How to Add Spotify Music to TikTok: 3 Methods That Actually Work (2025)

Ever scroll through Spotify, find the perfect track for your TikTok—then open TikTok only to discover it’s… nowhere?

Yeah, been there.

Spent way too many hours figuring this out, and here’s the thing: there are actually three ways to make this work. Some are official, one’s a bit creative.

Let me walk you through them.

Quick Comparison: Which Method Is Right for You?

Pick based on your situation. Need it now and it’s in the library? Method 2. Need the actual file? Method 3.

Before we dive into each method, let me explain how Spotify and TikTok integration actually works—because there’s some stuff nobody tells you upfront.

What’s the Deal with Spotify and TikTok?

The Official Sharing Thing (It’s Newer Than You Think)

Late 2024, Spotify and TikTok finally decided to play nice together. Now you can share songs directly from Spotify to TikTok—basically, you tap the share button in Spotify, and boom, TikTok creates a draft with a clickable link to that track.

Pretty cool, right?

Here’s the catch I didn’t know about: that “Add to Spotify” button everyone sees? It doesn’t always show up right away. Sometimes it takes hours. Sometimes weeks. I’ve stared at my own videos wondering why the button wasn’t there, only to check a week later and suddenly it’s there.

Why You Should Actually Care About This

Look, if you’re trying to grow your music or just share what you’re vibing to, this matters. TikTok has 1.5 billion users.

That’s… a lot of ears.

When someone discovers a song through your TikTok and saves it to their Spotify? That’s how you build an audience that sticks around. Not just views—actual connection.

Method 1: The Quick Share (When It Works, It’s Stupid Simple)

First Things First—Update Everything

Before you get frustrated, make sure both apps are actually updated. I wasted a whole afternoon troubleshooting once, only to realize my Spotify was two versions behind. Oops.

iOS people: App Store → your profile icon (top right) → scroll down to see updates.
Android people: Play Store → menu (three lines) → My apps & games → update both.

Fair warning: this feature rolled out slowly. If you’re outside the US or Europe, it might not be there yet.

Here’s How It Actually Works

Once you’ve confirmed both apps are updated, the actual sharing process is super straightforward:
Step 1: Open Spotify, find your track.
Step 2: Tap those three dots (⋯) next to the song.
Step 3: Hit “Share.”
Step 4: Look for the TikTok icon and tap it.
Step 5: TikTok opens, creates a draft with your song link embedded.

Done.

Wait—here’s where people get confused. This doesn’t make the song play in your video. It just creates a shareable post with a link people can click to save the song. If you want the actual audio in your video, skip to Method 2 or 3.

What To Actually Post (Besides Just the Link)

You can’t just drop a link and expect people to care. Pair it with something real—a clip of you vibing to it, a quick story about why it hits different, whatever feels natural.

Honestly? Imperfect beats polished every time. People can tell when you’re trying too hard.

Captions that actually work:

• “If you’re not listening to this yet, you’re missing out” (direct, works)
• “This song got me through my toughest week” (personal, people connect)
• “What’s your go-to productivity music?” (gets comments going)

Hashtags? Keep it simple.

3-5 max: #NewMusic, #TikTokMusic, #SpotifyFinds, maybe one genre-specific tag. Don’t go overboard—looks desperate.

Method 2: Just Use TikTok’s Library (If Your Song Is Even There)

This is the method most people use for adding Spotify songs to TikTok videos—if the song’s actually available. Let me show you how to search for and add music from TikTok’s library.

How To Find Spotify Songs in TikTok

Start making a video like normal. Tap “Add sound” at the top. Type in your song or artist.

Pro tip I learned the hard way: be specific, but don’t overdo it. “Bad Guy Billie Eilish” works. “Bad Guy (Official Audio) – Billie Eilish” confuses TikTok’s search. It’s weird, but that’s how it is.

Actually Adding the Music

Found it? Tap it. Done.

You can scrub through to pick where the song starts—super helpful for nailing a beat drop or chorus. Audio balance matters too. I usually go 70-80% music, 20-30% original audio if I’m talking. Or was it 60-40?

Anyway, just preview it before you post.

The Annoying Reality Check

Not every Spotify song shows up in TikTok’s library.

Licensing stuff. Regional restrictions. All that fun business. Even big releases can take 2-4 weeks to appear. Indie artists? Sometimes months. It’s frustrating, but there’s no way around it—except maybe Method 3.

Method 3: When You Need the Actual File (Recording It Yourself)

Okay, so this is the workaround I use when a song just isn’t available on TikTok yet. You record the audio yourself and upload it as a custom sound. Sounds complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple with the right tool.

The Situations Where This Actually Makes Sense

Look, Methods 1 and 2 work fine most of the time. But sometimes they just… don’t.

Song’s not in TikTok’s library? Happens all the time. Working offline? You’re stuck. I learned this the hard way on a flight—had my laptop, had my video plan, had zero internet. TikTok’s sound search needs a connection. Whoops.

Or maybe you’ve built this perfect video concept around a specific song, only to discover it’s unavailable. Deep cut from an album. Indie artist who hasn’t distributed to TikTok yet. Region-locked. Whatever the reason, you’re out of options.

