TikTok announces Library, a new way to put GIPHY Clips into videos

Tiktok On iPhone
Tiktok On iPhone (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • TikTok has announced a new feature called Library.
  • Library will include GIPHY Clips at launch.
  • GIPHY Clips are GIFs with sound that can be spliced into TikTok videos.

TikTok today announced what it calls Library, a feature that gives people the chance to add GIPHY Clips to their videos for the first time.

GIPHY Clips are essentially GIFs but with audio and TikTok says that they will live in Library, a feature that will allow people to create new types of content — so the video-based social network says. GIPHY Clips can be spliced into videos when a creator wants to.

Library also unlocks a new category of entertainment content, making it easy for people to start or participate in their own trends, using clips from their favorite shows, GIFs, memes and more by seamlessly integrating them into their TikTok videos.

Not sure what any of that actually means or what it will look like in practice? Fear not — there's an example.

@giphy

TikTok says there will be a few different types of GIPHY Clips available at launch including reactions, quotes, and more.

  • Reactions: much like GIFs, content that captures a raw emotional reaction and are relatable to users make perfect Clips
  • Quotes: memorable catchphrases and quotable moments from notable personalities
  • People: fandom is real, and people look for their favorite celebrities, athletes, etc. to help express themselves
  • Iconic moments: whether it's an awards speech, beloved TV characters, or game-changing play, these big moments are bound to be shareable conversation starters

Creators can learn more about how GIPHY Clips will work on the TikTok website, while GIPHY itself has also shared more details. Including a handy YouTube video showing how everything goes down in-app.

TikTok is one of the best iPhone apps for people who want to create, and indeed consume, relatively short videos. It'll be interesting to see how creators use the new feature beyond what we've already seen here.

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.