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TikTok continues its Repost button rollout, limits it to the For You feed

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TikTok
TikTok (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • TikTok is testing a Repost button for easier re-sharing of videos.
  • The Repost button doesn't appear on all videos.
  • Not all users have access to the new Repost button as of right now.

Video-based social network TikTok continues the rollout of its Repost button, giving people a new way to share videos that they find. The videos appear in the feeds of others, but unlike Twitter's Retweet button, they won't also pop up on profile pages. Now, it also seems that the button itself is only going to be available on select videos as well.

While the Repost button is still being rolled out — I don't see it at all, for example — TechCrunch reports that the button only shows up on videos that have been found via the For You page. That means that only videos that have been through TikTok's algorithm can be Reposted, at least for now.

For example, if you find a video through the Discover page or in your TikTok inbox from a friend's share, you won't see the Repost button there. It only appears on videos you come across when you're browsing your own For You feed on the app, we've confirmed. In other words, it's a way to boost the visibility of video you've already been recommended algorithmically and now want more people to see.

Tiktok Repost Button

Tiktok Repost Button (Image credit: TechCrunch)

It isn't immediately clear whether that's a feature of the new button or just a way for TikTok to limit its rollout. Either way, its appearance anywhere is better than the current alternative that requires people to share content as a whole new video.

TikTok is one of the best iPhone apps for watching and sharing video-based content and the arrival or a proper way to re-share videos is definitely a welcome one.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.