TikTok Accessibility

TikTok is a popular social media app where users share short-form video content. It is a fast-moving, visual platform, so it’s important to make your content accessible. This guide shows you how to make your TikToks more inclusive by sharing tips about alt text and captions to make your content easier for everyone to enjoy. See Social Media Accessibility for more information on general guidelines for social media.

Note: TikTok updates its features often, so these steps may vary slightly over time.

Alt Text

Although TikTok mostly uses short videos, if you choose to upload a still image, adding alternative text, or alt text, to the image makes it accessible for users who are blind or have low vision. Alt text is a concise description of images that screen readers use to convey the information in the image. See Alt Text Guidelines for tips on writing effective descriptions. 

How to add alt text to TikTok:

  1. Upload a photo to TikTok and tap Next.
  2. On the post screen, select More options.
  3. Select Add alternative text.
  4. Write your alt text next to the photo(s).
  5. Tap Done and post!
Three screenshots side by side showing the tiktok image posting process. On the main edit post screen, a red box highlights more options. In the second screenshot, a pop up menu is overlaid the post edit screen with a red box over the Add Alternative Text button. The third screenshot shows a new page that opens with an arrow pointing to the text field and a red box over the done button at the top right corner.

Video Captioning

It’s important to always add captions to videos. Captions not only help people with disabilities, but many other users rely on them too. See Caption Quality Standards for tips on creating effective captions.

How to add captions to TikTok videos:

  1. Record or upload a video.
  2. On the editing screen, tap the Captions button.
  3. Once processed, review the auto-generated captions (they may be inaccurate).
  4. Tap to edit any line.
  5. Tap Save and then post!
Five screenshots side by side of the Tiktok video post editing screens. The first screenshot has a red box around and an arrow pointing to the captions button on the right side menu. The second screenshot shows the video auto captioning screen loading the captions. The third screenshot shows the caption editor with a red box and arrow pointing to the X in the top right corner of the editor showing how to proceed after editing the captions. The fourth screenshot shows the caption timing editor with a red box and arrow in the top right corner of the screen over the next arrow button to save the caption edits. The fifth screen shot shows the video post description screen with a red arrow and box pointing to the Post button at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Additional Resources