Ethan Brooks
How To Share a TikTok Video with Others
Sharing TikTok videos can feel pretty straightforward—until you hit weird bugs or can’t figure out the right tap or menu. Sometimes the share button doesn’t work quite right, or you want to forward a video to a friend outside TikTok, and yeah, the options aren’t super clear. This guide walks through both methods: sharing directly within TikTok and copying links to send externally. Expect to get familiar with the share icon, find the link option, and maybe troubleshoot some common snags like app updates or connectivity issues. By the end, you’ll know how to get your favorite TikTok clips in front of your friends, no fuss.
How to Send a TikTok Video to Someone
Proper way to pick the video first
Start by opening the TikTok app on your phone. Find the video you want to share—can be from your feed, profile, or somewhere else. Tap on it so it’s playing in full-screen mode. It’s just easier to share from here, especially if you’ve got a specific clip in mind, and it avoids accidentally sharing the wrong thing.
If the video is from a profile you follow, just locate it in your feed or their profile, tap it open. Sometimes a video isn’t in your feed, but you can still get to it from the user’s profile by tapping on their username. On some setups, quick access to share options is a little finicky—so if the video just won’t open, try restarting the app or making sure it’s updated.
Using the share icon and options within TikTok
Once the video is up, look for the share icon—it’s usually a little arrow pointing right, located on the right side of the screen (sometimes at the bottom, depending on app version). Tap it, and a menu will pop up with options like ‘Send to’, ‘Share to’, or ‘Copy Link’.
This is where the magic happens: sharing directly with friends or copying the link. Sometimes, the share menu won’t load or shows wrong options. It’s worth checking your internet connection and making sure TikTok itself isn’t having a server hiccup. On some phones, the share menu can be slow or glitchy if your app needs a restart. So, if it stalls, close and reopen the app.
Sharing directly within TikTok or copying the link
- If you choose Send to, you can pick from your TikTok friends list to send in a direct message. This is best for private sharing.
- If the recipient isn’t on TikTok or you want to share outside, tap Copy Link. It puts the video URL on your clipboard, ready to paste into texts, emails, or other social platforms like Messenger, WhatsApp, or Facebook.
- Pro tip: If you don’t see ‘Copy Link’, check your app permissions—sometimes, the app is blocked from accessing your clipboard, especially on Android.
On some devices, copying links from TikTok might be a little weird—like, it works after a reboot or after toggling permissions in device settings. Not sure why it has to be so complicated, but that’s life.
Sharing the video outside TikTok
Once you copy the link, just paste it into your preferred platform—be it a chat app, email, or social media post. If you want to send a video file instead of a link, that’s more involved (you’d need a screen recorder or third-party app), but for most cases, the link is enough. Sometimes, TikTok links don’t preview well on certain platforms, so a quick note explaining what it is helps.
If the app crashes or the link doesn’t generate, update TikTok, check your internet connection, or try clearing app cache in Settings > Apps > TikTok > Storage > Clear Cache. Yep, basically the standard troubleshooting stuff that sometimes helps fix the weird bugs.
Extra tips & troubleshooting common issues
- Make sure TikTok is up to date—older versions sometimes have bugs that prevent sharing properly.
- If copying links doesn’t work, double-check clipboard permissions in your phone’s settings. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > TikTok > Permissions
- Wi-Fi network got flaky? Try switching to mobile data or reconnecting your Wi-Fi. A weak connection can cause share options to glitch out or fail.
- Sometimes, on Android, the share menu gets stuck. If that’s happening, force stop TikTok from the app switcher, then reopen. On iOS, try quitting and relaunching the app. Less frustrating than reinstalling every time.
and ensure clipboard access is allowed.
Wrap-up
Sharing TikTok videos isn’t rocket science, but it can throw some curveballs—like app bugs, permissions, or just confusing menus. Generally, it’s about hitting the share icon, choosing your preferred method, and pasting the link. If things aren’t working, don’t forget to check for updates and restart your device; sometimes, that fixes the weirdest issues.
Summary
- Find and open your TikTok video in full-screen mode.
- Tap the share icon (arrow pointing right).
- Choose to send directly or copy the link.
- Paste the link into your message or post.
- Check for app updates or permissions if sharing fails.
Final thoughts
Hopefully this saves someone a few moments or headaches. TikTok’s sharing process isn’t perfect, but with a little patience, it works most of the time. Just keep your app updated and your internet stable, and sharing videos will become just a tiny bit easier.