Meanings of Various TikTok Symbols and Icons - Build My Plays (2024)

Most of the icons at the bottom of your TikTok home screen have labels, but to make things clear, let’s quickly go through them from left to right:

When you tap the TikTok home icon, it takes you back to or refreshes your “For You” feed.

Here, TikTok’s algorithm shows you videos it thinks you’ll like based on the ones you’ve liked before.

The Friends icon helps you find and follow friends from your contacts and social media, allowing you to watch their videos.

3. Plus Icon (+) – Start Creating

The “+” icon in the center at the bottom is where you start creating.

Tap it to open the recording interface, where you can film, edit, and share videos easily.

4. Inbox Icon (Speech Bubble)

The speech bubble icon gives you access to your messages and video notifications.

It also shows new followers and suggests accounts you might like to follow.

5. Profile Icon (Person Symbol) – Your Identity

The person icon, on the far right, takes you to your profile.

Here, you can edit your bio, add a profile picture, and share other details about yourself.

You can also see all the videos you’ve made and your favorite videos, sounds, effects, and more.

Icons on the Right Side of the TikTok Home Screen

The icons on the right side of the TikTok home screen aren’t labeled, but they’re easy to understand once you know what they do. You might also see numbers showing how many likes, comments, or favorites a video has.

Let’s go through them from top to bottom:

1. Creator’s Profile with a “+” Sign

This icon shows the video’s creator. Tap it to view their TikTok profile.

The plus sign lets you follow the creator with a single tap.

2. Heart Icon (Love Symbol)

In TikTok’s “For You” feed, the heart icon is the “Like” button.

Tap it to like a video, turning the heart red.

Liking videos helps TikTok show you more content you enjoy.

3. Speech Bubble with 3 Dots

Tap this icon to view and post comments on the video you’re watching.

4. Bookmark Icon

Tap the bookmark icon to save the video to your favorites.

A pop-up will confirm it’s added. Click “Manage” to organize it into a collection or start a new one.

5. Share Icon (Right-Pointing Arrow)

Tap the share icon to share the video with friends on various platforms.

You can also report issues, mark “Not interested” to refine your feed, save the video, or create a Duet.

6. Vinyl Record Icon

This icon lets you find other videos using the same sound.

You can also save and use the sound for your videos.

TikTok Icons at The Top of the Home Screen

At the top of the screen, you’ll see icons from left to right that help you change your view:

1. Live TV Icon

Tap this icon to enter TikTok Live.

You can watch live streams, with or without comments and gifts from viewers.

If you don’t like the current live video, tap “Explore” at the top right for more options.

Followers may also get notifications when their favorite TikTokers go live.

2. Following

Swipe through the feeds of people you follow. A red dot means there’s new content.

3. Shop

Tap to see merchants, brands, and creators selling products on TikTok through videos, live broadcasts, and a product showcase section.

4. For You

This feed shows videos tailored to your interests by the TikTok algorithm.

It’s the first feed you see when you open TikTok.

5. Search Icon (Magnifying Glass)

The magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner lets you search for videos that interest you.

TikTok Icons at The Bottom of the Creator Page

Tap the “+” icon at the bottom of your TikTok home screen to go to the creator page where you make videos.

1. Record Button

The big round button is in the center bottom.

Press it to start recording. Press again to pause or stop recording.

2. Discard Icon (Backward Arrow with an “X”)

If you don’t like a video and want to redo it, tap the discard icon (a backward arrow with an “X”).

Note: once you discard a video, you can’t get it back.

3. Continue (Red Button with a White Checkmark)

When you’re happy with your video, click this icon to move to the next step.

This doesn’t publish the video right away. It lets you edit more before sharing it with others.

TikTok Icons on The Right of the Creator Page

All icons on this side of the page are labeled. Let’s go through each of them from top to bottom:

1. Flip (Circular Arrow Icon)

  • To change the camera direction while recording:
  • Tap the “Flip” icon at the upper right corner of the camera screen.
  • The camera will switch between the front and back cameras.

2. Speed (Speedometer Icon)

  • To set or change the recording speed:
  • Tap the “Speed” icon at the upper right corner of the camera screen.
  • Choose your preferred speed from the options above the red recording button.
  • Speeds like 0.3x and 0.5x slow down the video, 1x is the normal speed, and 2x and 3x speed up the video.

3. Filters (3 Overlapping Circles Icon)

The filters icon lets you access video filters.

Filters can enhance videos with effects, from basic lighting changes to fun alterations like turning you into a rainbow or a puppy.

4. Beautify (Spark-Shooting Wand Icon)

The Beautify icon looks like a spark-shooting wand.

When activated, it automatically enhances your video by adjusting lighting and color to improve visual quality.

4. Timer (Clock Icon)

  • Use the timer to record videos hands-free.
  • Tap the Timer icon on the side.
  • Choose your video duration.
  • Start the countdown. The app will start recording, and you can stop anytime by tapping the record button.

