How to Schedule TikTok Posts with an API

Schedule a TikTok post for a specific time

The most direct approach is to set an exact publish date. Add the scheduled_date parameter (ISO-8601 format) and a timezone (IANA format) to your upload request. The API accepts dates up to 365 days in the future.

Here is a cURL example that schedules a TikTok video for September 22 at 10:00 AM New York time, with privacy set to public and duets disabled:

curl -X POST https://api.upload-post.com/api/upload \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey your-api-key-here" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "user=mybrand" \
  -F "title=Morning routine that changed everything #fyp #routine" \
  -F "platform[]=tiktok" \
  -F "scheduled_date=2025-09-22T10:00:00Z" \
  -F "timezone=America/New_York" \
  -F "privacy_level=PUBLIC" \
  -F "disable_duet=false" \
  -F "disable_comment=false" \
  -F "disable_stitch=false"

When the post is successfully scheduled, the API responds with a 202 status code and a job_id:

{
  "success": true,
  "job_id": "scheduler_job_abc123",
  "scheduled_date": "2025-09-22T10:00:00Z"
}

Save that job_id. You will need it to edit, reschedule, or cancel the post later. You can also list all your pending scheduled posts at any time:

curl https://api.upload-post.com/api/uploadposts/schedule \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey your-api-key-here"

This returns an array of all pending jobs with their job_id, scheduled_date, platform details, and a preview URL of the content. For a deeper look at scheduling across all platforms, see the general scheduling guide.

Use the queue for hands-free scheduling

Picking exact dates works when you have a few posts. But if you are batch-producing content, manually choosing a time for each video gets tedious fast. The queue system solves this. You define your preferred posting schedule once, and then every piece of content you add automatically gets assigned to the next available slot.

Configure your queue schedule

First, tell the system when you want content to go out. This example sets up three slots per day, Monday through Friday, in the New York timezone:

curl -X POST https://api.upload-post.com/api/uploadposts/queue/settings \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey your-api-key-here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "timezone": "America/New_York",
    "slots": [
      { "hour": 8, "minute": 0 },
      { "hour": 12, "minute": 30 },
      { "hour": 18, "minute": 0 }
    ],
    "days": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
  }'

This gives you 15 TikTok slots per week: 8:00 AM, 12:30 PM, and 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You can define up to 24 slots per day and include weekends by adding days 5 and 6.

Add content to the queue

Now, instead of passing a scheduled_date, set add_to_queue=true. The system fills the next open slot automatically:

curl -X POST https://api.upload-post.com/api/upload \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey your-api-key-here" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "user=mybrand" \
  -F "title=POV: you finally automated your TikTok posting #devlife" \
  -F "platform[]=tiktok" \
  -F "add_to_queue=true" \
  -F "privacy_level=PUBLIC"

If it is Wednesday at 2 PM, this video gets slotted for 6:00 PM the same day. If all Wednesday slots are full, it moves to Thursday at 8:00 AM. You can preview upcoming available slots before adding content:

curl https://api.upload-post.com/api/uploadposts/queue/preview?count=10 \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey your-api-key-here"

This returns the next 10 available slots with their exact dates and times, so you know exactly when each queued post will go live.

TikTok-specific settings you should know

TikTok's API exposes several parameters that other platforms do not have. Some are optional, but a few are legally required in certain situations. Here is the full reference:

A note on brand content: if you are creating sponsored content, you must set brand_content_toggle=true. This is not optional. Both the FTC in the US and equivalent EU regulations require clear disclosure of paid partnerships. TikTok enforces this on their end as well, so failing to flag it correctly can result in content removal. If you are promoting your own business (not a third-party brand), use brand_organic_toggle=true instead.

For AI-generated content, setting is_aigc=true adds a disclosure label visible to viewers. As AI content regulations evolve, flagging this proactively is a good practice.

