TikTok, the popular short-form video app, can take up a significant amount of storage space on your device over time. The amount of storage TikTok uses depends on factors like how frequently you use the app, the length and quality of videos you create and watch, and how many videos you save to your device.
A breakdown of how TikTok uses storage
There are a few key ways that TikTok takes up storage space:
- Downloading and saving videos – Any videos you intentionally save to your device’s storage will take up space. The more videos you save, the more storage TikTok will use.
- Cached videos – TikTok automatically caches (temporarily stores) videos you watch so they will load faster when you watch them again. Over time, this cached data can build up and take up storage.
- User created videos – Videos you shoot and edit within the TikTok app are stored locally on your device, even if you post them. Longer and higher-resolution videos take up more space.
- App data and metadata – The TikTok app itself, along with data and metadata it stores like settings, login info, and thumbnails, takes up some storage.
How much storage does the TikTok app use?
The TikTok app itself takes up a modest amount of storage space. Here’s how much storage the TikTok app uses on its own without any videos, cached data, or user content:
- iOS (Apple devices): Around 150-200 MB
- Android: Around 100-150 MB
So just having TikTok installed eats up a couple hundred MB or so. However, the videos you watch and create will quickly use up way more storage than the app itself.
How much storage do TikTok videos use?
The storage needed for TikTok videos depends on:
- Video length – Longer videos take up more storage than shorter videos.
- Video resolution and quality – Higher resolution videos (1080p, 4K) require more storage than lower resolution videos. Videos shot on higher-quality cameras also have larger file sizes.
- Audio quality – Videos with high-bitrate audio take up more space than videos with compressed, lower-quality audio.
As a general guideline, here’s approximately how much storage space TikTok videos use:
- 15 second standard definition TikTok video: 15-20 MB
- 1 minute high definition TikTok video: 30-70 MB
- 5 minute 4K TikTok video: 200-400 MB
So as you can see, video length and quality have a major impact on file size. Shooting and watching longer, high-resolution videos will fill up your storage faster.
How many videos can you save on different storage amounts?
Based on average TikTok video file sizes, here’s a rough estimate of how many TikTok videos will fit in different amounts of storage:
- 16GB phone storage: About 500 3-minute 1080p videos
- 32GB phone storage: About 1000 3-minute 1080p videos
- 64GB phone storage: About 2000 3-minute 1080p videos
- 128GB phone storage: About 4000 3-minute 1080p videos
- 256GB phone storage: About 8000 3-minute 1080p videos
Of course, if you save shorter or lower-quality videos, or have some storage taken up by other apps, you won’t be able to fit as many videos.
How much storage does the average TikTok user need?
The average TikTok user likely only needs 16-64GB of free phone storage for the app. Here’s a breakdown of storage needs by user type:
- Casual viewers – Only watch 1-5 videos at a time. Usually don’t save videos. 16GB is likely sufficient.
- Active viewers – Watch lots of videos. Cache can build up over time. 32-64GB gives breathing room.
- Content creators – Shoot and save many videos. Produce high-resolution, long videos. 64GB+ recommended.
For context, modern smartphone storage options include:
- Entry-level phones: 16-32GB
- Mid-range phones: 64-128GB
- High-end phones: 128-512GB
So mid-range or higher-end device storage is recommended if you actively create TikTok videos, while casual users can get by with entry-level storage amounts.
Tips for managing your TikTok storage
If you find TikTok taking up too much storage, here are some tips to free up space:
- Delete saved videos you no longer need
- Avoid saving videos when unnecessary
- Use the app’s storage manager to clear cached videos
- Set videos you post to automatically delete after 24 hours
- Shoot videos at lower resolutions when possible
- Shorten long videos when the full length isn’t needed
- Consider offloading videos to a cloud storage service
- Upgrade your device to one with more storage
Clearing your TikTok cache and avoiding saving every video are especially helpful for freeing up a lot of space quickly. But investing in a device with ample storage is the best long-term solution for active TikTok users.
The bottom line
TikTok can use up anywhere from a few hundred megabytes to many gigabytes depending on your usage. Casual viewers can get by with 16GB phones, but more active users should consider 64GB+ phones. Carefully managing your camera resolution, video length, and saved videos can help restrict how much storage TikTok occupies.
