TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most used social media platforms globally. As of 2023, TikTok reached over 1 billion monthly active users (Source). Apple Watch, meanwhile, has also seen widespread adoption since its release in 2015. With the rise of both TikTok and Apple Watch, it’s no surprise that many users want to access TikTok directly on their Apple Watch.
There are several reasons why people may want to use TikTok on their Apple Watch. The main appeal is convenience – being able to scroll through short videos and interact with TikTok without needing your phone. It allows users to access TikTok discretely in public or while their phone is in another room charging. Additionally, accessing notifications and likes on your wrist rather than pulling out your phone saves time.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the options available for using TikTok on Apple Watch. We’ll look at the default TikTok app, workarounds and limitations, how to view and create TikToks from your Watch, managing notifications, challenges, and potential future support.
Default TikTok App
TikTok currently does not have a native app available for installation on Apple Watch. The official TikTok app is only available on iOS and Android mobile devices at this time. This is due to limitations of the watchOS platform that powers the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch’s small screen size poses challenges for displaying the full TikTok feed and creating new video content. The lack of a rear-facing camera on the Apple Watch also makes capturing videos for TikTok difficult. Additionally, watchOS restricts background app refresh and limits third-party app performance in order to preserve battery life. These constraints prevent the seamless, full-featured TikTok experience that users expect on their smartphones.
While the core functionality of scrolling through the For You feed or following Friends could technically work, more advanced TikTok features like duets, stitching, and effects would be difficult to implement properly on watchOS. So for now, TikTok seems focused on optimizing the app for iOS and Android rather than extending it to the Apple Watch.
Workarounds
Since there is no official TikTok app for Apple Watch, users have found some workarounds to access TikTok content on their smartwatches. One popular workaround is using the Streamphone app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/streamphone-for-iphone/id1324681367). Streamphone allows you to mirror your iPhone’s screen to your Apple Watch, so you can scroll through the TikTok app on your phone while viewing it on your wrist. The app costs $4.99 but provides a seamless TikTok viewing experience on Apple Watch models that support it.
Another workaround is to use your Apple Watch primarily for posting TikTok videos rather than viewing them. While watching TikToks on the small Apple Watch screen isn’t ideal, you can use your iPhone’s TikTok app to record videos then post them straight from your Apple Watch using the built-in camera and WiFi/cellular connectivity. This allows you to use your watch as a creative tool for capturing candid TikTok moments throughout your day.
Viewing TikToks
While there is no official TikTok app for Apple Watch, there are some workarounds that allow you to view TikTok feeds on your watch. One option is using the app Tik Watch, which lets you scroll through your For You feed, as well as feeds from people you follow. You can like and comment on videos using tap gestures or dictation. However, viewing capabilities are limited – you cannot search for videos or access your inbox.
You can also view abbreviated versions of TikToks in your notifications on Apple Watch. When you get notified of new videos from people you follow, you’ll see a short preview of the TikTok that you can tap to open on your iPhone. This allows you to quickly view new videos without having to take out your phone.
While basic viewing is possible, more advanced features like searching, browsing hashtags, or accessing your own account are not available on Apple Watch. Viewing TikToks on the smaller watch screen also lacks some of the fun, immersive experience of the full smartphone app.
Creating TikToks
Creating TikTok videos directly on the Apple Watch is very limited due to the size of the screen and lack of a rear-facing camera. While there are some third-party apps like Tik Watch that allow recording videos, the quality is not ideal and editing tools are minimal.
The small screen size of 1.9 inches makes it challenging to frame shots properly while recording. There is also no way to add effects, filters, text, or music in post-production since editing capabilities on the Apple Watch are restricted.
Additionally, without a rear-facing camera, users are limited to recording selfie-style videos or what is directly in front of them. More creative videos with different angles and perspectives are not possible on the Apple Watch itself.
Overall, while it is possible to record very short, basic videos on the Apple Watch, the functionality is limited compared to using a smartphone. For best results creating TikTok videos, it is recommended to use an iPhone or other mobile device.
