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TikTok’s For You feed on a Windows PC. App screenshot: TikTok, from its Microsoft Store listing.
TikTok for Windows is the free TikTok app for PC from TikTok, available on the Microsoft Store. You can scroll the For You feed, like and comment, watch LIVE streams, and upload videos from your computer.
It is lighter than most people expect. The Store app is the TikTok website in its own window, so the download is about 1 MB. To stream LIVE from a PC, TikTok makes a separate program called LIVE Studio.
It runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 through Microsoft Edge. You log in with your existing TikTok account, and you can do it by scanning a QR code with your phone.
This guide covers how to install it, how to upload a video from your PC, how to go LIVE with LIVE Studio, and what to do when something will not work. Stuck? Reach out to us directly.
What Is TikTok for Windows?
The Microsoft Store version of TikTok is a web app: the tiktok.com site packaged to run in its own window through Microsoft Edge. It gets a Start menu icon and a taskbar spot like any other app.
Because it is the website, it does the same things tiktok.com does in a browser: watching, liking, commenting, following, watching LIVE, and uploading videos you have already made.
Recording with the camera, effects and trimming clips still happen in the TikTok phone app. TikTok’s own download page only offers the iPhone and Android apps; there is no separate Windows installer for the regular app.
What You Can Do in TikTok on PC
These screenshots come from TikTok’s own Microsoft Store listing. TikTok’s layout has changed a little since they were taken, but the parts are the same.
Scroll For You and Following
The feed plays one video at a time in the middle of the window, with like, comment and share buttons beside it. Scroll down to move on to the next video.
Read comments without covering the video
Open a video and the comments sit in a panel next to it, instead of sliding over it the way they do on a phone. You also get a Copy link box for sharing the video anywhere.
Watch LIVE streams on a big screen
The LIVE tab plays streams from people you follow and suggested hosts, with other live streams lined up beside the player.
Which TikTok Should You Use on PC?
There are three ways to use TikTok on a computer, and they do different jobs. Most people only need the Store app or the website; LIVE Studio is for creators who stream.
Our take
The Store app is handy for one reason: it keeps TikTok out of your browser tabs and puts it one click away on the taskbar. It is not a more powerful TikTok than the website. If you make videos, edit them on your PC and upload the finished file here; if you stream, LIVE Studio is the tool TikTok built for it. For recording and effects, your phone is still the place.
How to Install TikTok on Windows
The install takes seconds, because there is almost nothing to download. Make sure Microsoft Edge is up to date first, since the app runs through it.
1 Open the TikTok page on the Microsoft Store. Check that the publisher reads TikTok Pte. Ltd.
2 Click Download or Get, then open TikTok from the Start menu.
3 Click Log in. You can use your phone number, email or username, or choose the QR code option.
4 To use the QR code, scan it with your phone’s camera and confirm the login in the TikTok app.
Skip third-party “TikTok for PC” downloads. TikTok’s own download page only offers phone apps, so any site offering a Windows TikTok installer is not TikTok. Use the Microsoft Store or tiktok.com.
How to Upload a Video From Your PC
Uploading from a computer is handy when you edit on your PC. TikTok uploads the whole file, so trim it before you upload or finish the edit in the phone app. These are TikTok’s own steps for a web browser, which the Store app uses too.
1 Click Upload at the top of TikTok.
2 Click Select video to upload, or Select file.
3 Choose your video, add a caption and check who can view it, then post.
Check the privacy setting every time. TikTok gives each new post the same privacy setting as your last one, so a video can go up as Only you without you noticing.
Need an editor first? CapCut for Windows is a free video editor from ByteDance, the company behind TikTok.
How to Go LIVE From Your PC With LIVE Studio
TikTok LIVE Studio is TikTok’s own desktop program for streaming, similar to OBS but logged in to your TikTok account. Your account needs LIVE access first, and TikTok shows the requirements you still have to meet on the download page.
1 Open the LIVE Studio page at tiktok.com/studio/download, or log in on tiktok.com and pick LIVE Studio from your profile menu.
2 Check your access. If you do not have LIVE access yet, click Get access to see which requirements you still need.
3 Click Download for Windows, install it, and log in with your TikTok account.
Common Problems and Fixes
The Store app will not open
It runs through Microsoft Edge and needs the latest version. Update Edge from its Settings, under About Microsoft Edge, then open TikTok again.
Your video uploaded at full length
That is expected on a computer: TikTok uploads the whole file. Trim it in a video editor first, or upload it from the phone app, where you can cut it.
Your new video is private
New posts copy the privacy setting of your last post. Open the video’s settings and change who can view it, then check the setting before your next upload.
LIVE Studio says you have no LIVE access
Click Get access on the LIVE Studio page to see which requirements are still gray. TikTok also notes that some accounts cannot apply for security reasons.
Tips for Getting Started
1 Log in with the QR code on shared computers. You never type your password, and nothing is left behind for the next person to find.
2 Set up a passkey. TikTok supports passkeys, so you can log in with your face, fingerprint or PIN instead of a password.
3 Pin TikTok to the taskbar. Right-click its icon while it is open and choose Pin to taskbar.
4 Keep a copy of every video you post. Save your edit on your PC before uploading, so you always have the original if you need it again.
5 If TikTok logs you out on its own, change your password. TikTok says this can happen when someone tries to remove your active device, which can mean your account was accessed by someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the system requirements for TikTok on Windows?
Is there a real TikTok desktop app for Windows?
Can I download TikTok videos to my PC?
Can I record TikToks with effects on my PC?
How do I uninstall TikTok from Windows?
Support and Community
- TikTok, the developer’s own site.
- TikTok Help Center: Making a post, with TikTok’s steps for uploading from a web browser.
- TikTok LIVE Studio, the download page, access check and FAQ for streaming from a PC.
More Windows software guides: CapCut for Windows · Instagram for Windows · Snapchat for Windows · Discord for Windows · DaVinci Resolve
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