That’s when having your own audio file makes all the difference.

My Go-To Tool for This (After Trying a Few Duds)

I’ve tested a bunch of recording tools. Some were clunky. Some were sketchy. Cinch Audio Recorder is the one I actually kept using.

Why?

It’s stupidly simple. Hit record. Play your Spotify. Done.

What actually matters:

• Splits tracks automatically as they play (no manual cutting)
• Gets all the tags right—title, artist, album art, everything
• Saves as MP3, M4A, WAV, or FLAC (320kbps MP3 is my default)
• Works whether you have Spotify Free or Premium
• If you’re on Free? It filters out those annoying ads between songs

The 320kbps MP3 quality is perfect for TikTok—sounds identical to the original. No DRM nonsense means you can use these files in CapCut, InShot, or whatever you’re editing with.

If you’re curious about how recording compares to downloading, there’s a whole technical breakdown on that.

How I Actually Use It (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Grab Cinch from the official site. Install it. Takes maybe 2 minutes.

Step 2: Open Cinch. Click the “Record” tab. See that big red button? Click it. Cinch is now listening.

Step 3: Open Spotify. Hit play. That’s it.

Just make sure Spotify’s volume is up—recording quality depends on it. Your system volume can be muted though, won’t matter. Or wait, maybe it does? I always keep both up just to be safe.

Step 4: Cinch does its thing automatically. Detects when songs start and stop. Splits them into separate files. Adds all the metadata. You can literally let a whole playlist run while you do other stuff.

Step 5: Click “Library” to see everything you recorded—cover art, titles, artists, all there. Right-click any track → “Open File Location” to grab your MP3s.

Bonus: If you need silence while recording (like, you’re in a coffee shop or something), enable “Mute” in settings. Works great.

Getting Those Files Into TikTok

Transfer your MP3s to your phone however you usually do—USB cable, Google Drive, AirDrop, whatever. Then in TikTok, make a new video and tap “Add sound” → look for “Upload” or “My Sound” → pick your file.

Cool side effect: uploaded audio becomes an “original sound” on your account. Other people can actually use it if they find your video.

I’ve had a few of mine get picked up by other creators after my stuff got views. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty satisfying.

This is similar to downloading TikTok sounds, but in reverse—you’re creating the source material.

When Things Don’t Work (And They Will)

Even when you follow everything correctly, stuff breaks. Here are the most common issues I’ve run into—and how I fixed them.

The “Add to Spotify” Button Is Missing

This one drove me crazy for weeks.

Turns out, the button usually only shows up when people see your video on their FYP—not when they’re looking at your profile. I tested this with my own videos. Viewed from my profile? No button. Scrolled past it on my FYP? There it is.

Weird, right?

Timing’s another thing. That button can take 1-2 weeks to appear after you upload your song to Spotify. Or maybe it was closer to 10 days? Sometimes longer if you don’t have a TikTok verified artist account.

Account linking matters too. Check TikTok Settings → Share to other apps → Spotify. Make sure the connection’s actually active.

One more thing nobody tells you: viewers only see the button if they have Spotify linked to their TikTok. If they’re using Apple Music, they’ll see an Apple Music button instead. It’s based on their preference, not yours.

Your Song Just Isn’t There

Distribution timing, usually.

Upload to Spotify through DistroKid or TuneCore? Cool. Now wait 2-4 weeks for it to show up on TikTok. Sometimes 3?

Not all distributors are equal either. Some have better TikTok partnerships than others. Worth checking their delivery timeline before you commit.

Regional licensing can also block songs. Works in the US, blocked in Europe. Or vice versa. It’s annoying.

Fastest fix? Method 3. Record it yourself, have your file ready in minutes.

Audio Sounds Bad or Won’t Sync

Start with good source files—320kbps MP3 or better.

TikTok compresses everything anyway, so if you start with garbage, it’ll sound worse after upload.

Sync issues? Try exporting your video at 30fps. Works most reliably in my experience. Or 29.97? Both seem fine, honestly.

File format: stick with MP3.

TikTok supports M4A and WAV too, but I’ve had M4A randomly rejected. MP3 works every single time.

Oh, and don’t re-compress compressed audio. You’ll just make it sound tinny and awful.

The Copyright Question Everyone Asks

TikTok’s library is fine—it’s licensed. Recorded music is… grayer.

My take: if you have legit access (Spotify sub, you bought the album) and you’re not making money directly from that specific video, you’re probably okay for personal stuff. But I’m not a lawyer. If this matters to you, talk to one.

General protection: use TikTok’s library when you can. For recorded audio, keep videos short (under 60 seconds), use portions of songs, add your own commentary. Makes it transformative.

Making Music Content That Actually Gets Views

Now that you know how to get Spotify music onto TikTok, let’s talk about making content that actually performs. Because getting the song there is only half the battle.

Pick the Right Track (It Matters More Than You Think)

Match the vibe.

Sad video with hype music? Doesn’t work. Seems obvious, but I see it constantly.

Trending sounds get you quick boosts. Evergreen music gets you steady views long-term.

