Home/Resources/Automations/YouTube → TikTok auto-clips
Resources · Automations · n8n FREE · 2026

Turn any YouTube video into ready-to-post TikTok clips

A 100% no-code n8n workflow that downloads a YouTube video, slices it into short vertical clips, overlays branded titles, and publishes each one to TikTok — on autopilot.
Get it free

The full automation, in your inbox

No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Overview

Turn any long YouTube video into ready-to-post TikTok clips

Spending hours cutting your YouTube videos and uploading them one by one? This workflow does it for you — download, split, brand, post — in a single run.

Just copy-paste the ready-to-use scenario, enter your video URL, and let n8n handle the rest: download, cut into vertical format, add an animated branded title, and upload to TikTok via their official API. 100% automated, no coding.

Each node is documented inline so you can tweak clip duration, fonts, colors or the branding stamp in 2 clicks.

Before you start

Requirements: self-hosted n8n, FFmpeg & API keys.

  1. !
    You'll need

    Requirements: self-hosted n8n, FFmpeg & API keys.

    • A self-hosted n8n instance (Docker / VPS) with terminal access.
    • FFmpeg & FFprobe installed inside your n8n container. Tip: ask ChatGPT "Install FFmpeg in n8n Docker" or contact us if you get stuck.
    • An Apify account with a token for the YouTube Video Downloader actor.
    • An Upload-Post account (or other upload service) with an API key to publish clips.
    • Write access to /tmp — this is where clips are generated before upload.
Get it free

The full automation, in your inbox

No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Step-by-step

n8n workflow breakdown — YouTube → TikTok auto-clipping.

9 nodes, 1 loop, 0 lines of code required. Here's exactly what runs under the hood.
  1. 01
    Step 01

    Launch the workflow (manual trigger).

    Start with a Manual Trigger to run the scenario step-by-step and validate each part before automating it fully.

    Demonstration of the n8n Manual Trigger node: click "Execute Workflow" to manually test the automation that downloads a YouTube video, slices it into TikTok clips, and uploads them to the platform.

    Settings
    • Trigger type: Manual Trigger
    • Usage: click "Execute Workflow" to start the test manually
  2. 02
    Step 02

    Set the YouTube video URL.

    This step lets you define the URL of the YouTube video you want to convert into TikTok clips. The value entered here will be passed to the Apify actor to trigger the download process.

    The Set – YouTube URL node lets you input the video link you want to process. This URL is passed to the Apify scraper to download the original video before cutting and posting to TikTok.

    Settings
    • Node type: Set
    • Field name: youtubeURL
    • Value: the full URL of the YouTube video to process
    • ➡️ Edit manually for testing, or make it dynamic (form, external API…).
  3. 03
    Step 03

    Start YouTube scraping (HTTP request).

    Trigger the YouTube Video Downloader actor from Apify using a POST request and your API token.

    Configure the HTTP Request – Start Run node to trigger the YouTube video download via the Apify API. Headers, token, and JSON payload are set to launch the scraping process.

    Parameters
    • Endpoint: /acts/epctex~youtube-video-downloader/runs
    • Method: POST — JSON body (URL + 720p quality)
    • Header: Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_TOKEN>
  4. 04
    Step 04

    Check if the run is completed (If + Wait).

    A loop of HTTP Request → If → Wait continuously checks the Apify run status every 2 seconds until it returns SUCCEEDED.

    Automated monitoring loop: the HTTP Request – Check Status node monitors Apify's execution, the If node checks for a SUCCEEDED status, and the Wait node loops every 2 seconds until the YouTube video is ready.

    Loop
    • Wait: 2 seconds
    • Condition: data.status == "SUCCEEDED"
  5. 05
    Step 05

    Download the MP4 file (HTTP request + write file).

    Fetch the binary stream and save it to /tmp/video.mp4 using the Read/Write File node in n8n.

    The HTTP Request – Get MP4 Link node queries the Apify API to retrieve the direct video file URL, which is then saved locally (/tmp/video.mp4) for FFmpeg to process into TikTok-ready clips.

