Published on May 1, 2025 5 min read

How to Make a TikTok Video with Over 60 Seconds of Music

Creating content on TikTok often comes down to timing. The platform was built around short, snappy videos that catch attention quickly. But sometimes, your idea doesn’t quite fit into that classic 15 to 60-second frame. Maybe you're trying to post a full choreography, cover more ground in your storytelling, or simply use a longer section of a song that deserves more than just a snippet. And here’s the thing — while TikTok’s default options seem to limit music use to shorter clips, there are a few ways around that. Yes, it’s doable. Let’s walk through how.

Method One: Edit Outside TikTok, Then Upload

This is probably the most common way creators bypass the time limit.

Use a Separate Editing App

Apps like CapCut, InShot, VN, or Adobe Premiere Rush allow you to import full songs, trim them how you like, and match them to your video. You can set the video length to anything up to 10 minutes (the current maximum TikTok allows) and choose which part of the track plays when.

Add the Full-Length Audio Yourself

You’ll need to have the song saved on your device — ideally as an MP3 or WAV file. Make sure it’s properly synced with your video before you export it.

Save and Upload to TikTok

Once you've exported the edited video with the full-length audio, open TikTok and upload it just like you would any other video; choose "Upload" instead of "Record" from the home screen. Select your file, hit next, and you're good to go.

One thing to remember — if you use a copyrighted song and it’s not part of TikTok’s licensed tracks, your audio might be muted or flagged. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s a risk, especially with commercial music.

Method Two: Use Voiceover or “Original Sound”

Another way to use more than 60 seconds of music is by recording your original sound. TikTok labels any audio not pulled from its internal music library as "original." This gives you more freedom, and here's how you can take advantage of that.

Play the Music in the Background

Open your camera app or screen recording tool and play the full-length song on another device while filming. It’s not the most high-tech option, but it works. The sound picked up during recording becomes your video’s audio, and TikTok will recognize it as an original sound.

Record the Music Directly into the Video Editor

If you have editing software, you can layer in your music directly and export the video with your chosen audio. Again, TikTok will see this as an original sound.

Upload and Tag Your Sound

When you post the video, your full-length audio will be available under "original sound." Other users can even use it in their videos if they want to. This is one-way songs go viral before TikTok officially licenses them.

If your video’s music is clean and matches TikTok’s guidelines, it usually stays up without issue — but as always, there’s a gray area. You’re technically using copyrighted material, so there’s a chance it might get removed, especially if the track gets flagged later on.

Method Three: Stitch the Song Creatively

If you’re set on using TikTok’s music library but want to go past the 60-second cap, you can work around the limit by breaking your video into parts.

Create a Multi-Part Series

Split your video into shorter segments and post them in a sequence. Part 1 gets the first 60 seconds of the song; Part 2 continues it, and so on. People already do this with storytelling, tutorials, and longer dances. You just have to give them a reason to keep watching.

Use Editing to Carry the Flow

Keep the cuts smooth between each part. If it’s a dance, make sure the movement in Part 2 picks up exactly where Part 1 left off. If it’s storytelling or comedy, make the transition obvious so it doesn’t feel like a random switch.

This isn’t exactly stretching one video to use more music, but it’s a clean workaround that keeps everything within TikTok’s rules.

Method Four: Looping Audio Seamlessly in Your TikTok Videos

Sometimes, your ideal video might not need additional music segments, but instead, a looped version of the same audio can work perfectly. TikTok itself doesn't provide built-in options to loop audio seamlessly beyond 60 seconds, but there's a simple workaround:

Choose a Section That Loops Naturally

Start by selecting a piece of music that smoothly transitions from its ending back to its beginning. Usually, instrumental beats, repetitive rhythms, or specific sections of a song can loop without noticeable interruptions.

Use an External Video Editor

Take the selected music segment into a video editing app such as CapCut, VN, InShot, or Adobe Premiere Rush. Duplicate your chosen music clip multiple times to achieve your desired length. Slightly overlap each repetition to ensure smooth transitions without gaps or obvious cuts.

Match Your Video Content to the Looped Audio

Sync the visual elements of your video to match the repeating rhythm or beats of the audio loop. This synchronization helps mask any subtle audio transitions, providing viewers with a cohesive experience.

Export and Upload Your Video to TikTok

Once you're satisfied with the looped audio and matching visuals, export the completed video. Then open TikTok, select "Upload," and post your video normally. TikTok will treat this custom loop as "original audio," meaning others can reuse it, too.

This method allows you to extend music beyond TikTok’s standard limits effectively, creating professional-quality, engaging videos.

Final Thoughts

So yes — using more than 60 seconds of music in a TikTok video is very much possible. You just can’t do it the usual way inside the app. Whether you’re editing externally, using original sound, or stitching together multiple posts, the key is knowing which method fits your goal best.

Start with the content idea. Then ask yourself: does it need one long video, or could it be broken into parts? Are you okay with using original audio, or do you want to stick to TikTok’s built-in sounds? Once that’s clear, you can pick the route that gets the job done without running into snags.