TikTok is rolling out Photo Mode, a new photo slideshow editing tool that mimics the features of Instagram, along with a few other new features, including enhanced editing abilities and longer captions.

TikTok Introduces Photo Mode

TikTok announces in a blog post that it’s rolling out Photo Mode, a carousel format made specifically for sharing still images on the app. In addition to still photos, creators can add music to their posts.

Posting content in Photo Mode is similar to posting regular video content in the app.

How To Use TikTok Photo Mode

To start creating content in Photo Mode, hit the “+” icon at the bottom of the For You page.

In the bottom right, click the “Upload” button to open your photo gallery. Choose the photos you want to add to their carousel and click “Next.”

Like with TikTok’s video posting features, the content editing page will appear. This is where you can add any music and effects.

A small icon will appear at the bottom of the screen that reads “Switch to Video Mode.”

The Social Media Rivalry

This new feature is strikingly similar to Instagram. Instagram is known for allowing creators to post still image carousel posts on their feed and stories, and TikTok seems to have mimicked this.

This adds to the recent history of social media platforms mirroring each other’s features.

In the past, TikTok has inspired new features across social media platforms, including Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and, most recently, Twitter’s new video features, so it may surprise some to see TikTok taking notes from other apps’ features.

TikTok’s New Enhanced Editing Tools

In addition to TikTok’s Photo Mode feature, the company rolled out a few new enhanced editing features.

In a blog post, the company announced:

“TikTok’s enhanced editing tools allow you to easily adjust clips, sounds, images, and text in a new editing environment, all within TikTok’s creation flow. You’ll be able to:

• Edit clips: Stack, trim, and split video clips.
• Edit sounds:Cut, trim, and set the duration for sounds.
• Edit and position text: More easilyedit, position, and set the duration for text.
• Add overlays: Add photo and video overlays for picture-in-picture (or video-in-video) stacking.
• Adjust video speed:Speed or slow the pace of video clips.
• Frame content: Rotate or zoom in and out of frame of individual clips.
• Add sound effects”

The company also announced longer descriptions for content, with up to 2,200 characters for each post. This is a big jump from the former 300-character limitation.

TikTok’s new features, including Photo Mode, are currently available in the U.S. and most global regions.

Featured Image: FellowNeko/Shutterstock