If you are a TikTok fan, you may want to enjoy watching your favorite TikTok celebrities on your big screen, not to mention fun and embarrassing videos of you and your friends.
It’s quick and simple to get the TikTok app working on your Android TV Box, though it can be a bit more complicated to get it working exactly the way that you want.
Read our complete guide for everything you need to know about downloading the app as well as our tips on the best tech to use to get the most out of the TikTok experience on the big screen.
Watching TikTok On Android And Android TV
TikTok has a native app for Android, so it is a simple matter of downloading the app from the Google Play Store to either your Android smartphone or your Android TV streaming device (whether that be a smart TV or an Android TV box).
The app is free to use, though it does have in-app purchases and in-app advertising, and works on anything from Android 4.1 and up.
Once you download the app, you can browse the videos on TikTok all in a setting that is optimized for your big TV screen rather than for your little smartphone screen.
As a word of warning, you won’t be able to just download and install the TikTok app if you are using Amazon Fire TV, as the Amazon Store offers a view-only version of the app called More on TikTik. You can find out more about TikTok on Amazon Fire TV and how to work around restrictions in our guide on how to use TikTok on Amazon Fire TV.
Uploading Content
But TikTok is not just about watching content—it is about creating and sharing your own. How can you do that when you are on your big screen? Well, that is when things become more complicated.
Basically, you have two options. The first is to do your video creation using your smartphone. For this to work seamlessly, rather than using the native app on your Android TV, you will want to mirror your smartphone onto your TV. This way, you are in fact using your smartphone, just projected onto your big screen.
This is simple to do with Wi-Fi direct on most Android TV boxes. But if you are looking for the best apps to finesse the screen mirroring process, check out:
- Screen Mirror – will work with whatever device you want to cast from
- SoomApps Screen Mirroring – the most popular and highest ranked screen mirroring app in the store
- Screen Mirroring With All TV – will work with all Android devices 4.0 and higher
The other option is to record content directly using your Android TV box But for this, you will need a camera. Android TV boxes do not come with a camera as standard, so you’ll need to buy one.
If you are looking for a webcam to work seamlessly with your Android TV box, we recommend the following three options.
Nexigo 1080P FHD Web Camera With Dual Microphone And Privacy Cover
This webcam is incredibly easy to use. Just plug it into one of the USB ports on your Android TV box, position it, and you are good to go.
You can record in full 1080P HD at 30 frames per second, and the camera features a 3.6mm glass lens to ensure images are sharp. It also has a built-in, dual stereo microphone for great sound when you aren’t lip syncing.
Protect the lens and your privacy by closing the cover when not in use. No one likes the idea of their tech watching them.
Angetube 1080P Web Camera With 100-Degree View Angle
This webcam has long been favored by gamers because of its 100-degree wide view angle lens, which means it can take everything in. It is ideal for those joint TikTok films.
You get full HD 1080P film with built-in dual microphones that can pick up sound from 9.8 feet away.
Compatible with Android devices, this camera is incredibly easy to use. Just plug into one of your USB ports and you are ready to go.
Nexigo 2020 1080P 60FPS Web Camera
A second entry from Nexigo: If you are willing to pay a bit more you can get this full HD camera that records 1080P at 60 frames per second. It also has a 12- degree wide-angle lens, which means you can get everything in the picture.
There are two omnidirectional microphones for perfect sound, and there are lots of intelligent functions working behind the scenes to automatically tune and adjust images and audio for maximum quality.
Plug and play via USB, it works with any device Android 4.0 and higher.
If you are looking for the best Android TV boxes, check out our list here.
The Verdict
Watching TikTok on Android TV is simple—all you need to do is download the app directly from the Google Play Store to your Android TV box. Uploading your own content is a slightly more complicated matter. You will either want to twin your smartphone with your TV to use as your camera, or invest in a webcam for your Android TV box.
Do you have any experience using a webcam with an Android TV box? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments section below.
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