How To Search on TikTok for Just About Anything
It's time to venture beyond your FYP. We'll show you how to search on TikTok to find accounts, sounds, effects, and more.
It's time to venture beyond your FYP. We'll show you how to search on TikTok to find accounts, sounds, effects, and more.
If you’ve never even wondered how to search on TikTok, that’s fair: Depending on what the algorithm curates, you may be distracted by funny fails, dance routines, cute dog videos, and wacky mirror effects on your For You page.
But while it’s fun to scroll for a while, it’s pretty easy to get lost or overwhelmed. And what if you want to find that hysterical cat video you saw last week or expand your horizons beyond the algorithm’s selection?
Whether you’re on the platform to market your brand, see the latest videos from your favorite creator, or just impress your niece, you’ll need to know how to search on TikTok.
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We get it. Falling down a TikTok rabbit hole is just too tempting sometimes.
But instead of scrolling mindlessly through the platform’s recommendations, you might want to watch something specific like a cooking demo or the latest glow-up.
Here’s how to search the platform for videos:
People often think (myself included!) that TikTok filters and effects are the same. But there’s actually a big difference between filters and effects.
TikTok filters change the color balance of what you’re filming. Effects add graphics, sounds, stickers, and games to your content.
Here’s how to search for filters on TikTok:
You can always save or heart the video if you see a TikTok that uses an effect you like. But if you forget that, it can be hard to go back and find the effect.
The good news is if you remember anything about a TikTok effect, even a rough term like “bling” or “mirror reflection,” you’ll probably be able to find it using TikTok’s search tool.
You can also use the Search tool to find effects you haven’t seen before or play around with them in preview mode. That’s often how you’ll find the best TikTok effects for the kind of content you like to post.
Here’s how to search for effects on TikTok:
Pro tip: If you see a video with a cool effect, tap the effect’s name to head to its homepage and see other videos that have used the effect.
If you like it, you can save it for later by tapping Add to Favorites.
Bookmarking the effects you like when you see them will save you a ton of time.
88% of TikTokers say that audio is “essential” to their experience on the app. So knowing how to find and use trending sounds on TikTok can help elevate your videos and make them more engaging for your audience.
You can find the name of any sound on TikTok videos by looking at the lower left corner. You can then tap on it to see the top-performing content using that sound and add it to your favorites for later.
To find a particular sound, you can search for it.
Whether you’re looking for a TikTok creator everyone’s talking about or just want to find your friend’s profile, you’ll need to search for people at some point.
Here’s how to search users on TikTok:
If you want to connect with people you already know, there’s an even easier way to find them. Here’s how to search contacts on TikTok:
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Like on other social media platforms, hashtags make content more discoverable. On TikTok, searching popular hashtags can help you find the latest challenge, dance routine or viral trend.
Here’s how to search hashtags on TikTok:
While you can’t interact or publish content on TikTok without an account, you can search the platform.
Let’s say your Gen Z brother won’t stop talking about the trending tortilla challenge, and now, he wants you to star in his latest video. Instead of saying yes right away, here’s how you can search on TikTok without an account to see what you’re letting yourself in for.
Note: The search experience on TikTok is very limited without an account. There’s no option to search for content on the TikTok web page.
A TikTok duet allows you to share your video alongside another creator’s content. Duets use a split-screen effect, so your video plays at the same time as the original video.
Duets are a fun way to interact and collaborate with other TikTok users. Before you post your next duet, search for some inspo on TikTok first.
Want to take a closer look at your growing TikTok fanbase? It’s easy to see who exactly is following you on TikTok.
Just like on Instagram Stories, you can add GIFs to your TikToks. You search for them when you create your TikTok.
As a mobile-first app, TikTok on desktop has limited capabilities. But if you find yourself without your phone and are desperate to see your favorite creator’s next TikTok, here’s how to search for someone on TikTok from your computer.
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