TikTok adds iOS 14 App Clip to TestFlight beta

TikTok logo
TikTok logo (Image credit: TikTok)

What you need to know

  • TikTok is getting an App Clip for iOS 14.
  • It has just added the feature to its latest TestFlight beta.
  • iOS 14 App Clips allow users to experience snippets of apps without downloading them.

TikTok has added an iOS 14 App Clip to its latest TestFlight beta.

As reported by AppleTerminal:

In its latest TestFlight update, TikTok has added support for iOS 14's new "App Clips" feature. App Clips allows developers to load a miniature web-version of their app that users can use to get a quick idea about what the app is about, without downloading it.TikTok's App Clip under the current beta pulls up a full-screen preview of the app that shows trending videos, with a prompt to download TikTok itself to explore more. The App Clip has only appeared in the latest beta of the app, and a date for an official rollout to the public remains unknown.

Apple added TestFlight support for App Clips in August, after announcing the new feature as part of iOS 14 at WWDC. App Clips allow users to experience a small snippet of an app without downloading the whole thing. It can be useful for things like paying for goods in a store. One recent example, ExxonMobile has just added QR codes to fuel pumps at gas stations across the country, allowing users to download an App Clip to quickly pay for their fuel. From our iOS 14 guide:

With App Store Clips, you'll get notifications that suggest an app. You don't have to download the full app if you don't want to, and if that's the case, then you can just use an App Clip. These App Clips support Sign-in with Apple and Apple Pay, so you don't even need to input credit card information.

As AppleTerminal notes, you can join the TikTok TestFlight beta within the TikTok app on your iPhone, however, to take advantage of the latest App Clip feature, you'll have to delete TikTok, as the whole premise of the feature is to allow users to experience TikTok even if they don't have it downloaded.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9