I go about 70% evergreen, 30% trend-chasing. Or maybe it’s more like 60-40 now. Works for me either way.

Beat drops? Use them.

Time your reveal, transformation, or punchline to hit right when the beat drops. People expect something to happen there—give it to them.

Editing Tricks That Work

Sync your cuts to the beat.

Every major beat should match a visual change—cut, transition, text popping in, something. Makes everything feel more polished without extra work.

If you’re using vocals, time your captions to match the lyrics. People love that.

Completion rates go up every time I do it.

Want more video editing tips? The same recording method works for any video project you’re working on.

Riding Trends Without Looking Basic

Scroll your FYP daily.

Look for sounds with 10k-100k uses—that’s the sweet spot where something’s trending but not oversaturated yet. Or was it 20k-150k? Can’t remember the exact number, but somewhere in that range.

If everyone’s doing the same thing with a sound, do it differently.

Same dance, unexpected location. Same format, weird twist.

The familiarity hooks people, the uniqueness keeps them.

Original audio with a clear 15-30 second hook and remix potential? That’s viral material.

Check TikTok’s Creative Center to see which trends are actually growing, not dying.

If You’re Serious About Growing Your Music

If you’re not just posting for fun—if you’re actually trying to build an audience or promote your music—here’s what’s worked for me beyond just the basic posting strategies.

Promoting Your Stuff Without Being Annoying

Tutorial videos work surprisingly well. “Here’s how to share from Spotify to TikTok” positions you as helpful, not salesy.

Challenges are good if they’re actually doable. “Show me your morning routine with this track” beats “recreate my entire music video.” Low barrier, high creativity.

Behind-the-scenes hits different. Show yourself making the song. Explain what a lyric means. Share what inspired it. People care more when they have context.

Getting People From TikTok to Spotify

Spotify Codes work. Put one in your video for 2-3 seconds with “Scan for the full track.” Make codes at spotify.com/codes.

Use Linktree or Beacons in your bio. Update it weekly—keep it current with whatever you’re pushing.

CTAs matter. “Full song in my bio if you’re vibing with this” works way better than “Check out my Spotify!” That second one just sounds… salesy.

Track your patterns. I found out Tuesday evening posts drive 3x more Spotify streams than weekend posts, same views. Your patterns might be different. Use Spotify for Artists TikTok analytics to find them.

What Actually Makes Content Go Viral

Real emotion beats perfect production.

Shaky, poorly-lit video with genuine feeling? Beats sterile perfection every time.

Make it shareable.

Does it remind someone of their friend? Can they easily duet or respond? That’s what drives shares.

Slightly polished but still authentic is the sweet spot. Clean audio, decent lighting, but genuine delivery. Cinema quality isn’t necessary. Clear audio and visible video is.

Post 4-5x a week minimum. Algorithms like consistency.

But within that, experiment like crazy. My best content came from trying weird stuff, not playing it safe.

So, That’s the Full Picture

Adding Spotify to TikTok isn’t as straightforward as it should be, but you’ve got options.

Method 1 for quick link sharing. Method 2 when the song’s actually in TikTok’s library. Method 3 when you need the file itself and can’t wait around.

I use all three depending on what I’m doing. Direct share for recommending music. TikTok library for everyday posts. Cinch when I need something specific that isn’t available yet or when I’m working offline.

Try all three. See what works for your setup—mine might not be yours.

FAQs

Q1: Can I add any Spotify song to TikTok?

Not directly, no. Only songs already in TikTok’s music library work through the app’s “Add sound” feature. A lot of Spotify tracks just aren’t there yet—licensing stuff.

If your song’s missing? That’s when Method 3 comes in handy. Record it separately and upload as custom audio.

Q2: Is it legal to record Spotify music for TikTok videos?

For personal, non-commercial videos? Generally okay if you have legit access to the music (Spotify sub, bought the album). But I’m not a lawyer—if you’re making money off it or doing commercial work, get proper licensing.

When in doubt, use TikTok’s built-in library. It’s already licensed.

Q3: Why can’t I see the “Add to Spotify” button on my videos?

This drove me nuts at first. The button usually only shows up on For You Page views—not when someone’s viewing your profile. Tested this myself multiple times.

Timing matters too. Can take 1-2 weeks after uploading your song to Spotify. Maybe longer without a verified artist account.

Oh, and viewers only see it if *they* have Spotify linked to their TikTok. Apple Music users see an Apple Music button instead.

Q4: What audio format works best for TikTok?

MP3 at 320kbps. That’s what I use every time.

TikTok accepts M4A and WAV too, but I’ve had M4A randomly rejected before. MP3 just works. Plus it keeps file sizes reasonable while maintaining quality—even after TikTok compresses everything on their end.

Q5: How do I make my Spotify music appear in TikTok’s library?

You’ll need a distributor with TikTok partnerships. I’ve used DistroKid, but TuneCore and CD Baby work too.

Once your song’s live on Spotify, give it 2-4 weeks to show up on TikTok. Sometimes longer depending on region and distributor. Not all distributors have the same delivery speed to TikTok, so check their timeline before committing.