Have you ever tried to make a TikTok video only to find that there’s no sound coming from the app? This frustrating technical issue seems to plague TikTok users rather often. But don’t worry, in most cases it’s an easy fix.
In this post, we’ll walk you through all the common reasons why TikTok has no sound, as well as provide detailed troubleshooting steps you can follow to get the sound back working again.
Why TikTok Has No Sound
Before we jump into the solutions, let’s first understand why TikTok sound might stop working in the first place. There are a few key reasons this can happen:
Device Silent/Focus Mode is On
One of the most common reasons TikTok has no audio is if your iPhone or Android device is set to silent or focus mode. This toggles off all sounds from apps for uninterrupted focus.
To check if this is enabled, open your device’s Settings app and look for a “Sound & Haptics” or similar section. See if Silent Mode or Focus Mode is switched on. If so, simply toggle it off to re-enable sounds.
Microphone Permission Denied
Another reason TikTok may have no sound is if you’ve accidentally denied it access to your microphone. For TikTok to record audio, it needs permission to access your mic.
To verify this, open your phone’s Settings, go to the Apps or Applications Manager, select TikTok, choose Permissions and see if Microphone is toggled on or off. Toggle it on to grant mic access.
Weak Internet Connection
Since TikTok relies on downloading and uploading data, a poor internet connection can disrupt sounds from properly loading. Check if your WiFi or mobile data signal strength is weak. Move closer to your router or switch to mobile data to test if this fixes it.
Device Needs Restart
Like most apps and gadgets, occasionally restarting your iPhone or Android device can clear out minor glitches that are preventing sound from working properly in TikTok.
Give your phone a quick reboot and then reopen TikTok to see if sounds are restored. This refresh often fixes app issues.
Outdated App Version
TikTok rolls out new versions of its app rather frequently. If your installed version is very outdated, it may have a bug that is causing sound problems.
Visit your device’s app store, search for TikTok, and see if you can update to the latest version. The release notes sometimes mention fixing sound issues.
Adjust In-App Volume Controls
Before trying more advanced troubleshooting, double check that TikTok’s in-app volume controls are properly adjusted. Open the app, tap the Profile icon, go to Settings > Sounds and make sure volume sliders are turned up for Device Volume and In-App Volume.
Other Apps Have Sound
To test if the no sound issue is isolated to just the TikTok app, open a few other apps on your phone that use audio like YouTube, Spotify, video recorders, etc. If they have sound as normal, then the problem is likely with TikTok specifically.
Microphone Hole Blocked
On smartphones, the tiny microphone hole can sometimes get blocked by debris like dust or pocket lint. This prevents audio from properly being picked up.
Carefully inspect your phone’s microphone hole (usually near the charging port on the bottom or back) and use a toothpick to gently clean out any dirt or debris blocking it.
Front vs Rear Camera
Some users have reported the microphone works when recording video with the front selfie camera but not the rear camera. Test recording videos with both cameras in TikTok to isolate if the problem is camera-specific. This can help narrow down where exactly the issue lies.
Okay, now that we’ve covered the most common reasons why you might encounter no sound in TikTok, let’s go through actionable troubleshooting steps to fix the problems.
How to Fix TikTok Sound Not Working on Android and iPhones
Follow the steps below to troubleshoot and restore sound when using TikTok:
1. Disable Silent/Focus Mode
As mentioned above, the most likely culprit for TikTok having no sound is that your iPhone or Android device’s silent/focus mode is enabled.
To disable this, open Settings on your phone and check for a “Sound & Haptics” or similar section. Look for the Silent Mode or Focus Mode toggle switch. Set it to the off position to re-enable all audio.
If your phone has a physical silent mode switch, make sure it is switched to the sound on position as well. Toggle it a few times to disable and re-enable silent mode.
Once disabled, open TikTok again to see if sounds are now working properly. This simple toggle is the solution for many users.
2. Verify Microphone Permission
If silencing your phone didn’t fix it, the next step is to check microphone permissions. TikTok obviously needs access to your device’s mic to record sounds.
Go to your smartphone’s Settings menu and find the App Manager or Application Permissions section. This may be called Apps, Manage Apps, Application Settings, etc – the location varies between Android and iOS.
Tap to open the permissions settings for TikTok. Look for Microphone access and make sure it is enabled and toggled on, not off.
Toggle off microphone access and then toggle it on again to re-grant the permission. Microphone access is sometimes accidentally revoked, which causes TikTok to have no audio.
