Sometimes a video is edited perfectly, but after publishing – silence or “sound unavailable”. In practice, this is almost always about the music source, volume, or technical details during export. Below are short steps on how to quickly check and fix, without extra loops and surprises.
I’ll explain through real scenarios: when you need to publish quickly, when the result is important, and when the video is for a website or ad campaign. I’ll show the difference between “it can be done” and “it’s better to do it this way”. And I’ll give checklists so you can go point by point and not return to the problem an hour later.
Briefly: the three most common causes
In practice, it most often happens like this: people take a popular track from the internet, overlay it on a video, publish – and the platform cuts out the sound. The second common story is voice too quiet or clipping (distortion) due to overload. The third is desync, where the sound shifts towards the end of the video.
- Music without rights: the platform removes or mutes the track after upload.
- Inappropriate audio settings: peaks above 0 dB, unknown codec, unusual sample rate.
- Video file with variable frame rate (VFR): by the end, voice lags or rushes.
At this stage, it’s logical to move on to choosing a tool and figuring out which app removes sound from video, to properly prepare the file and avoid repeated problems upon upload.
| Symptom | Where to Look | What Should Be | What to Do If It’s Not |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Sound unavailable” after publishing | Video page → sound icon | Label “Original Sound” or track from library | Replace music with legal: built-in library or stock with license |
| Sound is there in editor, gone after publishing | Audio sources in the project | Your own voice/self-recorded loop | Export without others’ tracks, add music later in the app |
| Sound is quiet | Phone volume and sound slider in app | Audible normally at 50-70% volume | Increase loudness to -16…-14 LUFS, limit peaks to -1 dBTP |
| Distortion/Clipping | Peaks in the editor | Peaks no higher than -1 dBTP | Add soft clipper/limiter, reduce volume |
| Desync | File properties: FPS and VFR/CFR | Constant Frame Rate (CFR) | Transcode source files to CFR, re-export the video |
Separately, there is the user scenario – how to turn off sound on TikTok?, when you need to control playback, not solve a problem with removal or licensing of audio.
If the sound was cut after publishing
Here, people usually make the same mistake: they take a popular track not from the platform’s library. The preview plays, but after moderation the sound disappears. If you need to post quickly, use the built-in music library or leave an “original sound” with your voice.
If during checking the message this sound isn’t licensed on TikTok appears, the platform automatically blocks the audio after publishing, even if the video played correctly in the preview stage.
- Check where the music is from: if it’s a file from Spotify/YouTube – replace it.
- If the video is a duet/stitch with someone else’s track – the sound may also be restricted.
- Better do this: publish without music, then add a track from the app’s own library.
- One important point often forgotten: account type. On business accounts, the library is usually smaller.
In this situation, there’s often a desire to download a sound via TikTok link, however, using external sources and files outside the platform’s library most often leads to audio passing the preview but then disappearing after moderation.
| Music Source | Where to Get It | When Suitable | What Not to Do / Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Library | Inside the app during editing | Quick publishing without surprises | Tracks sometimes unavailable for business |
| Original Sound (your voice/loop) | Record in editor or inside the app | Voice, podcast clips, voiceover text | Don’t insert fragments of known songs |
| Stock with License | Music stocks with commercial license | Ads, promo, videos for websites | Keep the license, don’t use “similar” covers |
| Popular tracks from streaming | Download from the web | Never | High risk of muting/blocking |
If sound is quiet or distorted
When the result is important, go through the basic volume settings. For short videos, a comfortable benchmark is integrated loudness of -16…-14 LUFS, peaks up to -1 dBTP. This sounds stable on phones and doesn’t clip after re-encoding.
- In the editor, enable loudness normalization and a limiter with a ceiling of -1 dBTP.
- Reduce harsh sub-bass and sibilance (“s” sounds) with a light EQ and de-esser.
- Mix music 8-12 dB quieter than voice, so speech is always in front.
