings > Apps and find and choose TikTok in your apps list.
• Choose Permissions, then on the “App permissions” screen, select Camera and tap “Allow only while using the app.”
• Similarly, choose Microphone and set the access for the app to “Allow only while using the app.”
  • If you see the Music and audio permission, set it to “Allow” as well.

With the updated permissions, open the TikTok mobile app and attempt to record a video. Hopefully, it’ll work this time.

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Update the TikTok App

While your apps should update automatically in most cases, every now and then, you must manually ensure they are up to date for the best experience. Being stuck on an older version means things might eventually start to crumble, barring you from using essential features like recording videos, among other technical issues.

iOS

• Launch the App Store from your Home Screen. Then tap your Profile icon at the top.
• Scroll down to the “Available Updates” section. If there’s an update pending for the TikTok app, tap Update next to it.
  • Or tap Update All to update all your apps.

Android

• Visit the Play Store and tap your Profile icon in the upper-right corner.
• Choose Manage apps & device. In the following menu, tap See Details under the “Updates available” option.
• Check for TikTok in the list of pending updates. If it’s there, tap the Update button next to it.
  • Alternatively, update all apps by tapping Update all at the top.

Now that you know you have the latest version of the TikTok app with recent bug fixes, you should be able to record videos again.

Is TikTok Already Up to Date? Read This

If you already have the latest app version installed and are experiencing this issue with video recording, something might likely have broken with the new update. Provided you’ve tried all the above steps and nothing works, reinstalling TikTok is your last resort.

Of course, uninstalling TikTok from your device means wiping all its data, including cache files, offline video downloads, stickers, filters, effects, and your drafts.

If you wish to keep your drafts, ensure to save them locally before deleting the app. Go to your Drafts folder, choose the video you want to save, tap Next, and make sure “Save to device” is set to ON.

Once you uninstall the app, proceed to download and reinstall TikTok from your device’s respective app store.

Bottom Line

TikTok offers an engaging platform to show your creative side and expand your online presence. However, at times, the app might present issues, such as preventing you from recording videos.

We’ve outlined a few troubleshooting steps above to help you fix TikTok Won’t Record Video issue, but if nothing helps, it may be time to reach out directly to TikTok. In the app, go to your Profile > Settings and Privacy, select Report a problem, and follow the on-screen prompts to provide the support team with further details about your issue.