Can I download someone else's TikTok? UK copyright in plain English

Technically, any public TikTok can be downloaded. Whether you're allowed to copy it, repost it or use it in your own work is a separate question, and the answer is usually "only with permission". This guide explains why, and where the exceptions are, in plain English. It's general information about UK law, not legal advice.

Videos are protected the moment they're made

In the UK, copyright protects original works automatically. There's no form to fill in and no © symbol needed. A TikTok video can involve several layers of rights at once:

• the film itself, owned by whoever made it
• any music in it, owned by songwriters, publishers and record labels
• any script or spoken words, which can be literary works
• artwork, photos or other clips that appear in it

The main law is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Copying a protected work, or sharing it with the public, without permission infringes copyright unless an exception applies.

"But it's public" isn't permission

Posting a video publicly lets people watch it on TikTok. It doesn't give anyone the right to take a copy and republish it elsewhere. TikTok's own terms also limit downloading to the features the app provides, so even a download for yourself may break the platform's rules, separately from copyright.

There's no general "personal copy" exception

Many people assume that copying something just for themselves is always fine. In the UK there's no broad exception for this. A private copying exception was introduced in 2014, but the High Court quashed it in 2015. So "it's only for me" isn't a legal defence in itself, even though it's lower risk in practice than republishing.

The exceptions that do exist

UK law allows some uses without permission, as long as the use is "fair dealing", meaning fair and proportionate in the circumstances. The main ones relevant to video are:

• Criticism and review. Using a short extract to review or critique a work, with credit.
• Quotation. Quoting a work for any purpose, if the use is fair, the extract is no longer than needed, and the source is credited. Since October 2014 this covers more than just reviews.
• Parody, caricature and pastiche. Also since October 2014, limited use for parody, caricature or pastiche is allowed if it's fair.
• Reporting current events. Using extracts of video, not photographs, to report news, with credit.

Courts look at how much you used, whether it competes with the original, and whether the purpose is genuine. Reposting someone's whole video with "credit to @creator" in the caption doesn't fit any of these. It's simply republishing.

The government's guidance on exceptions to copyright and the text of section 30A set out the details.

Stitches and duets

TikTok's stitch and duet features are allowed within TikTok because creators can switch them on or off, and the platform's terms cover that use. Downloading a stitch or duet and posting it on Instagram takes the other creator's part outside that arrangement, so you'd need their permission for that too.

Getting permission is easier than you think

Most creators respond well to a polite, specific ask. A short message works:

Hi, I loved your video on repotting monsteras. Could I share it on our shop's Instagram with credit to you? Happy to send you the post before it goes up.

Keep the reply. A written yes, even in a DM, is your record. If it's for a business or an advert, offer to pay. Many creators license their videos, and a few pounds is far cheaper than a dispute.

If someone has reposted your video

You can report it to the platform where it was reposted. Most have a copyright form for rights holders. If it was downloaded through TT Grab, you can also ask us to block the link.

The short answer

You can download your own videos freely. For anyone else's, assume you need permission, unless your use genuinely fits one of the fair dealing exceptions above. When in doubt, ask the creator. It's the quickest route, and it's how good collaborations start.