Can’t Save a TikTok Video? Downloads, Missing Favorites, Collections and Live Photos

Does this match what you see?

• There’s no Save video option on a TikTok.
• TikTok says the download failed, or the video isn’t in your gallery.
• A video you saved is no longer in your Favorites.
• Your Favorites or collections look different on another phone.
• You can’t create a collection or save a post.

iPhone & iPadAndroid

Based on TikTok’s “How to save TikTok videos to your device”, “Collections on TikTok”, “Favoriting content on TikTok” and “Save a post as wallpaper or Live Photo” pages (supplied by the site owner). Favorite sounds missing? See TikTok sound not working.

Why this happens: the possible causes

The reasons TikTok gives for not being able to save a video, or a saved post not showing in Favorites.

• The creator turned off downloadsCheck this first

  TikTok says you can only save other people’s videos if the creator allows it; if the option isn’t there, the creator has disabled downloading. Private videos can’t be downloaded.

• The post is goneCheck this first

  TikTok says the creator may have deleted it or made it private, it may have been removed for breaking the Community Guidelines, or the creator’s account was deleted or disabled.

• It’s in a collection or another tabCheck this first

  TikTok says to check your collections; saved sounds, hashtags, effects and products have their own tabs.

• You liked it but didn’t save itPossible

  TikTok says likes, watch history and shares don’t automatically save posts to Favorites.

• Not synced yetPossible

  TikTok says Favorites and collections can take up to 15 minutes to sync across devices.

How to fix it, step by step

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.

Save your own drafts and posts

• Your posted videos: TikTok says anything you posted publicly or as unlisted can be saved with Save video.
• Before posting: on the edit screen, tap Share and choose a save option.
• Drafts (no need to post first): Profile > Drafts > the draft > More, then Save to device (or Share > Save post with watermark).

Our note: TikTok’s help pages disagree on draft watermarks. One says drafts save without a watermark by default (you can turn it on in draft settings); another says they save with a watermark, and you must post first to save without one. Check what your app shows. Our tip: saving important drafts to your gallery is a good backup before clearing storage or switching phones.

Favorite button missing or not working

Tap the Favorite button (below the comment button) on a post; on a tablet, tap Share > Favorite. TikTok says your Favorites are private: only you can see them.

• Button not visible: update TikTok from the App Store or Google Play.
• Saved but not in Favorites: force close and restart TikTok, then check again.
• Button doesn’t respond: clear TikTok’s cache, restart your phone and try again.
• Saved movies and TV shows: tap the movie or TV link above a creator’s nickname > Add to Favorites, then find them in Profile > Favorites > Movies and TV (scroll across). TikTok says some links aren’t available depending on your age.

Why a saved video can disappear for good

TikTok says you may not find a post you saved if:

• The creator deleted it or made it private.
• It was removed for violating the Community Guidelines.
• The creator permanently deleted or disabled their account.

Our tip: Favorites doesn’t download the video to your phone, so if the creator removes it, it’s gone from your Favorites too. If a video matters to you, use Save video (when allowed) to keep a copy.

Create a collection

Collections are folders for your Favorites: videos, sounds, hashtags, effects and products. TikTok says you can make as many as you like, with up to 1,000 posts each; when one is full, start a new one.

• From your profile: Profile > Favorites (or Saved) > Collections > + Create new collection, name it and tap Next, then add saved content.
• While saving: tap the Favorite (Saved) button on a post > View > at the bottom > + Create new collection > name it > Next. The post is added automatically.

Rename, delete or share a collection

• Rename: open the collection > Manage > Change name > Save.
• Delete: open the collection > Manage > Delete collection. TikTok says this only removes the folder; the posts stay in your Favorites.
• Share: open the collection > the Share button at the top. TikTok says other people can’t see private content in it.

Watch TikTok offline (offline videos)

TikTok’s offline videos feature downloads a feed of recommended videos, based on your For You feed and watch history, so you can keep watching with no or poor internet. TikTok suggests downloading over Wi-Fi first, since it uses phone storage.

• Download: Settings and privacy > Offline videos, choose how many videos, then Download. You can switch Download over Wi-Fi only on or off, Pause, or tap Close to start watching.
• Watch: go back to Settings and privacy > Offline videos. TikTok may also suggest offline mode when you open the app with no or unstable connection.
• Remove them: Offline videos > Settings at the top > Clear > Clear. TikTok says this also turns the feature off.
• Reconnect to the internet now and then so TikTok can refresh your offline videos.

Save a TikTok as a wallpaper or Live Photo

TikTok says you can turn any public post into a moving photo, without sound.

• Android (wallpaper): on the post, tap Share > Set as Wallpaper (scroll across if needed). If asked, install the TikTok Live Wallpaper app, then tap Set as wallpaper.
• iPhone (Live Photo): tap Share > Live Photo (scroll across if needed). It saves to your photo album, and you can set it as wallpaper in your phone’s settings.
• Option missing or not working? TikTok says only public posts work, Live Photos are Apple-only, the wallpaper option is Android-only, and you should update TikTok. Still stuck? Send feedback with screenshots.

How to know it worked

• Your saved post shows in Favorites or a collection, or you know it was deleted or made private.

Still not working? Your next steps

1. Send TikTok feedback with when you saved it, post details and screenshots (how).

Frequently asked questions