One lesson the impressive rise of TikTok underscores is the power of video as a format for connecting and communicating with people. Although TikTok sometimes seems to dominate the news — especially when challenges go viral on the platform — it’s not the only game in town. Often creators want to share their TikTok videos on other platforms like Instagram. But the TikTok watermark is not necessarily welcome. Read on to find out how to keep sharing your TikTok videos while ditching the watermark.
Why We Love TikTok: The Power of Video Content
Videos are also popular on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. What makes TikTok different, though, is how easy it is to create, edit and share videos directly in the app. Within the video creator, you can control the recording speed, apply filters, add sound and experiment with special effects.
Given the popularity of videos with consumers, it makes sense that you want to share your videos across all of your social media channels. Sharing the content instead of creating a new video for each platform also saves you time. TikTok’s user-friendly layout makes it a natural choice for creating videos.
Instagram & the TikTok Watermark
The problem is the pesky watermark from TikTok that appears at the top and bottom of the video. Some creators choose to ignore it and share their videos on all of their accounts as is. Until recently, that hasn’t been an issue. On February 9, 2021, Instagram announced that it will no longer promote videos with visible logos or watermarks.
According to Instagram, this move is part of a campaign to make Instagram Reels a more satisfying experience for users by recommending high quality videos. There’s also speculation that this move stems from a decision to stop promoting the competition on the platform.
How Instagram’s Decision Affects Content Creators
Casual users who just want to share their TikTok videos on Instagram may not need to do anything different. Users can still share their videos with TikTok watermarks with their followers. For TikTok and Instagram creators who want their content reaching a greater audience, this decision means they have to change things up a bit.
Consequences of Downloading TikToks Without Watermarks
Getting rid of the TikTok watermark is a time consuming process. You have some work to do if you want your TikTok videos promoted in Instagram Reels. You can find several apps that promise to download TikTok videos without the watermark, but the reviews of these apps are mixed.
Fortunately, you have other options available to remove the watermark.
Crop the Video
You can crop the TikTok watermark out of the video with an online crop tool. For most people, this is the easiest option, but the process can distort the video. Adobe, iMovie, VSDC Free Video Editor and Kapwing have video crop tools to remove TikTok watermarks.
You need to choose the TikTok video you want to edit and upload it into the editing program. Use the crop outline box to select the section of the video you want to keep. You may need to crop the top and bottom of the video since the TikTok watermark appears on both sections of the screen. Save and download the watermark-free video.
Cover the Watermark
If cropping out the watermark distorts your video so much that it’s blurry or unwatchable, you can try covering the watermark. As an added bonus, this option lets you add a customized message to your video. You can do this in the same video editor you would use to crop it as long as it lets you add a text box to the video.
To do this, locate the text box creation tool. Type the text you want to use. This may be your username, a hashtag or funny comment. Then add a background color to the box. When you position the text box over the existing TikTok watermark, the background color will cover it.
Blur the Watermark
If you feel comfortable using video editing tools, you can try the more advanced technique of blurring the watermark. The advantage of blurring the watermark is that you don’t end up with a distorted video and can cover the watermark in a less noticeable way.
Create Layers
You’ll need to create and manipulate layers of the video to make this work. If you use Kapwing to edit the video, you’ll create three layers of the video.
Crop the Layers
On two of the layers, crop only the TikTok watermark. Position these overlays so they cover the original watermarks.
Blur the Watermark
Use the tools to adjust the overlay layers. You can blur them just enough to mask the original watermarks.
Replace the Watermark
The final option for removing a TikTok watermark is to replace the watermarked sections of your video with pieces that don’t have the watermark. This option takes advantage of the fact that the TikTok watermark does not stay in the same place throughout the video. You essentially loop the non-watermarked sections.
Since you’re looping a section of the video, this method may not work if your video has a lot of movement and scene changes. You need a relatively stable scene so viewers don’t immediately notice they’re watching the same frame for several seconds. For the same reason, you may not want to try this technique if you’re new to video editing.
Duplicate and Crop Video Layers
To use this technique, start by uploading your video into the editing tool. Create three layers of the video. On two of the layers, use the cropping feature to select the watermarked sections of the video.
Adjust the Start and End Times
Edit the start and end times to trim the video. This leaves behind only the part of the video without a watermark.
Loop the Layers
The final step is to loop the video so that the shorter segments without the watermark play through the entire video. Before publishing, verify that you’ve muted the overlay videos. Otherwise, your followers will hear the sounds from all of the layers and let everyone know you’ve edited the video.
Tips for Choosing a Video Editor
TikTok makes it easy to create and edit videos directly in the platform, but sometimes you want more control over the editing process. You can find plenty of video editing tools, including free and premium versions. Deciding which one is best for you depends on a few factors, such as your skill level, your equipment, and your budget.
Skill Level
You may be tempted to purchase the most advanced program with all the bells and whistles, but it can take time to learn how to use them. If you’re new to video editing, consider a program that’s easy to use and has a user-friendly interface. This lets you learn the basics of the editing process before moving on to advanced techniques.
Equipment
Think about how you work and the equipment you plan to use for editing your videos. Some tools are software programs you download to your computer. Others work on a tablet or smartphone. You can even find editing programs that let you switch between a computer and mobile device as you edit.
Budget
You don’t have to spend a small fortune to find a quality video editor, but you should find one that fits your budget. Decide whether you want to purchase a program one time or pay for a subscription service. Before buying a program, check out some free editing programs or try out the free versions of software before you decide to buy it.
TikTok has given us a fun and easy to use platform for creating and sharing video content, making it a great tool for video content marketing. Don’t let the TikTok watermark stop you from sharing your videos on other platforms. You have several options for removing the TikTok watermark on your original videos.
