How to Save and Find TikTok Drafts in 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

TikTok remains a powerhouse for short-form video in 2026. With nearly 1.9 billion active users worldwide and around 23 million videos uploaded on the platform each day, the competition for attention is fierce. For e-commerce brands and content creators (including Amazon sellers leveraging influencer marketing), using every tool available is key to standing out. One such tool is the TikTok drafts feature, which allows you to save unfinished videos and refine them before posting. But how exactly do TikTok drafts work, and how can you save and find them when needed?

In this guide, we’ll cover what TikTok drafts are and walk through how to save a TikTok draft, where to find your drafts, and ways to manage them. You’ll also learn pro tips to edit drafts for maximum impact. By the end, you’ll know how to leverage TikTok drafts to polish your content strategy – especially if you’re an e-commerce brand or Amazon seller looking to boost engagement with influencer-generated videos. Let’s dive in!

What Are TikTok Drafts?

TikTok drafts are unpublished videos that you’ve saved within the TikTok app instead of posting right away. When you film or upload a TikTok and hit “Draft” (instead of “Post”), the video gets stored in a Drafts folder on your profile for later editing. These drafts act as a holding area for content you’re not ready to share yet, allowing you to pause and resume the posting process without losing your work.

A few key points about TikTok drafts:

• • Local Storage: Drafts are saved locally on your device’s storage, not on TikTok’s cloud or servers. This means only the device where you saved the draft can access it. If you log into your TikTok account from a different phone, your drafts won’t be there (since they aren’t synced across devices or accounts).

     

  • Private by Default: Draft videos are only visible to you. They don’t go live on your profile or feed until you choose to post them. TikTok confirms that drafts appear in your profile’s video tab but are only available to others when you post them. In other words, no followers or viewers can see your drafts.

     

  • Vulnerable to Deletion: Because drafts live on your device, they can be lost if you’re not careful. If you uninstall TikTok or switch to a new phone, all drafts on the old app will be permanently deleted (unless you’ve backed up those videos externally). Likewise, you can’t transfer drafts between accounts. Always be mindful of this if you plan to get a new device or clean up apps – save important drafts outside TikTok if needed (we’ll cover how to do that below).

In summary, TikTok drafts let you save a video in-progress so you can perfect it before posting. Think of drafts as your personal editing bay: film now, polish later. Next, we’ll explain how to actually save a video as a draft step by step.

How to Save a TikTok Draft

Saving a video as a draft on TikTok is straightforward. Follow these steps to create and save a TikTok draft:

1. 1. Open TikTok and start a new video: Tap the “+” create icon in the TikTok app (usually at the bottom center). This opens the camera interface. Record a new video or upload a video from your device’s gallery as you normally would. Film your content and apply any initial effects or edits (sounds, filters, text, etc.) as desired.

       

   2. Proceed to the posting screen: Once you’ve recorded or selected your video and made some edits, tap “Next”. This will take you to the post settings screen (where you’d normally add a caption and hit Post).

       

   3. Save to Drafts instead of posting: On the post screen, do not tap “Post”. Instead, look for the “Drafts” button (typically in the bottom-left corner of the screen). Tap Drafts. TikTok will save your video as a draft and confirm that it’s been saved. You can now exit the editor without publishing the video. That’s it – your video is now safely stored in your drafts folder.

Note: Every TikTok draft is saved only on the specific device (phone/tablet) where it was created. If you log out of your account, uninstall the app, or use TikTok on a new device, those locally saved drafts will not be available. It’s a good practice to avoid deleting the TikTok app or clearing its data if you have drafts you want to keep. And if you absolutely need to switch phones or reinstall, consider exporting your drafts first (instructions on that in a later section).

Pro Tip: You can create multiple versions of a video by using drafts. For example, film one video and save it as a draft, then make slight tweaks (different caption, music, or effects) and save another copy as a draft. Experimenting with different draft versions can help you A/B test which variation might perform better once posted. This is a tactic some micro influencers use to refine content – by testing several approaches in drafts, you increase the chance that the version you eventually publish will resonate best with viewers.