Re-enabling microphone permissions should restore sound in TikTok in many instances.
3. Switch to Stronger Internet
With sound still not working in TikTok? The next troubleshooting area is your internet connection.
Since TikTok relies on a steady data flow to upload and download audio, an unstable internet signal can disrupt sounds from working properly.
You can test the strength of your internet connection by using internet speed test tools such as the Google Fiber Internet speed test site.
If you’re connected to a WiFi network, move closer to the wireless router if possible to get a stronger signal strength. Disconnect and reconnect to the WiFi network on your phone to refresh the connection.
Or, switch your phone over to mobile data if you were on WiFi. Toggle between the two to test if one provides better connectivity for TikTok audio to work.
A weak internet connection is a common factor behind no sounds, so rule this out as the culprit.
4. Restart Your Phone
If you’ve verified that silent mode is disabled, microphone access is granted, and internet connection is strong – try restarting your iPhone or Android phone.
A simple device restart can clear out minor technical snags that may be interfering with proper sound functionality in TikTok.
Fully power down your smartphone and leave it off for 30 seconds. Then restart it and open TikTok once booted up. The app will reload fresh, which often resolves odd glitches.
This convenient reboot is worth trying to see if it inexplicably gets the sound working again in your TikTok app. Easy app issues are frequently fixed with a restart.
5. Update TikTok App
TikTok developers continuously update the app with bug fixes and performance improvements. Your installed version of TikTok could be outdated and have technical audio issues already patched in newer releases.
Here’s how to update the TikTok app.
On iPhone:
- Open the App Store.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Scroll down to see a list of apps with available updates, including TikTok.
- If TikTok has an update available, tap the Update button next to it.
On Android:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap on the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.
- Select My apps & games.
- In the Updates tab, look for TikTok in the list.
- If TikTok has an update available, tap the Update button next to it.
Many update notes mention resolving problems with sounds not working properly in-app. Upgrading to the newest TikTok version can often resolve microphone glitches.
6. Adjust Volume Controls
Before continuing to more complex troubleshooting, double-check the simple stuff again. Make sure TikTok’s in-app volume controls are properly adjusted.
Open TikTok, tap your profile icon in the bottom right, choose the 3-line menu icon, go to Settings > Sounds. On this screen you’ll see sliders for controlling Device Volume and In-App Volume.
Make sure both sliders are turned up past the midpoint and not muted. Device volume controls your phone’s overall volume. In-app controls TikTok’s internal volume.
Adjusting these louder again sometimes resolves volume-related problems causing no sound. Test recording a video after tweaking the volume.
7. Test Other Apps’ Audio
To better isolate if the no sound problem is specific to just the TikTok app, test a few other apps on your phone that use audio and video.
Open apps like YouTube, Spotify, voice recorders, video recording camera tools, or similar. Try playing audio and recording video to check if sound works fine in other apps.
If audio is working normally everywhere except TikTok, then the issue is isolated to just the TikTok app itself. This means the problem is with TikTok specifically, not your general device sound settings.
But if you notice no sounds in other apps either, then the problem may be wider device sound settings like a muted microphone.
Testing other audio apps helps zone in on where exactly the no sound problem originates.
8. Clean Your Microphone’s Hole
Smartphone microphone holes can easily get clogged with dust, lint from pockets, and other debris. This prevents the mic from properly picking up audio to record sounds.
Carefully inspect your phone’s external microphone hole, which is usually located on the bottom near the charging port, or on the back near the camera lens.
Look closely and shine a flashlight to check if the tiny hole seems blocked with any dirt, fuzz, or debris. You may need magnification to see it clearly.
If you see any gunk blocking the hole, use a toothpick, small pin, or compressed air duster to gently clean it out. Be very careful not to damage the delicate microphone hole.
Removing any dust blockage can instantly fix sounds not recording properly in TikTok or other apps. Microphone hole clogs are a common overlooked cause of no audio issues.
9. Test Front vs Rear Camera
When shooting TikTok videos, you can record using the front selfie camera or the rear main camera. Some users report the microphone works fine when recording with one, but not the other.
To test if the no sound issue only occurs with a specific camera, open TikTok and record videos with both the front and rear cameras.
See if audio works properly with the front facing camera, but not the rear. Or vice versa – sound works on the back cam but not front.
If the problem seems isolated to just one camera, this points to a microphone issue specifically related to that camera hardware.
