TikTok Debuts Animated Avatars With Customizable Looks And Sounds

TikTok is launching its own avatar creation tool. (photo: doc. tiktok)

JAKARTA - Avatars are now a new way to interact on social media, that's why TikTok is launching its own avatar creation tool. Users can turn themselves into custom animated avatars.

These avatars can be created by TikTok users in the style of Apple Memoji, Snapchat Bitmoji, and Meta Avatars. The feature can be accessed from the app's camera along with various other TikTok effects via the Effects panel.

To use the feature, open the app, flip the camera to selfie mode, tap an effect, and select an avatar effect. The user can then use the preset view or press the new button to create a custom avatar.

Users can also customize the avatar's face shape, skin tone, hairstyle, and accessories, including makeup. In addition to avatar photos, users can also record videos with the avatar following movements and facial expressions.

"Choose from a variety of hairstyles, accessories, piercings and makeup, to create a TikTok Avatar that reflects your personal look and style. Once your Avatar is ready, you can start recording video. As you gesture and move, your Avatar will mimic your movements. , said TikTok.

In Miniature mode, users can place their custom avatar as an overlay on a TikTok clip. It can make users more creative, with their digital characters embedded in TikTok clips and remixes, or providing voiceover directions in videos.

Its functionality is very similar to Apple's Memoji, where users can use their chosen Memoji character as a digital puppet, with the character moving in response to the user's actions while looking at the camera.

TikTok says it wants to make this feature as inclusive as possible and will continue to improve and innovate to ensure the experience truly represents everyone on TikTok.

It's interesting that so many social media platforms have now used custom avatars as a way for people to communicate.

Likewise with Snapchat and iMessage's concept of using Bitmojis and Memojis to communicate with people they know, TikTok avatars have the potential to be used by pseudonymous content creators.

This is a trend that has been launched on YouTube with VTubers and can certainly be implemented on platforms like TikTok. Users can even combine their custom avatar with pre-existing TikTok sound effects for further anonymity.