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How to Get Story Mode on TikTok

Published March 12, 2025

Just like some other popular social media apps, TikTok has its own Story mode. In essence, Story mode allows creators to record more spontaneously and less-polished videos that disappear after 24 hours. It can be a powerful way to reach your audience and share content you may not feel comfortable sharing as full-fledged video posts.

In this article we will walk you through how to get Story mode on TikTok so that you can start leveraging this powerful feature.

What Is Story Mode on TikTok?

TikTok’s Story mode is a popular feature that allows content creators to record videos up to 15 seconds long, and is used to show off informal peaks into a creator’s life.

There are a few defining features of Story mode on TikTok, which include:

  • Story videos can only be up to 15 seconds in length
  • Stories disappear 24 hours after they were uploaded
  • A Story is only viewable by tapping on a user’s profile picture
  • Very little editing usually accompanies Stories
  • Stories are only visible to a user’s followers or friends
  • A Story can have both images and video content
  • Multiple Stories can be uploaded daily

How to Get Story Mode on TikTok

Now that you know about what makes Stories so popular on TikTok, it’s time to go over how you can get started with creating and sharing them on your TikTok account.

Take the following steps to get Story mode on TikTok:

  1. Open the TikTok app on your phone
  2. Tap on the + icon at the bottom of the screen
  3. Tap on Story from the options provided
  4. Find the video you want to upload, as long as it is 15 seconds or shorter, or upload one image. Alternatively, select the 15 seconds option to begin recording a new Story
  5. Add special effects, trending sounds, and filters of your choice to your Story
  6. Tap on Settings to change the privacy settings on your Story. This allows you to determine who can see your Story, as well as whether you want to enable comments
  7. Tap Your Story to upload your final creation

Note: Once you initially enter Story mode, the capture button will become a blue color. This helps you know that any photo or video you take will be uploaded as a Story.

After you have taken these steps, your new Story will be shared with your followers, but only for 24 hours.

Conclusion

TikTok’s Story mode allows you to share updates with your followers, and do so in a casual and informal way. Whether you choose an existing photo or video, or decide to take one in the moment, Story mode is a powerful way to reach your audience in an ephemeral way. Now that you know how to get Story mode on TikTok, your fans will enjoy seeing behind-the-scenes content, and your engagement rate has the potential to increase as well.

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Written By:
AUTHOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jessica is a consultant, researcher, and the editor-in-chief of the Buzzoid blog, who specializes in social media, marketing, and digital strategy. She is a graduate of Antioch College and earned her MBA at Boston College’s Carroll Graduate School of Management, specializing in STEM Management.

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