Now that you have drafts saved, how do you get back to them? In the next section, we’ll cover where to find your TikTok drafts.

Where to Find Your TikTok Drafts

All your saved drafts are conveniently located in one place on your profile. Here’s how to find the Drafts folder on TikTok:

1. 1. Go to your profile: Open the TikTok app and tap the Profile icon (the person silhouette) in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This takes you to your TikTok profile page, where you can see your posted videos.

       

   2. Open the “Drafts” folder: On your profile grid of videos, you should see a square thumbnail labeled “Drafts”, usually at the top left of your grid (it may also display the number of draft videos in parentheses). Tap on Drafts. This will open the folder containing all the TikTok drafts you’ve saved on this device.

       

   3. View or manage your drafts: Inside the Drafts folder, you’ll see a list of your draft videos. From here, you can tap on any draft to open it for editing. You’ll have all the usual editing options (filters, effects, captions, etc.) before you decide to post. You can also choose to delete drafts you no longer need (more on deleting drafts in a moment). Remember, drafts are private – only you can view these videos until you post them.

If you have multiple drafts, consider giving each draft a meaningful caption or remembering the thumbnail, so you can easily identify content when you come back later to edit or publish. TikTok doesn’t let you rename drafts, but it will show the caption text (if you added one) in the drafts list, which can be a helpful cue.

What Happens When You Post a Draft? Once you decide a draft is ready for prime time and you hit “Post” on that video, it will publish like a normal TikTok video. The draft will disappear from your Drafts folder (since it’s no longer a draft). The video will now show up on your public profile and feed, according to the visibility settings you choose at posting. TikTok allows you to set who can view the video at the time of posting: you can make it Only Me (keeping it private), visible to Friends (followers you follow back), or Everyone (fully public). Choosing “Only me” essentially posts the video privately (only you can see it on your profile), whereas “Everyone” will publish it for all your followers and others to view. After posting, your video will start accumulating views, likes, and comments like any other TikTok post. If it was a collaboration or part of an influencer campaign, now is the time to monitor its performance and engage with any audience feedback.

Note: Because drafts are stored locally, if you get a new phone or device, your drafts won’t automatically transfer. TikTok does not yet support syncing drafts to your account in the cloud. If you plan to change devices, be sure to manually save any important drafts to your camera roll or another backup method. We’ll explain how to save drafts externally in the upcoming section on backing up drafts.

Now that you know how to save drafts and find them, let’s explore what you can do with a draft before posting – in other words, how to edit and refine your TikTok drafts for best results.

Editing TikTok Drafts: How to Refine Your Videos

One of the biggest advantages of using drafts is the ability to fine-tune your content before it goes live. When you open a video from your Drafts, you can continue editing it just as if you had stayed in the editor after recording. In fact, you can change almost anything about the video. Here are some key elements you can edit on a TikTok draft to optimize your post:

• • Music & Sounds: You can change or add a different soundtrack on a draft. Perhaps you found a more fitting song or a trending audio clip after you filmed – simply open the draft, tap “Sounds”, and choose a new audio. Just make sure the video content still syncs up well with the new sound. (Using popular or trending sounds can help boost a video’s visibility, since TikTok’s algorithm often favors content with in-demand audio.)

     

  • Effects & Filters: Drafts allow you to experiment with TikTok’s many visual effects. You can try adding AR effects, transitions, or text animations in your draft editing screen. Likewise, you can adjust or change the filter on your video to alter its color tone or style. Because you’re editing a draft, you have the freedom to play around—test out funny effects or different filters and see what makes your video pop. You can always revert changes or try another combination until you’re satisfied.

     

  • Caption & Hashtags: Not happy with the caption you initially wrote? Drafts let you rewrite your video caption and add or edit hashtags before posting. This is a great opportunity to incorporate strong keywords or trending hashtags to improve discoverability. Optimizing your caption and hashtags can help your TikTok reach a wider audience organically. In fact, choosing the right text and tags (and timing your post well) can significantly boost engagement on TikTok. Take time to craft a catchy caption and include a few relevant hashtags (without overstuffing). If you’re a brand or Amazon seller, you might tag your product name or use hashtags like #microinfluencer or #UGC if appropriate, to tap into those niche communities.

