TikTok is a popular short-form video app where users can create and share 15 to 60 second videos. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world.
Knowing when a TikTok video was made can be useful for several reasons. You may want to see the original upload date to check if a video is recent or old. Understanding when viral memes or trends started can provide context. Verifying when an important event occurred by cross-referencing TikTok videos can also be valuable. Overall, the upload timestamp allows users to analyze the timeline and relevance of content on TikTok.
Viewing the Timestamp
The easiest way to see when a TikTok video was posted is to look at the timestamp displayed directly on the video. TikTok shows the date and time the video was uploaded in the bottom right corner of the screen. This timestamp is visible while watching the video and remains on screen the entire time.
The format of the timestamp is “MM/DD/YY at HH:MM” showing the month, day, year and time posted. For example, a video posted on February 15, 2023 at 3:30pm would display “02/15/23 at 15:30” in the corner. This timestamp does not change and always shows the original upload date and time.
According to the TikTok Help Center article “How to Do Time Stamp on TikTok” (source), this timestamp can be toggled on or off in the app settings, but is on by default. So for most videos, the timestamp can be used to quickly see when it was posted.
Checking Video Metadata
One way to find out when a TikTok video was made is to check the metadata of the downloaded video file. Metadata refers to data about the file, which is embedded when the video is recorded. This includes details like the date and time the video was originally captured.
To view metadata on a TikTok video, you first need to download it to your device. This can be done by clicking the share icon on the video and selecting “Save video.” Once downloaded, you can view the metadata using applications or websites that read video file information. For example, sites like MetaXu or online metadata viewers like Daminion can parse TikTok videos to reveal timestamps and other technical data.
The embedded date of a downloaded TikTok video should accurately reflect when it was originally filmed. This metadata approach provides precise timestamps that can confirm the recording time, even if the video was uploaded or shared at a later date.
According to a post on Reddit (source), TikTok’s own metadata is not easily editable, meaning this timestamp should reflect the authentic creation date.
Looking at Comments
One way to get a sense of how old or new a TikTok video is by looking at the comments. More recent videos will have comments from just hours or days ago, while older videos may have comments spanning weeks, months or even years.
If you scroll through the comments on a video and see that most of them are from the past few days or weeks, that’s a sign the video is relatively new. However, if you see comments ranging over a much longer period, like the past few years, then the video is likely quite old.
You can click on individual comments to see the exact timestamp of when they were posted. So if you see comments from 2022 or earlier, you’ll know the video was made sometime before then. This is an easy way to get a general sense of the video’s age without having to find the exact original timestamp.
One caveat is that sometimes old videos get revived if they go viral again years later. So you may see old comments mixed with new ones. But in most cases, the distribution of comment dates will give you a good indication of roughly when the original video first came out.
Looking at comments is a simple and effective way to gauge the age of a TikTok video when the original timestamp is not visible or easily found. The dates and frequencies of comments provide clues to determine if a video is recent or from years past.
User Profile Info
One way to get a sense of when a TikTok video was made is by looking at the user’s profile information. Specifically, you can see the join date of when that TikTok account was created. This date is shown on the user’s profile page.
While the join date doesn’t directly correspond to when a specific video was posted, it can provide a clue. For example, if a user joined in 2019, then a video from their account is likely not brand new and was probably created sometime in 2019 or later. The longer ago the account was created, the more likely older videos date back further.
So checking the join date in the profile can give you a rough sense of the potential age range for that user’s videos. Videos from accounts that joined years ago are likely older than videos from accounts that only joined recently.
However, this isn’t foolproof, since users can delete old videos or take breaks from posting. But for establishing a general timeframe, looking at the user’s join date in their TikTok profile information can be helpful context.
Hashtag Trends
One way to get a sense of when a TikTok video was made is to look at the hashtags used and check if they align with viral hashtag moments or trends. Certain hashtags become very popular for a period of time before fading away.
For example, the #FlipTheSwitch challenge was trending in March 2020, so videos using that hashtag were likely made around that timeframe. If you see a dance or meme hashtag that peaked at a certain point, you can surmise the video fits into that era.
You can research TikTok hashtag history and timelines using sites like https://tiktokhashtags.com/hashtag/history/ to see when certain hashtags went viral. This gives context into hashtag trends and can provide clues into when a video first emerged if it is utilizing a hashtag specific to a certain TikTok trend moment.
Video Effects
The effects and filters used in a TikTok video can provide clues about when it was created. TikTok is constantly releasing new video effects that become popular for a certain time period. For example, the disco scan effect was trending in early 2021, allowing creators to showcase throwback outfits in a retro mirrorball filter (TikTok Newsroom). If you see videos using effects tied to specific meme trends or holidays, that can indicate roughly when they were made. TikTok also improves its visual effects quality over time, so lower quality effects may point to an older video.
Examining the editing transitions and overall production value can also hint at a video’s age. More modern TikTok trends tend to utilize smooth transitions and high-quality effects that weren’t available when the platform first launched. The evolution of popular effects mirrors the app’s growth in resources and capabilities. With a trained eye, you can start to gauge the general era based on TikTok video effects and style.
Video Quality
The video quality of TikTok videos has improved dramatically over the years as camera and display technologies have advanced. This means newer TikTok videos tend to have higher resolution and sharper image quality compared to older videos.
TikTok videos made in 2022 or later will typically be 1080p or 4K resolution if captured on a newer smartphone model. By comparison, older videos from 2020 or earlier are more likely to be 720p or lower. The bitrate, or amount of data used per second of video, is also higher on newer TikToks leading to less compression artifacts and blurriness.
One way to get a sense of a TikTok video’s age is to look closely at the image quality – newer videos will appear sharper and clearer, while older videos may look pixelated or blurry. However, video quality alone isn’t definitive, as some newer videos may be lower resolution, and some older videos may have been remastered.
According to Clipchamp, TikTok’s algorithm can also dynamically adjust video resolution based on a user’s network connection and device. But in general, higher video quality points to a newer TikTok video.
Challenges
One way to get an approximate date for a TikTok video is to identify challenges or viral trends that were popular at certain times. TikTok challenges, like dance moves or skits that users recreate and share, often become hugely popular for a period of weeks or months before fading away.
For example, the Don’t Rush Challenge took off in April 2020 during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Videos using the popular song and dance moves can be traced to that timeframe. Other challenges like the Savage Challenge were viral in early 2021. If you can identify the challenge in a video, it gives you a good clue as to when it was likely filmed.
Each new year brings new TikTok challenges that give hints about a video’s age. Checking lists of popular challenges by year can provide timestamps tied to trending challenges. When users participate in short-lived viral challenges, it dates their videos and places them within the timeframe of those trends.
Conclusion
There are a few techniques users can utilize to deduce when a TikTok video was originally posted. The most direct way is to look at the timestamp shown directly on the video, which displays the number of days or hours since it was uploaded. Checking the metadata and comments associated with the video can also provide clues about its age. Looking at the user’s profile and posting patterns gives context as well, for example if they frequently post multiple videos a day.
Analyzing hashtag trends and video effects that were popular during certain time periods can indicate if a TikTok is recent or older. Subtle cues like video quality and editing styles also evolve over time on the platform. While it’s not an exact science, the methods discussed provide helpful guidance to assess the general age of a TikTok video.
Having an accurate, verified timestamp is important for determining when a video first emerged. Viewers should keep in mind that uploads can be deleted and reposted later, so analyzing contextual factors is key. With a critical eye and a bit of detective work, it’s often possible to make an informed estimate of a TikTok post’s age.
