People usually find me watching TikToks even in places with no internet coverage, let's say when my bundles have expired, deep in the village, on a bus in the middle of nowhere, or when my phone is in airplane mode.
The secret? It’s not magic, and I’m not burning through my mobile data. I’m simply using TikTok’s Offline Videos feature.
What is TikTok’s Offline Videos feature.
TikTok’s Offline Videos feature lets you pre-download a set of videos when you have internet, so you can watch them later without using data or Wi-Fi in one tap
You can choose up to 200 videos with up to 2 hours of watch time that refresh with new ones when you reconnect.
Once saved, you can watch them anywhere without using data or Wi-Fi.
Before we dive in, here are some Key Points to Note:
- You must be logged into TikTok to use the Offline Videos feature.
- Have enough phone storage to hold the number of videos you choose.
- Offline Videos are refreshed with new content only when you reconnect to Wi-Fi (or mobile data if you allow it).
- Keep the “Download over Wi-Fi only” toggle ON to avoid unexpected data charges.
- While offline, you cannot like, comment, or view comments on videos.
- This is different from the few cached videos you get when the internet drops here you can save up to 200 full videos in advance.
If you’ve ever had Wi-Fi at work, at a restaurant café, or even from your neighbour’s Wifi, you can preload videos and enjoy hours of TikTok entertainment without touching your data later.
Well, let's dive in.
How do you enable the offline videos feature?
Follow the simple steps below
Step 1: Open TikTok and log into your account.
- Tap your Profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap the menu (three dashes) in the top right corner.
- Go to Settings and Privacy.
- Scroll down to the Cache & Cellular section.
- Tap Offline Videos, You’ll see the menu titled “Download videos to watch offline”.
Step 2: Choose Your Download Plan
TikTok gives you four options:
- 50 videos
- Approximate watch time: 30 minutes
- Estimated storage size: around 100 MB
- Ideal if you want a quick offline session with a limited amount of content, suitable for short commutes or brief offline periods.
- 100 videos
- Approximate watch time: 50 minutes
- Estimated storage size: around 200 MB
- A balanced option for moderate offline usage, offering almost an hour of entertainment without taking up too much space.
- 150 videos
- Approximate watch time: 70 minutes
- Estimated storage size: around 300 MB
- Suitable for longer offline sessions, such as a commute or break where you want more variety and content depth.
- 200 videos
- Approximate watch time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Estimated storage size: around 400 MB
- Best for extended offline usage, like long trips or situations where internet access is unavailable for several hours, giving you a solid library of videos to watch.
Step 3: Start the Download
- Pick your preferred option.
- Tap the Download button.
- TikTok will begin downloading immediately and will automatically play the first video in your batch.
Step 4: Check Your Download Progress
While the first video is playing:
- Tap the Settings icon in the top right.
- You’ll see:
- Download progress percentage.
- Number of offline videos saved.
- A Clear All Videos option.
- A Wi-Fi Only toggle: keep this ON to avoid using mobile data for downloads.
To Locate Your offline videos when you close TikTok, follow the same steps above and enjoy watching.
Final Thoughts
Next time you know you’ll be somewhere without internet, connect to Wi-Fi at home, work, or your favourite café, load your Offline Videos, and you’ll have over two hours of TikTok ready to go.
When people wonder how you’re still scrolling TikTok in a network dead zone, you can just smile and keep watching.
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