Unlocking Voice Functionality in TikTok Videos

How to Use Text to Speech on TikTok - A Complete Guide

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ever since its arrival, TikTok has been a dominant force in the world of social media. A mix of lip sync videos, music, and micro-video content, TikTok is extremely popular with Gen Z. Over the years, TikTok has continued to enhance the user experience by adding new features, effects, and guidelines.

Text-to-speech is one of the newest features to be added to the popular platform and it provides an additional way to add something innovative to the video uploads. Announced in December 2020, text to speech on TikTok lets creators put their text over their videos and have a Siri-like voice read it out loud.

TikTok’s text-to-speech feature was added to make the platform accessible to more people by providing an easy way for text to be heard as well as read. Consequently, using this option in video creation is one way that content creators can ensure their videos appeal to a larger number of viewers, while also offering a more comprehensive experience in general.

Since its launch, the feature has been going viral. Many find the automated voice to be a selling point in itself and something that adds a different element to the content. Also, it is a great way to get a message across without actually speaking during the video. No matter the reason it is used, the fact that many are turning to text-to-speech makes it a great addition to TikTok.

Wondering how to get the text to speech on TikTok for your next video? Here’s a detailed insight into this new feature.

• Part 1: What is the Text-To-Speech Feature On TikTok?
• Part 2: What Happened to TikTok Text-To-Speech?
• Part 3: How to Use Text-To-Speech On TikTok?
• Part 4: How to Customize the Text-To-Speech Voice On TikTok?

Part 1: What is the Text-To-Speech Feature On TikTok?

In December 2020, TikTok began rolling out a new text-to-speech feature that automatically turns text into a voiceover as users watch videos that have the feature enabled. The popular social media platform included the new option as an accessibility feature for users with impaired vision, a growing trend for apps integrating voice technology.

Simply put, text to speech on TikTok allows video content creators to convert any piece of text they put on top of their video into a Siri-sounding voice. This means that whatever you type will be read out loud in a robotic tone, eliminating the need for you to narrate. It is a useful way to explain your videos to add context, describe what’s happening, or serve the purpose you see fit.

Source: dexerto.com

There are numerous reasons why you might decide to use this option. Firstly, it’s a great alternative for users who can’t or don’t want to use their own voice in videos. Perhaps you’re shy or just wish to keep an air of anonymity. Or, you might have a speech impediment, or communicate non-vocally or non-verbally. Either way, this feature offers a great alternative way to narrate to viewers.

Also, there are several benefits this feature provides to the audience. Some of your viewers may have poor eye-sight, might struggle to read, or are blind. Using text to speech on TikTok will help you make sure that they can still interact with your video.

Making your video more accessible means that you will get better engagement, which is a win-win situation for you. Lastly, many TikTokers use the text-to-speech option for comedic or dramatic effects.

Part 2: What Happened to TikTok Text-To-Speech?

Recently, TikTok changed the voice on its text-to-speech feature to a new, more energetic, and upbeat voice. This is because of a lawsuit filed by professional voice actor Beverley Standing against ByteDance – the parent company of TikTok. Standing had sued ByteDance in mid-May for using her voice in the text-to-speech setting without her permission.

The lawsuit of the voice actor states that she was hired to work in 2018 for the state-backed Chinese Institute Of Acoustics research body to use in translations and that TikTok has used them without paying her and it has caused damage. She said she hadn’t authorized the use of her voice beyond the use for translations.

The lawsuit concerns the English-language voice used in North America. TikTok videos made prior to the change still feature the old tone. Although TikTok is yet to comment on the new voice or Standing’s lawsuit, the timing of the changes is very suggestive.

Part 3: How to Use Text-To-Speech On TikTok?

Are you puzzled about how to get text to speech on TikTok? Check out the step-by-step guide below without any further ado!

Step 1: Update Your TikTok to The Latest Version

First things first, ensure your TikTok is updated to the latest version so that you have the TikTok text-to-speech function. Many people have the natural human tendency to push updates as far as technologically possible. But, if you are perplexed about how to do text to speech on TikTok, ensure you have the latest version of this social media app before anything else.

Click here

Step 2: Start Recording a Video

Take into account what you wish to say beforehand and have a rough idea of how quickly you want it to be read as the text to speech entry can be as long as your video. After you have the video recording you want to add the text over, press the checkmark on the lower right-hand corner of your app’s screen.

Step 3: Enter Your Text

Next, tap the text icon at the bottom of your screen and type the text you’d like to be read aloud. Ensure you keep in mind the length. Once you have entered the text, tap ‘Done’ in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. This will insert a customizable text box over your video.

Step 4: Tap On the Text, Choose Text-To-Speech

When it comes to using text to speech on TikTok, this is another crucial step.Once you enter the text into the TikTok video, tap the Textbox and you will have three options: Text-to-Speech, Set Duration, and Edit. Select Text-to-Speech and the inbuilt text-to-speech AI of TikTok will read your text over the video.

Step 5: Save the Video Locally

It is here that you will venture outside TikTok to change the text-to-speech voice. Once your video is ready in every other way, consider saving it locally on your device and not post it for everyone to see. Ensure the “Save to Device” option is active and you can post it privately.

Step 6: Download A Video Editor with Voice Modifiers

Next, you have to download a video editor – ideally for your smartphone – with voice modifiers. Adding ‘video’ into the search keywords alongside ‘Voice Modifier’ or ‘Voice Changer’ will bring up a list of options. Remember; many voice changers or free editors will either block the option to save edited videos onto the device behind a paywall or leave a watermark.

Step 7: Edit the Video and Resave

Once you have chosen your video editor, launch it and import your saved TikTok video. Here, you can edit the audio just like any other video, and voice modifiers can be applied if the video editing tool you choose has them. Apply different effects you’d like and resave your new and modified TikTok video to your device.

Step 8: Upload as A New Video to TikTok

Open the TikTok app and upload the new, edited TikTok as a singular video directly, without any further edits. You will get a TikTok video with a customized text-to-speech voice for all intents and purposes.

Part 4: How to Customize the Text-To-Speech Voice On TikTok?

Filmora is the powerful and easy-to-use video editing software that lets content creators empower the story and be amazed at results, no matter the skill level. It enables users to create stunning videos effortlessly using a range of editing tools. Filmora offers users a range of video effects like filters, animated elements, graphic overlays, etc.

Some of the key audio editing features of Wondershare Filmora are:

• Add background music
• Audio ducking
• Music beat detection
• Trim audio clips
• Adjust audio
• Split audio
• Fade audio in or out
• Adjust audio volume
• Adjust audio speed

Do you not like the in-built text-to-speech voice? Here’re a few useful tips on how to change the text to speech voice on TikTok:

1. Head to the website Uberduck.ai
2. Type your desired text into the “speech to synthesize” box
3. Select a voice
4. Download it as an MP3 file
5. Upload the MP3 file to any video editing tool you have and let the video align
6. Save and upload this video to TikTok.

Also, other text-to-speech websites like voicegenerator.io and tts.mp3.com are available too.

Conclusion

The text-to-speech on TikTok is one of the longest-running trends on this platform. The possibilities to get innovative with this effect are endless.

When it comes to using this feature on your content, the ultimate thing you will require is a video editor since the inbuilt text to speech isn’t adjustable as per your voice or text. And, if you are on the lookout for the best video editor, Filmora can be the best companion.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

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