    Parameters
    • HTTP Request: GET {{downloadUrl}} — "Send Binary Data" ON
    • Write File: /tmp/video.mp4
  6. 06
    Step 06

    Measure duration with FFprobe.

    ffprobe returns the total video length (in seconds), used to calculate how many clips to generate.

    Execute Command – FFprobe node running ffprobe -show_entries format=duration to determine the exact duration of the video. The output (stdout) is used to calculate how many TikTok clips need to be generated.

    Parameters
    • Command: ffprobe … /tmp/video.mp4
    • Output: CSV value → parsed by the Code node
  7. 07
    Step 07

    Generate the clip list (Code node).

    A JavaScript script generates one item per clip: start, end, label ("Part n"), and fileName.

    The Code node dynamically creates a list of clip metadata, each segment lasting 59 seconds: start time, end time, label (Part 1, Part 2…), and filename. This metadata drives FFmpeg to automatically cut the YouTube video into TikTok-ready clips.

    Parameters
    • Variable: CLIP_LEN = 59 seconds (editable)
    • Output: JSON array used for automatic slicing
  8. 08
    Step 08

    Slice and brand each clip with FFmpeg.

    ffmpeg splits the main video into clips and overlays a green banner (#1EA4B8) with yellow text (#FDBB29) saying "Part n – hackceleration.com".

    The Execute Command – FFmpeg node slices the video into segments, automatically overlays the text "Part X – hackceleration.com", and then loops through each clip using Split In Batches to prepare for TikTok upload.

    Parameters
    • Loop: Split in Batches → one clip at a time
    • Command: -ss {{start}} -to {{end}} … drawtext …
  9. 09
    Step 09

    Auto-upload each clip to TikTok.

    The final HTTP Request node pushes every generated clip to the Upload-Post API and publishes it automatically to TikTok with a dynamic title like Part X. No manual action needed — publishing runs on autopilot.

    Each generated clip is sent to the Upload-Post API and automatically published on TikTok with a dynamic title. Fully automated, no manual action required.

    Parameters
    • Target: Upload-Post API endpoint
    • Title format: "Part X" (dynamic per clip)
You've seen the full workflow

Get the ready-to-import n8n JSON — plus the install guide

Skip the setup headache. Drop your email and we'll send you the complete scenario, documented step by step, ready to paste into your n8n instance.

  • n8n JSON file
  • Full video walkthrough
  • Install & FFmpeg guide
  • Branding customization
2,400+ makers downloaded this workflow this month
Why bother

Why auto-clipping YouTube into TikTok clips supercharges your content.

Publishing multiple impactful clips from a single video multiplies your touchpoints — each short becomes a chance to grab attention without manual editing.

  1. Consistent feed, zero editing

    The workflow detects video length, cuts, brands, and posts everything for you. Your TikTok stays active without hours in a video editor.

  2. Visual consistency, every clip

    Every "Part n" clip ships with your branding, your link, and an optimized title — turning every viewer into a potential lead.

  3. Organic reach, unlocked

    Turn one long YouTube video into a viral-ready short series. A simple growth lever to test multiple hooks and recycle content — for free.

  4. Flexible, multi-platform

    Use it as-is for TikTok, or extend to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts in 2 clicks by pointing at a different upload endpoint.

More to explore

Related free automations.

Browse the catalog
FAQ

Common questions.

  • Do I need to know how to code?

    No. The workflow is 100% no-code — paste the JSON into n8n, enter your API keys, and run it.

  • Can I customize the clip style?

    Yes — fonts, colors, duration, and brand stamp are all editable in 2 clicks per node.

  • Which upload service do you use?

    Upload-Post by default. Swap it for any TikTok upload API by pointing the final HTTP node at a different endpoint.

Get the workflow

The full automation, in your inbox.

n8n JSON, written guide and video tutorial — everything to ship this in under 15 minutes.

  • Ready-to-paste n8n workflow
  • Full guide with screenshots
  • Step-by-step video tutorial
  • 100% free — no lock-in
No spam · Unsubscribe anytime