You open TikTok, scroll to a video everyone is talking about, and hear nothing. No music, no voice, just silence, even though the sound worked yesterday. TikTok audio problems are frustrating because the cause can sit in three different places: your phone’s sound settings, the TikTok app itself, or the video you’re watching. This guide helps you work out which one it is and fix it, on both Android and iPhone.
What You’ll Need
- Your phone with TikTok installed
- Access to the App Store or Google Play to update the app
- A minute to test sound in another app, such as YouTube or a voice note
Step 1: Work Out Whether It’s TikTok or Your Phone
Open another app that plays sound, such as YouTube, Spotify or a voice message. If that’s silent too, the problem is your phone’s settings or speaker, not TikTok. If other apps play fine, skip to Step 3.
Also scroll through a few TikTok videos. If only one video is silent but the rest work, the problem is that video, not your app (see “Only some videos have no sound” below).
Step 2: Check Your Phone’s Volume and Audio Output
- Turn up media volume while a video is playing. Phones keep separate volume levels for ringtones, alarms and media. Pressing volume up while TikTok is playing adjusts the right one.
- On iPhone, check the Ring/Silent switch or Action button. Silent mode doesn’t normally mute TikTok, but if the media volume was turned down at the same time, it can look that way.
- Check Bluetooth. Your phone may still be connected to earbuds, a speaker or a car stereo, sending the sound there instead. Open Bluetooth settings or your control centre and disconnect anything you’re not using.
- Remove headphones and clean the speaker grille. A blocked speaker or a phone that thinks headphones are still plugged in can cause silence.
Step 3: Restart TikTok and Your Phone
Fully close TikTok (swipe it away from your recent apps), then open it again. If that doesn’t work, restart the phone. This clears temporary audio glitches, which are especially common after the phone has been connected to Bluetooth devices or another app has taken control of the audio.
Step 4: Update the TikTok App
Bugs in older versions of the app can break audio playback. Open the App Store or Google Play, search for TikTok, and tap Update if it’s available. Updating your phone’s operating system can also fix audio issues, particularly after a major update.
Step 5: Clear TikTok’s Cache
A corrupted cache can stop videos loading their audio properly. In TikTok, go to your Profile, tap the menu, open Settings and privacy, then look for Free up space and clear the cache. This won’t delete your account, videos or drafts. On Android you can also clear the cache from Settings > Apps > TikTok > Storage. Our guide to clearing TikTok’s cache and freeing up storage explains this step by step.
Step 6: Check Your Internet Connection
On a weak connection, TikTok may start playing the video before the audio has loaded, or drop the audio quality. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to see if it improves. If you use a data saver mode in TikTok or on your phone, try turning it off temporarily.
Step 7: Reinstall TikTok
If nothing else has worked, uninstall and reinstall the app. Before you do, make sure you know your login details and that any drafts you care about are saved, because drafts are stored on the device and are deleted when the app is removed.
Common Problems and Fixes
Only some videos have no sound
That’s usually down to the video, not your phone. The creator may have posted it without sound, or the music may have been muted because of copyright. In that case you’ll often see a message saying the sound isn’t available. There’s nothing you can do to restore it on your end.
Sound works in the feed but not when recording
Check TikTok has permission to use the microphone. On iPhone go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone; on Android go to Settings > Apps > TikTok > Permissions. Also check you haven’t turned the original sound volume down in the editor.
Sound cuts out after a few seconds
This often points to a slow connection or another app taking control of the audio, such as a call, a voice assistant or a music app. Close other apps and try again.
The app keeps crashing as well as losing sound
See our guide to fixing TikTok crashing on Android and iPhone, as the same fixes often solve both problems.
Keep Your Account and Data Safe
- Save drafts to your phone before reinstalling TikTok.
- Only download TikTok from the App Store or Google Play. Modified versions promising extra features can steal your login details.
- Check your login method (phone number, email or another account) before uninstalling, so you can get back in.
FAQ
Why does TikTok have no sound on my iPhone?
Most often the media volume is down, the phone is still connected to Bluetooth, or the app needs an update. Turn up the volume while a video plays and check your Bluetooth connections first.
Will clearing TikTok’s cache delete my videos?
No. Clearing the cache removes temporary files. Your account, posted videos and liked videos stay safe. Drafts are only at risk if you uninstall the app.
Why is there no sound on one TikTok video?
The creator may have removed the sound, or the music may have been muted for copyright reasons. Other videos should play normally.
If you still have problems, visit the TikTok Help Center to report a problem.
Steps and menu labels may change as apps update. Last updated: November 2026.