5. Flash (Lightning Bolt with Backslash Icon)

  • To use the flash while recording:
  • Tap “Flash” to turn on the light, and tap again to turn it off.
  • This function only works with the back camera, not in selfie mode.

Final Words

Knowing what the TikTok symbols and icons mean makes using the app easier and more fun. Now you can navigate TikTok like a pro. Keep exploring, creating, and watching videos.

Ready to get the most out of TikTok? Start using these tips today!

TikTok Icons FAQs

What Do TikTok Symbols and Icons Mean?

TikTok symbols and icons help you access different features and functions in the app. They make it easy to navigate, create, and interact with content.

How Do I Find My Saved Videos on TikTok?

To find your saved videos, tap the bookmark icon (Flag symbol) on the right side of the home screen. This will take you to your collection of bookmarked videos, so you can easily access your favorite content.

What does the speech bubble icon mean?

The speech bubble icon opens the comments section, where you can view and leave comments on a video.

Meanings of Various TikTok Symbols and Icons - Build My Plays (2024)

FAQs

Meanings of Various TikTok Symbols and Icons - Build My Plays? ›

The first icon (a profile photo with a “+” underneath) will take you to a user's profile where you can follow them. The second is a heart, which you can tap to like a video. There's a speech bubble which you tap to leave a comment. The arrow allows you to share TikTok videos to other platforms.

What do the different symbols mean on TikTok? ›

The first icon (a profile photo with a “+” underneath) will take you to a user's profile where you can follow them. The second is a heart, which you can tap to like a video. There's a speech bubble which you tap to leave a comment. The arrow allows you to share TikTok videos to other platforms.

What are the buttons on TikTok? ›

Use 'em!
  • Tap the profile icon to go to the user's profile. ...
  • Tap the heart icon to like a video. ...
  • Tap the speech bubble icon to leave a comment or read comments.
  • Tap the arrow icon to share the video with a friend, save it, use the same effect on your own video, or duet or stitch the video to your own fresh take.

What is the banner icon on TikTok? ›

The banner appears when a product is linked on TikTok. It doesn't matter if the product was bought with own money, gifted by the company, or if the creator is getting paid to make the video.

What is the now symbol on TikTok? ›

As of now, you can access TikTok Now with the “Now” button found on the bottom navigation bar in the TikTok app. The button icon looks like a lightning bolt and should be the second option from the left in the navigation bar. Once you tap the icon, you'll see an Explore Feed full of TikTok Now posts.

What are the different badges on TikTok? ›

The Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Badges can unlock a TikTok profile frame that's active for a certain period of time from when it was claimed: Silver profile frame: active for 3 months. Gold profile frame: active for 6 months. Platinum profile frame: active for 12 months.

What does the TikTok symbol represent? ›

The original logo featured the now-iconic “note” symbol, which resembles a musical note or a 'd', reflecting TikTok's origins in the music-focused app Musical.ly, which ByteDance had acquired earlier. This note was designed to embody the essence of movement and sound, core elements of the platform.

What does the ribbon symbol mean on TikTok? ›

The ribbon icon means saving or bookmarking interesting, useful, or important content. This lets users quickly access that content later. It shows users which items have been saved or bookmarked.

What does the badge symbol mean on TikTok? ›

A verified badge means that we've confirmed the account belongs to the person or brand it represents. This means you can be sure to know that the verified accounts you're following are exactly who they say they are, rather than a parody or fan account.

What is the tag symbol on TikTok? ›

Open the TikTok app. and find a video you want to comment on. Tap on the comment box and type your comment. To tag someone at, type at or the Emperor sign.

What does the flag symbol mean on TikTok? ›

Flag icon: adds the video to your collection of favorites. When you tap on this, a pop-up window will show you that it's been added to your favorites; if you tap on Manage on the right side of the pop-up, you can add it to an existing collection of favorites or start a new one.

What does the play button on TikTok mean? ›

The play button represents the total number of views the video has received. The heart represents how many likes the video has received. The comment bubble represents how many comments have been made under your video.

What is the symbol for hashtags on TikTok? ›

As is the case on most social media platforms, TikTok hashtags are words or phrases preceded by the "#" symbol used to categorize content on the platform.

What are the gift symbols on TikTok? ›

Let's delve into the range of TikTok gift values and their real-world equivalents:
  • Rose. Value: 1 coin. Approximate USD: $0.01.
  • Panda. Value: 5 coins. ...
  • Perfume. Value: 20 coins. ...
  • I Love You. Value: 49 coins. ...
  • Confetti. Value: 100 coins. ...
  • Sunglasses. Value: 199 coins. ...
  • Money Rain. Value: 500 coins. ...
  • Disco Ball. Value: 1,000 coins.
Jun 25, 2024

What do certain Emojis mean on TikTok? ›

🤡 Clown Face: describing someone selfish or unintelligent. 🎂 Birthday Cake: alternative to 🍑 Peach when referring to buttocks (eg 'nice 🎂') 💀 Skull: figurative 'I'm dead' (I found this very funny, an alternative to 😂 Face with Tears of Joy) 👁👄👁: I am observing and somewhat engrossed in this content.

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