The Meaning of “Stitch Incoming” on TikTok (Plus, How to Stitch Videos)

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Breaking down TikTok’s popular stitching feature

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: July 28, 2024 Fact Checked

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Meaning on TikTok

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Stitching Videos on TikTok

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Stitch vs Duet on TikTok

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Meaning on YouTube

While scrolling on TikTok, you might come across videos captioned as “Stitch incoming.” “Stitch incoming” means that a TikTok creator used the Stitch feature. This lets their viewers know that they’re responding to a small clip taken from another user’s video. Keep reading to learn what “Stitch incoming” means on TikTok and YouTube, how to use the Stitch feature, and how Stitches differ from Duets on TikTok.

Things You Should Know

On TikTok, “Stitch incoming” refers to a creator using the Stitch feature. This means the creator added a clip from another user’s content into their video.
Adding “Stitch incoming” to a video lets viewers know that the creator is responding to the clipped content, ensuring that they don’t scroll past the video.
On YouTube, “Stitch incoming” means that a creator used a short clip from another user’s video in their YouTube Short.

Section 1 of 4:

Stitch Incoming Meaning on TikTok

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“Stitch incoming” means a creator used content from another video. On TikTok, the Stitch feature allows creators to take a small clip from a user’s content and add it to their video. When a user puts “Stitch incoming” in the caption or video, they’re letting viewers know that they are including content from another user’s video and responding to it.^{[1]
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- TikTok automatically adds “#stitch with” and a link to the original user’s content in the creator’s video caption.
- The Stitch feature is used to respond to or add to another user’s content. So, it’s commonly used for commentary and reaction videos.
- Some users make videos to be stitched. They might pose a question like, “What’s the greatest song of all time,” and ask users to stitch the video with their answer.
- TikTok rolled out the Stitch feature in September 2020.
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“Stitch incoming” helps prevent viewers from scrolling past the video. The clip that a user stitches might be different from their typical content. Because the stitched clip plays at the very beginning of the video, viewers might get confused and scroll past it. So, creators add “Stitch incoming” to tell their viewers that their response or commentary is coming after the stitched content.
- For instance, a creator who shares information about sustainability might stitch a clip from a user’s fast-fashion haul. The creator’s viewers might be surprised to see a clothing haul on their For You Page, so the “Stitch incoming” caption lets them know there’s different content to come.
- Because the Stitch feature is used a lot in commentary and response videos, the clips can be controversial. So, “Stitch incoming” also lets viewers know that the creator doesn’t support the clipped content’s message.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Stitch Videos on TikTok

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Find a video you want to Stitch and tap “Share” then “Stitch.” Go to the video you want to react to or comment on. In the bottom right corner, look for the “Share” icon, which looks like a white arrow. Then, scroll through the menu at the bottom of the screen and press the “Stitch” icon.^{[2]
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- TikTok lets their users decide if their videos can be stitched or not. So, not every video is stitchable.
The Stitch feature lets you clip up to 5 seconds of the user’s video. Simply scroll through the user’s video to select what part you want to respond to. If you don’t need all 5 seconds, simply drag the highlighted bar down.^{[3]
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Tap “Next” and record your video. Press the red “Next” button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Now, it’s your turn to respond to the clip. Just press the red “Record” button on the screen to start filming.^{[4]
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- With the Stitch feature, you can’t upload content that you already filmed.^{[5]
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Edit the video, tap “Next,” and then press “Post.” Edit the video you filmed and add any effects or features using the menu on the right side of the screen. When you’re done, preview your video to watch the stitched content and your recording. Simply press “Next” to add a cover to your video and write a caption. Then, tap “Post.”^{[6]
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- Adjust your privacy settings on the “Post” page. You can select who’s able to see your video and disable or enable commenting, dueting, and stitching.
- You cannot delete the automatic “#stitch with” caption that TikTok adds to your video.

Section 3 of 4:

The Difference Between Stitch and Duet on TikTok

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A Duet is 2 side-by-side videos while a Stitch is 2 sequential videos. Duets and Stitches both involve a creator using another user’s content in their video. In a Duet, the creator's recording plays at the same time as the original user’s video on a split screen. This is different from a Stitch, which shows a clip from an existing user’s content followed by the creator’s video.^{[7]
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- Duets are commonly used in singing, dancing, and comedy videos, where the creator plays off of the original user’s video.

Section 4 of 4:

Stitch Incoming Meaning on YouTube

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“Stitch incoming” refers to using content from an existing video. When watching YouTube Shorts, you might see creators title their videos “Stitch incoming” or add a “Stitch incoming” banner directly in the video. This means the creator clipped content from another user’s video into their own using YouTube’s Sampled Content feature.^{[8]
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- Like on TikTok, “Stitch incoming” lets the creator’s viewers know that their commentary or response is coming after the clipped content.
- As of now, this feature is only available for YouTube Shorts.
- Some users upload TikToks to YouTube shorts. So, some videos titled or labeled “Stitch incoming” might be stitched content from TikTok.

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Tips

Some TikTokers might use “Stitch incoming” to mean that their videos are really funny and will leave their viewers in stitches. Other users might shorten “Situation incoming” to “Stitch incoming” to mean their response to a video is coming soon. These meanings are typically less common.

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