Notifications
The default TikTok app is not available on Apple Watch, so you cannot get TikTok notifications directly on your Apple Watch. However, you can still get notifications from the iPhone TikTok app mirrored to your Apple Watch using the built-in notifications feature.
To enable TikTok notifications on your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to Notifications. Scroll down and turn on “Mirror iPhone Alerts” for the TikTok app. This will send TikTok notifications from your iPhone to your Apple Watch whenever you get notifications about likes, comments, and more on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/discover/apple-watch-notifications-not-working).
Keep in mind the notifications will be basic mirrors of the iPhone alerts, not native Apple Watch alerts. But this does allow you to get notifications on your Apple Watch indirectly even though TikTok does not have an Apple Watch app.
Challenges
Participating in popular TikTok challenges can be difficult on the Apple Watch due to the small screen size and limited controls. The touchscreen interface makes it challenging to properly frame shots or utilize creative camera work (https://www.tiktok.com/discover/challenges-for-apple-watch). Many dance challenges rely on wide shots to capture full body movements, which is not possible on the Apple Watch’s square display (https://www.tiktok.com/discover/challenges-apple-watch).
Accessibility is also a major issue when attempting challenges on the Apple Watch. The tiny text and controls require precise gestures that may be difficult for some users. The lack of a keyboard restricts the ability to add captions or text elements that are often part of popular challenges. While some challenges may be possible with persistence and creativity, the constraints of the hardware limit full participation for many users.
Workarounds for Other Platforms
While the TikTok app is not available natively on Android smartwatches or the Surface Duo, there are some workarounds users have found to access TikTok content.
For Android smartwatches like those running Wear OS, some users have been able to sideload an unofficial version of the TikTok app onto their watch 1. However, the experience is not optimized for the smaller watch screens. An alternative is using a third-party app like Wear Casts to view TikTok videos from your Android smartwatch 2.
As for the Surface Duo, its dual-screen design does not allow you to have TikTok open on one screen while doing something else on the other like a regular smartphone. However, you can follow TikTok creators and view their content in the main TikTok feed. Creating and uploading TikToks is also possible on Surface Duo by holding the device horizontally to access the camera. Overall, the experience is limited compared to a regular smartphone.
The Future
Currently there is no official TikTok app available for the Apple Watch. However, given TikTok’s popularity and the capabilities of the Apple Watch, many speculate that a native TikTok app may come to the watchOS platform in the future.
One of the main limiting factors is the technical constraints of the Apple Watch hardware and watchOS software. The small screen size and limited input methods make it challenging to recreate the full TikTok experience. Additionally, restrictions in the watchOS SDK may limit what developers can do when building third-party apps like DouWatch.
However, as Apple continues to iterate on the Apple Watch line and enhance watchOS with more capabilities, the prospect of a usable TikTok experience on the wrist becomes more viable. If user demand is strong enough, TikTok may eventually dedicate resources into developing and maintaining an Apple Watch app. But for now, third-party workarounds are the only option for those wanting TikTok access directly from their Apple Watch.
Conclusion
In summary, while there is no official TikTok app available for the Apple Watch, users have found some workarounds to view and create TikTok content on their smartwatches. The current capabilities are limited – you can view TikToks through the web browser or third party apps, and create very short videos by screen recording. However, the small screen size and lack of a rear facing camera makes the Apple Watch less than ideal for the typical TikTok experience.
For casual TikTok users who just want a quick way to check their feed or notifications, using the Apple Watch can provide that basic functionality. Power users who want to fully engage with the platform by reacting to videos, commenting, and creating high quality content are still better off using their smartphones. As smartwatch capabilities improve over time, accessing social media like TikTok may become more viable in the future. But for now, the Apple Watch offers a limited TikTok experience that likely won’t satisfy heavy users of the platform.
In closing, accessing TikTok on your Apple Watch is possible today in limited ways if you want quick access to notifications or your feed on-the-go. But those looking for the full, interactive TikTok experience will still need to rely on their iPhone or Android device to enjoy everything the platform has to offer.