Knowing if front or rear camera works helps diagnose the mic problem causing TikTok to have no sound picked up in recordings.
11. Check Headphone Connection
If you are trying to get sound when using headphones with TikTok but hearing nothing, first ensure your headphones are properly plugged in and functioning.
Examine the headphone jack connection at both ends – on your phone and the headset plug itself. Make sure it is firmly inserted all the way with no gap. A loose, partial insertion can cause audio to cut out.
Also try plugging your headphones into another device like a laptop or music player. Test if you can hear audio properly from another source. This verifies the headphones themselves work fine.
If your headphones fail to play sound from other devices too, they may have an issue like a broken internal wire. Try swapping to another headset to test if the new pair works with TikTok.
A simple loose headphone jack is often the culprit behind TikTok sound missing when using headsets. Just firmly re-inserting the plug completely fixes it in many cases.
12. Clear the TikTok App Cache
For Android devices, clearing the TikTok app cache can potentially fix sound issues. The app cache stores temporary data that can sometimes become corrupted and cause glitches.
- Open the TikTok app.
- Go to your profile page. Tap the “Me” icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner. This opens the menu.
- Select “Settings and privacy.”
- Scroll down to the “Cache & cellular data” section. It’s usually near the bottom.
- Tap “Clear cache.” You’ll see the size of your current cache displayed next to it.
- A confirmation pop-up will appear. Tap “OK” to confirm.
Resetting all temporary app data forces TikTok to start fresh. Doing so will often resolve audio bugs that may be stemming from damaged files in the app cache.
13. Check Copyright on Sounds
Certain audio clips and songs in TikTok’s built-in sound library may be restricted for copyright reasons. If a particular sound isn’t working, it could be due to licensing limitations in your region. In such instances, you may receive an error message that the TikTok sound isn’t available.
Try searching for and testing other sounds besides the one giving you issues. Switch around to different audio clips and see if another works properly without problems loading.
If a certain sound fails to play but others work fine, that points to a copyright restriction being the likely cause. The problematic audio is blocked while unrestricted sounds will play normally.
Checking for copyright constraints can explain why a specific TikTok sound isn’t functioning – while the rest of the app’s audio works fine.
14. Record Original Audio
If no sounds from TikTok’s library play at all, try recording your own original audio directly within the app instead.
Tap the record button in TikTok to record a short audio clip. Then use the recording as your video’s sound instead of relying on TikTok’s built-in audio.
Test if your own recorded audio plays back properly in your videos, even though TikTok’s included sounds do not work. This further isolates the issue being with TikTok’s libraries.
Uploading your own custom sound that you know wasn’t downloaded from TikTok circumvents any problems with the TikTok sound board itself. Record audio directly for a workaround.
15. Reinstall TikTok App
As a last resort, completely uninstall TikTok, reboot your device, then reinstall TikTok from scratch. This provides a totally clean slate which can fix bugs.
But before taking this drastic step, make absolutely sure your TikTok data and account information is backed up safely to external storage or the cloud.
Deleting TikTok erases all internal data. You want to be able to restore your preferences and settings after reinstalling a fresh copy of the app.
A full reinstallation should eliminate any glitches not resolvable by other standard troubleshooting steps. Often a clean install is the ultimate solution when all else fails.
10. Contact TikTok Support
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps but TikTok still has no sound, it’s time to contact TikTok support for further help.
- Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Proceed to tap on “Settings and privacy.”
- Tap Report a problem under “SUPPORT.”
- Select the relevant topic that matches your issue.
Explain the no sound situation in detail, including what troubleshooting steps you’ve tried. Provide screenshots showing the problem if helpful.
TikTok’s own technicians can then investigate and provide specialized support tailored to your unique situation. They may have inside knowledge on newly arising sound bugs.
Filing a support ticket should get your sound issue resolved promptly by the TikTok team if all else fails. Make sure to provide plenty of detail so they can help troubleshoot.
Not being able to record sounds properly in TikTok videos can definitely be frustrating. But in most cases, it thankfully ends up being an easy fix.
The steps covered in this guide should help restore normal audio function for any common TikTok sound issues you may encounter.
Another related issue you may encounter is problems with TikTok sound sync being off. If the audio fails to properly match up with the video timing, check out this guide on how to fix TikTok sound sync not working. The troubleshooting steps provided can help realign sounds that are out of sync and restore proper audio timing.