     

  • Cover Image: When you’re editing a draft, you can also select a new cover frame (the thumbnail that appears on your profile grid). Tap on the “Select cover” option and scroll to choose an eye-catching frame from your video. You can even add text or stickers to the cover in TikTok. A clear, attractive cover image with a descriptive text can entice more viewers to click on your video when they see it on your profile or in search results.

     

  • Clip Edits (Trim or Reorder): If your TikTok consists of multiple clips, drafts let you trim clips or rearrange their order. Perhaps the pacing feels off – you can shorten a scene, or move a later clip to appear earlier. This fine-tuning of your video’s sequence can make the final content more engaging. Use TikTok’s built-in editing tools to cut out any dull moments and ensure the video flows well. A tighter edit can help maintain viewer attention, which is crucial for TikTok’s algorithm (watch time matters!).

Overall, treat your drafts as the place for last-minute improvements. Before you hit publish, scan through these elements: Did you pick a strong opening moment? Is the music enhancing the content? Do you have a compelling caption with the right hashtags? By polishing these details in a draft, you increase the odds that once the video is posted, it will attract and retain viewers. After editing, you can either save the updated version (it will remain in drafts if you exit without posting) or go ahead and post it when everything looks ready.

How to Delete TikTok Drafts

Sometimes you might decide that a draft video you created is no longer needed. Maybe the idea didn’t pan out, or you posted a similar video already. Cleaning up old drafts is a good practice to keep your TikTok app running smoothly (and to avoid confusion). Deleting TikTok drafts is quite easy:

1. 1. Navigate to your Drafts folder: Go to your TikTok profile and tap on the Drafts folder to see all your draft videos.

       

   2. Select the draft(s) to delete: In the drafts list, you can usually tap “Select” or Edit in the corner of the screen, then tap on the draft videos you want to remove. (On some versions of TikTok, a long-press on a draft thumbnail will also allow you to select it.)

       

   3. Delete the drafts: Once you’ve selected one or multiple drafts, tap the “Delete” button (often represented by a trash can icon). TikTok will ask you to confirm. Confirm the deletion, and the selected drafts will be permanently removed from your device.

That’s it – the drafts will disappear from your folder. Keep in mind: deleting a draft is permanent. There is no way to recover a TikTok draft once you delete it from the app (TikTok does not provide any trash or recycle bin for drafts). So be sure you won’t need the video or any of its footage before you delete. If there’s any chance you might want to use that content later, consider saving the draft to your camera roll (see next section) instead of deleting it outright.

Also, deleting drafts can free up storage space on your phone. Draft videos consume local storage, especially if they are high resolution. If you have many large drafts, periodically pruning ones you don’t intend to finish can help your phone’s storage and keep the TikTok app snappy.

How to Save TikTok Drafts to Your Camera Roll (Backup Your Drafts)

TikTok doesn’t offer a one-click “download draft” option, but there’s a clever workaround to save a draft video to your device’s gallery. This is useful if you want to back up a draft (for example, before switching to a new phone), or if you want to edit the video outside TikTok, or share the unposted video file with others. The trick is to post the draft privately (so only you can see it) while enabling the “Save to device” option. Here’s how to do it step by step:

1. 1. Open the draft you want to save: Go to your Drafts folder on your profile and tap on the draft video that you wish to save externally. This will open the draft in edit mode. Make any final edits if needed, then tap “Next” to go to the posting screen.

       

   2. Set the video to “Only me”: On the post screen, find the “Who can watch this video” setting (usually under Privacy or a lock icon). Change the visibility from “Everyone” (or Friends) to “Only me.” . This ensures that when you post the video, it will be private and not visible to any other users. (It will appear in your profile under a private lock, but don’t worry, we’ll remove it after saving.)

