The two ways to add lyrics to your TikTok

TikTok has a built-in lyrics feature that displays song words on your video automatically, and you can also add text overlays with lyrics you type yourself. The built-in feature works only with songs in TikTok's music library — it reads the song's official lyrics and syncs them to the beat. If you want lyrics from a song not in that library, or if you want to add your own words, you type them as text on top of your video instead.

Both methods take less than a minute once you understand where to find them. The built-in lyrics feature is faster if the song you chose has it available. The text method gives you more control over what words appear, where they sit on the screen, and how long they stay visible.

Key Takeaways

  • TikTok's built-in lyrics feature automatically displays official song words synced to the music, but only works with songs in TikTok's music library.
  • To use built-in lyrics, tap the music name at the bottom of the editing screen, then look for the lyrics button — it appears only if that song has lyrics available.
  • For songs without built-in lyrics or for custom text, use the text tool in the editing menu to type words directly onto your video frame.
  • Text overlays let you control timing, position, and styling, so you can highlight specific lyrics or add your own words to any video.

Using TikTok's built-in lyrics feature

After you record or upload a video and the editing screen opens, look at the bottom of the screen where the song name appears. Tap on the song name or the music icon next to it. A menu will pop up with several options — one of them says "Lyrics" if that song has them available in TikTok's system.

Tap "Lyrics" and the words will appear on your video, timed to the music. TikTok automatically highlights each word as it plays, so viewers see the lyrics moving along with the song. You can scroll through the lyrics in this menu to see which lines will show up, and you can choose to display them or turn them off before you post.

Not every song has lyrics available. Older songs, very new releases, and songs from smaller artists often do not have them in TikTok's database. If you do not see a "Lyrics" button when you tap the song name, that song does not have built-in lyrics — you will need to use the text method instead.

Adding lyrics as text overlays

Open the editing screen after recording or uploading your video. Look for the "Text" button in the toolbar at the bottom — it usually shows as "Aa" or "Text". Tap it and a text box will appear on your video. Type the lyrics or words you want to display.

Once you type the text, you can move it around the screen by dragging it, resize it by pinching, and change the color and font by tapping the text formatting options. You can also set how long the text stays on screen — tap the text box and look for timing controls that let you choose which seconds of the video show those words.

Add as many text overlays as you want. Many creators add one or two key lines of lyrics at the beginning, then add more text later in the video to highlight different parts of the song. This method works with any song, whether it is in TikTok's music library or not.

Positioning and timing your lyrics

Text placement matters because lyrics at the bottom of the screen can get cut off on some phones, and text in the center can block the action in your video. Most creators put lyrics in the top third or bottom third of the screen, leaving the middle clear for their face or the main subject of the video.

Timing is equally important. If you add lyrics that say "watch me jump" but the text disappears two seconds before you actually jump, viewers will be confused. Tap the text box and look for the duration slider — it shows a timeline of your video with a colored bar indicating when that text appears. Drag the bar to match the moment in the song when those words should show up.

You can also layer text on top of text. If you want one line of lyrics to fade out while another fades in, add them as separate text boxes with overlapping but slightly different timing. This creates a smoother effect than having all the words disappear at once.

Styling lyrics to match your video

After you type your lyrics, tap the text box to open formatting options. You can change the font — TikTok offers several styles, from straightforward and clean to bold and decorative. You can also change the text color and add a background color or outline to make the words stand out against your video.

A white text with a black outline is the easiest to read on most videos because it shows up against both light and dark backgrounds. If your video has a bright background, dark text works better. If you are using a trendy font, make sure it is still readable — decorative fonts look good but can be hard to read if they are too small or too thin.

You can also add effects to text, like making it bounce, spin, or fade in and out. These effects are optional and can distract from the lyrics themselves, so use them sparingly if you use them at all.

Syncing lyrics to the beat

The built-in lyrics feature syncs automatically to the music, but when you add text manually, you have to time it yourself. The easiest way is to watch your video while editing and tap the text to add or adjust timing as you listen. Most creators add text for the chorus or the most recognizable part of the song, since those are the moments viewers expect to see words.

If you want lyrics to appear exactly on the beat, play the video and pause it at the moment you want the text to start. Then add the text and set its duration to match how long that lyric line lasts. You can adjust the timing in small increments by dragging the duration bar left or right.

Some songs have a clear rhythm that makes timing easier — pop songs with a strong beat are simpler to sync than songs with irregular timing. If you are using a song with a slower or more complex rhythm, you may need to adjust the timing a few times before it feels right.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is adding too much text. If your entire video is covered in lyrics, viewers cannot see what you are doing. Use lyrics to highlight key moments, not to transcribe the whole song. A few well-placed lines are more effective than walls of text.

Another mistake is forgetting to check how the lyrics look on a phone screen. Text that looks fine on a computer monitor can be too small or cut off on a mobile device. Always preview your video on your phone before posting to make sure the text is readable and positioned correctly.

Timing mismatches are also common — text appearing a beat too early or too late breaks the effect. If you notice the timing is off after you post, you can edit the video and repost it. TikTok saves your drafts, so you can go back and adjust the timing without starting over.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use lyrics from any song?

You can add any lyrics as text overlays on your video. For built-in synced lyrics, the song must be in TikTok's music library and have lyrics available. If a song does not have built-in lyrics, you can still type the words yourself using the text tool.

Do I need to credit the artist when I add lyrics?

TikTok automatically credits the artist and song when you use music from its library. If you add lyrics as text, the credit still appears because the music itself is credited. You do not need to add a separate credit line for the lyrics.

Can I edit the lyrics that TikTok shows automatically?

No, the built-in lyrics feature displays the official lyrics from TikTok's database and you cannot change them. If you want different words or a modified version, use the text tool to add your own text overlay instead of using the automatic lyrics feature.

What if the lyrics are wrong or out of sync?

If built-in lyrics are incorrect or poorly synced, you can turn them off and add your own text instead. For text you add yourself, you control the timing, so you can adjust it until it matches the music perfectly.

Can I save a video with lyrics as a draft and edit it later?

Yes, TikTok saves your drafts automatically. You can close the editing screen, come back later, and continue editing the same video. All your text, timing, and formatting will be saved until you post or delete the draft.