How to Ask Permission to Use Someone's Video (Message Template)

Short answer: how to get permission to repost a video

To ask permission to use a video in a Reel, send the owner a short written message that names the clip, the platforms, your monetization status, your credit line and the time period, then wait for a clear "yes" in writing.

That's the whole routine. Five steps:

1. Find the real owner (next section).
2. Send a specific message, not "can I repost your video?"
3. Get a plain yes, in text.
4. Save the reply and the context.
5. Add your own commentary or editing before you post.

Vague asks get vague answers. "Sure, go ahead" to a one-line DM is hard to defend later if you're running a monetized page and the owner changes their mind.

Find the right person to ask

The person to ask is the original creator or copyright holder, not just the account that reposted the clip. Reposting pages rarely own what they share, so their "yes" can be worth nothing.

Check the bio, the video description, the watermark and the earliest upload you can find. Reverse the trail until you reach whoever filmed it.

Viral clips with unclear owners

For a viral clip, you often can't tell who owns it. Look for the earliest version on TikTok, YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, check comments where the real owner is often tagged, and message that account. Some viral clips are licensed through agencies, and the owner will tell you so. If nobody can prove ownership, treat the clip as unavailable and move on.

Clips with other people visible or with music

Permission from the filmer doesn't automatically cover everyone in the frame or the soundtrack. Identifiable people, especially children, may have their own say. Popular music is usually owned by someone else entirely, and Content ID on YouTube will flag it regardless of what the filmer told you. Ask the owner whether the audio is theirs, or plan to replace it.

What your permission message must include

A usable permission message states five things: the clip, the use, the platforms, the monetization status and the credit, plus the duration. Skip one and you're leaving a gap the owner can later point to.

• Which clip: paste the direct link. Don't describe it.
• How you'll use it: the whole clip, a trimmed part, with your voiceover or captions added.
• Which platforms: name them, for example Facebook Reels and TikTok. If it's only one, say so.
• Monetization: say plainly that your page is enrolled in Facebook content monetization (or isn't). Hiding this is how disputes start. Don't promise earnings or a share.
• Credit and duration: how you'll credit them (name and handle in the caption), and whether this is a one-time post or ongoing.

Two more habits. Don't claim the clip as yours, ever. And state that you'll remove it if they ask, because the owner can withdraw permission later, and saying so up front builds trust and sets the terms.

Copy-paste permission message templates

Keep the message short enough to read on a phone in 20 seconds. Owners answer clear asks and ignore walls of text. Edit the brackets and send.

Short DM version

Hi [Name], I run [Page name], a page about [topic]. I love your video: [link]. Can I post [the full clip / a 20-second part] with my own commentary on Facebook Reels and TikTok? My page is monetized, and I'd credit you as "[@handle]" in the caption. One-time post, and I'll remove it if you ask. Could you reply "yes" if that's okay? Thank you!

The same wording works as a first DM on Instagram and Reddit. On Reddit, message the uploader and, if the clip is theirs, ask them to confirm ownership in the reply.

Email version with a clear yes line

Subject: Permission request: your video [short title]

Hi [Name],

I manage [Page name] ([page link]). I'd like to use your video [link] in a short vertical video.

- Use: [full clip / seconds X to Y], with my own voiceover and captions - Platforms: Facebook Reels, TikTok [add others] - Monetization: the page is monetized; I make no earnings promise - Credit: "[Your name / @handle]" in the caption - Duration: [one-time post / until you ask me to remove it]

If you agree, please reply with: "Yes, you have my permission to use this video as described."

Thanks, [Your name]

That last line matters. A copy-paste "yes" sentence gives you clean written permission instead of a thumbs-up emoji.

Version for TikTok video reposted on Facebook

Hi [Name], I'd like to post your TikTok [link] on my Facebook page as a Reel, with my own captions and commentary. The page is monetized through Facebook content monetization. I'd credit you as "[@handle]" in the caption and on screen. Is that okay with you, and is the audio yours to share? A written "yes" would be great.

Cross-posting is where owners get surprised. Someone who agreed to TikTok sharing may not have agreed to a monetized Facebook page, so name the destination.

How to save the reply as proof

Save the owner's reply immediately: a full screenshot with date and profile name, plus the original DM or email link, stored in one labelled folder.

A one-screen evidence folder per clip is enough:

• Screenshot of your message and their reply, with date and profile name visible
• Link to the DM thread or the saved email
• Link to the original clip
• Link to your final post URL, added after you publish

Name the folder with the date and owner handle. We've seen page owners lose a post to a dispute and have nothing but a memory of a chat. And a DM alone is thin proof: it can be deleted, so the screenshot and the final terms matter. Keep it for as long as the post stays up.

What permission does not fix

Permission settles copyright with the owner, but it doesn't exempt your post from Facebook, TikTok or Instagram originality and reused-content rules. Those policies judge your video, not your paperwork.

A clip posted untouched, even with a signed yes, can still get weak distribution or lose monetization on Facebook Reels under reused-content rules. Add real commentary, a story, analysis or a meaningful edit, so the post is something new. Platform rules change, so read the current terms in YouTube's fair use help and each platform's original-content guidance.

Fair use is a different route entirely. It's a legal defense, not a permission, and the U.S. Copyright Office explains it case by case. Don't rely on it as a shortcut when asking is possible.

If you're adding voiceover or captions to permitted footage, a tool like WowReveal can speed up the story script, AI voiceover and captions, but the transformation has to be real.

If they say no or do not reply

If the owner says no or stays silent, don't post the clip. Silence is not consent, and "credit given" isn't a license.

Follow up once after 5 to 7 days with a one-line nudge, then stop. If you still hear nothing, look for footage you can use legally: your own filming, licensed or stock sources, or creators who openly state reuse is allowed in their bio. Or build the video from scratch with AI-generated visuals and your own script. Never find a workaround for a refusal.