TikTok how-to
How to do text to speech on TikTok (step by step)
Short answer
Tap + to create a post, record or upload a video, then tap Text, type what you want read out and confirm. Tap the text box and choose Text-to-speech, then pick a voice. TikTok reads that text aloud while it's on screen, so drag the text bar to time each line.
Checked against: TikTok app for iPhone and Android, October 2026.
Method 1: Add text-to-speech
Create a post
In the TikTok app, tap Add post (+) and record or upload a video.
Add text
Tap Text on the side panel, type the words to be read out and confirm.
Turn on text-to-speech
Tap the text you want read aloud and select Text-to-speech. Choose a voice; tap another voice to change it.
Time it
Drag the text bar's arrows so the line plays at the right moment; the voice follows the text.
Method 2: Add a second line or a different voice
One text box per line
Add another text box (or tap a text box and Copy it), type the next line and set Text-to-speech on it. Each box can use its own voice, so two voices can talk to each other.
Text-to-speech, voiceover or captions?
| Tool | What viewers get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Text-to-speech | A synthetic voice reading your on-screen text | Quick narration, lists, accessibility |
| Voiceover (Voice > Record) | Your own recorded voice | Personal, trust-building narration |
| Captions | Spoken words shown as text | Viewers watching with the sound off |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| No Text-to-speech option | It appears only after you tap a text box. Update the app; availability can differ by language and region. |
| Voice reads the wrong text | Text-to-speech applies per text box. Tap the right box and set it there. |
| Voice is cut off | The text box ends too early. Extend its duration. |
| Voice too quiet against music | Lower the sound's volume in Volume settings before posting. |
Questions people ask
How do I change the text-to-speech voice on TikTok?
Tap the text box, choose Text-to-speech again and pick a different voice.
Can I use text-to-speech without showing text?
The voice is tied to a text box. Many creators make the text tiny or move it behind a sticker; check the voice still plays before posting.
Is TikTok text-to-speech for accessibility?
Yes. TikTok lists it under accessibility: it reads on-screen text aloud for people who need help reading it.
Does text-to-speech also add captions?
No. It reads text you typed. For captions of spoken audio, use the Captions button or TikTok's auto-generated captions.
More TikTok guides
Sources and how we checked
- TikTok Help: Accessibility for your videos (text-to-speech, captions) (checked 2026-10-05)
- TikTok Help: Editing TikTok videos and photos (checked 2026-10-05)
Hiding the text while keeping the voice is a creator workaround described by several current guides, not a TikTok feature.
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with TikTok's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.