Play tiktok videos in the background

1 min read

You can now continue watching or listening to live streaming footage after closing the TikTok app

**Select audio only and you can pause and play via the iPhone’s media player**

TikTok isn’t solely about watching short video clips. You can also tune into live streams, which are growing in popularity as a way of providing content and growing audiences. Trouble is, you don’t always want to be glued to the TikTok app while these streams are playing. With the new Background Player, however, you don’t have to.

The feature lets you continue watching footage in a floating window while you get on with other things on your iPhone. It also allows you to keep playing the audio on its own which is ideal if you’re travelling or exercising, for example. Update your app is it isn’t there.

Step-by-step

1 Find a livestream

As it stands, only live TikTok videos can play in the background after closing the app. Your first task is to tap the Live icon in the top-left and find streaming footage.

2 Tap to Share

Once you have identified something you would like to continue watching or listening to, tap the Share icon in the bottom right of the screen and select ‘Background Player’.

3 Use picture-in-picture

You have three options. The first is to have the TikTok video playing in a window when you close the app. To do so, simply tap the button next to ‘Picture-in-Picture’.