       

   3. Enable “Save to device”: Still on the post screen, look for “More options” (sometimes a gear icon or just scroll down). There should be a toggle for “Save to device” or “Save video”. Turn this option ON. This tells TikTok to download a copy of the video to your phone’s camera roll once it’s posted.

       

   4. Post the draft (privately): Now tap “Post”. The video will upload and publish to your profile, but because you set it to Only Me, no one else can see it on TikTok. The important part: as soon as it’s posted, TikTok will also save the video file to your camera roll (check your Photos or Gallery app, the video should appear there).

       

   5. Remove the private post (optional): After confirming the video is saved on your device, you might want to delete the private TikTok post to keep your profile clean. To do this, go to your profile page, tap the lock icon (which shows your private videos, visible only to you), find the video you just posted, and delete it from TikTok. Deleting the TikTok post will not delete the copy in your camera roll. You’ll still have the video file on your phone.

By following the above steps, you’ve effectively downloaded your TikTok draft. Now you have the video as an MP4 file on your phone, which you can: archive as a backup, transfer to another phone or computer, edit further in a third-party app if needed, or even re-upload on TikTok (or other platforms) later. This method is the recommended way to prevent losing drafts that you really care about. For example, if you’re an influencer working on a sponsored TikTok for an e-commerce brand, you might back up your draft in case the TikTok app glitches or you need to share the raw video with the brand for approval.

Tip: Saving drafts to your camera roll is also helpful if you want to upload the video on another platform (like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts) without the risk of a TikTok watermark. By posting privately and saving to device, you get a clean copy of the video. (Just note that if you had added music within TikTok, the audio is embedded in the saved video; that’s usually fine, and there won’t be a watermark since it wasn’t fully public.)

Lastly, keep in mind that TikTok drafts cannot be transferred or synced through your TikTok account – if you get a new phone, the only way to move drafts is to save them using the above method and then transfer the video files manually to the new device. Once on the new phone, you could upload those videos as new TikTok posts (or even recreate drafts by posting privately again). It’s a bit of a manual process, but it’s the only safeguard to avoid losing draft content during a device change.

Conclusion to How to Save and Find TikTok Drafts

In the fast-paced world of TikTok, drafts can be a creator’s secret weapon. By mastering how to save, refine, and strategically post using TikTok drafts, you give yourself the opportunity to deliver higher-quality videos consistently. For brands and micro influencers alike, this extra level of preparation can translate into stronger performance once the content goes live. Instead of rushing out a clip that’s “good enough,” you can polish it in drafts until it’s truly ready. That means catchier intros, smoother edits, more on-point captions – and ultimately, more engaged viewers.

For e-commerce businesses and Amazon sellers, leveraging TikTok drafts is especially beneficial. It allows you (or your influencer partners) to fine-tune product showcase videos or unboxing clips to be as compelling as possible before the world sees them. In an era where social commerce is booming – 37% of Americans under 60 have purchased something via TikTok Shop – putting out well-crafted TikTok content can directly impact your sales. Little improvements made during the drafting stage (like clearer product shots or better calls-to-action in the text) can lead to higher viewer interest and trust, turning more scrollers into shoppers.

Bottom line: TikTok drafts give you control and flexibility in your content creation process. They encourage a mindset of “create, review, improve” rather than post-in-haste. By taking advantage of drafts, you’ll reduce mistakes and typos, avoid accidental posts, and improve the overall quality of your TikToks – a win-win for your audience’s experience and your brand’s results.

Ready to take your TikTok game to the next level? Start applying these draft strategies to your workflow. And don’t forget to integrate it with a broader marketing plan – for instance, pairing polished TikTok videos with a micro-influencer campaign can amplify your reach. (Platforms like Stack Influence help e-commerce brands connect with micro influencers to produce authentic UGC at scale – an approach worth considering as you grow.) By using drafts and smart collaborations, you can turn TikTok into a reliable, ROI-driving channel for your business. Now, go forth and create – your next TikTok success might just be one well-edited draft away!