- Choose AAC (LC), 44.1 or 48 kHz, 192-256 kbps. This is sufficient.
| Editor | Container | Audio Codec | Sample rate | Bitrate | Loudness | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CapCut | MP4 (H.264) | AAC LC | 48 kHz | 256 kbps | -16…-14 LUFS | Limiter -1 dBTP |
| Premiere Pro | MP4 (H.264) | AAC LC | 48 kHz | 192-256 kbps | -16…-14 LUFS | Render at Maximum Depth – not required |
| Final Cut Pro | MP4 (H.264) | AAC LC | 48 kHz | 256 kbps | -16…-14 LUFS | Roles: Dialogue/ Music separate |
| DaVinci Resolve | MP4 (H.264) | AAC LC | 48 kHz | 192-256 kbps | -16…-14 LUFS | True Peak -1 dBTP in Fairlight |
| iPhone (from Photos) | MP4 (H.264/HEVC) | AAC LC | 44.1–48 kHz | Auto | Watch peaks | Record in Silent mode – no sound |
If sound is desynced or distorted
Desync most often comes from source files with variable frame rate (VFR) – typical for screen recordings and some phones. Better do this: transcode sources to a constant frame rate (CFR) and only then edit. If already edited – re-export with CFR.
- Convert source files to CFR 30/60 fps with any converter before editing.
- Mix all audio to one sample rate (48 kHz) in the project.
- If you hear double echo in a duet – disable recording system sound with the microphone.
- Mono/stereo: for voice, mono is enough; for music – stereo, but without extreme panning.
| Problem | Sign | Cause | Quick Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speech desync | Voice “drifted” by end of video | VFR video or different sample rate | Transcode to CFR, convert audio to 48 kHz |
| Distortion/Clipping | Sibilants “cut”, bass “mumbles” | Peaks above 0 dB, aggressive compression | Limiter -1 dBTP, soft 2:1 compression, EQ |
| Double sound in duet | Echo and “phase” artifacts | Microphone picks up speaker sound | Headphones or disable speaker monitoring |
| Mono instead of stereo | Music “flat”, center overloaded | Incorrect export/mix | Export stereo, check panning and summing |
How to quickly post a video with your voice without surprises
When you need speed, don’t chase music – publish an “original sound”. This reduces the chance of muting and saves time. Later, if needed, add music from the built-in library.
- Record voice in a quiet room, microphone 15-20 cm away.
- Clean up noise slightly (Noise Reduction 10-20%), add a -1 dBTP limiter.
- If music is needed, set it at -20 dB relative to speech.
- Export: MP4 H.264, AAC 48 kHz, 192-256 kbps, peaks up to -1 dBTP.
Many users initially consume content without audio, so the question how to watch TikTok without sound is directly related to the “original sound” format and readable captions.
Check yourself before publishing
- Is speech audible at 50-60% phone volume without headphones?
- Is there any distortion on “s”, “sh” sounds and in peaks? Peaks no higher than -1 dBTP.
- Tracks: only platform library, stock with license, or your original sound.
- File exported with CFR and AAC LC? Same sample rate across the project?
- Did you preview on two devices: with headphones and without?
Nuances on music and copyright without headaches
If the video is for a brand, promo, or website – better do this: use stock music with an explicit commercial license and keep proof. This addresses moderation and repost issues. For personal videos, the safest is “original sound” or music from the built-in library.
To reduce risks, more people choose the path of how to make your own sound on TikTok, recording their own track or using stock with a commercial license – this way rights remain under full control and there are no issues with moderation, reposts, or promotion.
Covers and “similar” remixes are a common trap: algorithms recognize the original, and the sound can be removed. If in doubt, leave the video with your voice and no music – better silence than a block. You can add music inside the app before publishing, checking the track’s availability.
For those using the built-in library, it’s important to figure out in advance, how to find a sound on TikTok, to check its availability for your account type.
When you can leave everything as is
If speech is clear, music doesn’t interfere, peaks are normal, and the track is from the library – publish. For breaking news and short tips, they do just that: minimal processing, clean voice, light background. It’s faster and safer.
When it’s better to redo it
If after export you hear distortion, the video “drifts” in sync, or you used a popular track “from outside”. Redoing will take less time than arguing with a block. Rebuild the sound according to the checklist and re-export.
If TikTok removed the sound, redoing the video per checklist takes less time than waiting or trying to contest moderation.
Summary
To not lose sound after publishing, stick to three rules: legal music source, careful loudness (-16…-14 LUFS, peaks -1 dBTP), and stable technical settings (AAC, 48 kHz, CFR). In practice, this most often solves the problem in one pass.
If you need speed, publish an “original sound” with your voice and add music later inside the app. This way you avoid surprises and save time.
Separately, users are interested in, is it possible to turn off sound during a live stream on TikTok?, but this scenario relates to stream settings and doesn’t affect audio in published videos.
What’s your scenario: a quick video “here and now” or preparing a video for a website/ad?