Schedule TikTok posts with Python

The Python automation guide covers the SDK in depth. Here is a practical example for TikTok: batch-scheduling every video in a folder, each one hour apart, starting tomorrow morning.

import os
import glob
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from upload_post import UploadPostClient

client = UploadPostClient(api_key="your-api-key-here")

video_folder = "/path/to/tiktok-videos"
videos = sorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(video_folder, "*.mp4")))

# Start scheduling from tomorrow at 9 AM Eastern
base_time = (datetime.now() + timedelta(days=1)).replace(
    hour=9, minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0
)

print(f"Found {len(videos)} videos to schedule")

for i, video_path in enumerate(videos):
    publish_time = base_time + timedelta(hours=i)
    filename = os.path.basename(video_path)
    title = filename.replace(".mp4", "").replace("-", " ").replace("_", " ")

    try:
        response = client.upload_video(
            video_path=video_path,
            title=title,
            user="mybrand",
            platforms=["tiktok"],
            scheduled_date=publish_time.isoformat(),
            timezone="America/New_York",
            privacy_level="PUBLIC",
            disable_duet=False,
            disable_comment=False,
            cover_timestamp=3000,
            async_upload=True
        )
        job_id = response.get("job_id", "pending")
        print(f"[{i+1}/{len(videos)}] Scheduled {filename} for {publish_time} (Job: {job_id})")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[{i+1}/{len(videos)}] Failed: {filename} - {e}")

print("All videos scheduled!")

This script spaces each video one hour apart. You can adjust the timedelta to match your preferred cadence. Remember that TikTok enforces a daily limit of 15 uploads per 24-hour rolling window per account. If you have more than 15 videos, spread them across multiple days or use the queue system, which handles limits automatically.

You can also combine this with the FFmpeg API to resize or trim videos before scheduling, or use the social media holiday calendar to align your publishing dates with trending topics.

No-code: Schedule TikTok posts with n8n

If you prefer visual automation over writing code, n8n is an excellent option. The setup uses the HTTP Request node to call the Upload-Post API, and you can trigger it from Google Sheets, Google Drive, Airtable, or a manual button.

The basic flow looks like this:

1. Trigger node: fires on a schedule, a new spreadsheet row, or a new file in a cloud folder.
2. HTTP Request node: sends a multipart/form-data POST to https://api.upload-post.com/api/upload with your API key, video file, title, platform[]=tiktok, and add_to_queue=true.
3. Optional: a Slack or email notification when the upload succeeds or fails.

We have a ready-made TikTok upload template for n8n that you can import with one click. Browse all available n8n templates for more automation ideas. You can also set this up with Make.com if that is your preferred automation platform.

TikTok video requirements

Before scheduling, make sure your videos meet TikTok's specifications. Uploading a file that does not meet these requirements will result in a failed post.

If your source videos are in the wrong format or aspect ratio, the FFmpeg API can handle the conversion in the cloud before publishing. You can also repurpose YouTube videos into TikTok format automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Can I schedule TikTok posts for free?

Yes. Upload-Post includes a free tier with 10 uploads per month, and scheduling is available on all plans including the free one. You can schedule posts with exact dates or use the queue system at no cost. If you need more volume, paid plans start at an affordable rate with no long-term commitment.

What happens if TikTok is down when my post is scheduled?

Upload-Post automatically retries failed uploads. If TikTok's API is temporarily unavailable at the scheduled time, the system will attempt to publish again over the following minutes. If the issue persists, you will receive a notification through webhooks (if configured) or you can check the status using the GET /api/uploadposts/status?job_id=your_job_id endpoint. Your content is never lost.

Can I schedule to TikTok and Instagram at the same time?

Absolutely. Just pass multiple platforms in the same request: platform[]=tiktok and platform[]=instagram. The same video, title, and scheduled date apply to all platforms. If you need different captions per platform, use the tiktok_title parameter for TikTok-specific text while the main title field goes to other platforms. See our guide on how to bulk upload videos across platforms for more advanced multi-platform workflows.

How far in advance can I schedule TikTok posts?

Up to 365 days. The scheduled_date parameter accepts any date within the next year. Combined with the queue system, you could theoretically fill an entire year of content in a single batch session. Most users schedule one to four weeks ahead, which is a good balance between planning and flexibility. Our social media holiday calendar can help you plan content around key dates throughout the year.