Internet Culture

TikTok adds a year in review function

A view of the past year on TikTok in one place.

Photo of Michelle Jaworski

Michelle Jaworski

illustration of woman holding coffee taking a selfie

For some of us, one of the few rare reprieves of 2020 was the creativity and humor that poured out of TikTok. And now, for the first time, we can revisit the videos that helped us get through the year.

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The feature, which is called “Year on TikTok,” works similarly to other app year wrap-ups such as Spotify Wrapped or Apple Music Reply. It’s designed to give you a visual recap of what you spent the past year watching and rewatching on TikTok.

“From most-played tracks to favorite creative effects, Year on TikTok lets you revisit some of your defining TikTok memories in true TikTok style,” TikTok’s blog post on the new feature stated. “Each personalized video highlights TikTok favorites from your 2020, and even shares a handful of top ‘vibes’ based on the kinds of content you loved most.”

To access the feature, all you need to do is to go into the TikTok app, go to the “For You” tab, and click on the “Year on TikTok” circle in the top left corner. From there, you’ll be prompted to start the video. After you share your personalized video, you’ll be able to add a 2021 badge to your profile to mark the start of a new year.

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However, if you don’t have a TikTok account or haven’t been using the platform for all that long, you’ll still be able to explore the year in TikTok. Clicking on the “Year in TikTok” circle will direct you toward several groupings that make up TikTok’s Top 100.

From there, you’ll be able to access TikTok’s most popular viral videos from 2020 such as Nathan Apodaca’s original TikTok video in which he drinks cranberry juice and skateboards while Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” plays to memes and challenges like the one that Apodaca’s video inspired. You’ll also be able to view the top TikTok creators on the platform, the celebrities who turned to TikTok in 2020, activists who used TikTok to push for change, and a list of hacks, tutorials, and guides.

On TikTok, there’s plenty for all of us to explore. And if you think that the eclectic array of videos made for an interesting 2020 on the app, just imagine what our Year on TikTok might look like at the end of 2021.

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The Daily Dot