To post your Bad Times AI video, download the MP4 from Bad Times Dance AI, upload it to TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts as a vertical 9:16 video, keep the sound that is already in the file, add a short caption with a few tags, and turn on the AI label if the app asks for one. The whole job takes a few minutes, but a handful of small choices decide whether the clip looks native or looks like a re-upload.
Key Takeaways
- The file is a vertical 9:16 MP4 by default, with the original "Bad Times" audio already mixed in. You do not need to add music before posting.
- Download within 24 hours. The finished video stays available for 24 hours only, and uploaded photos are deleted within 24 hours.
- Platforms ask creators to label realistic AI-generated content. Use each app's own label or disclosure setting, and say it plainly in the caption as well.
- Credit the song ("Bad Times" by Imael Angel) and the original performance that started the trend. Bad Times Dance AI is an independent fan-made tool, not affiliated with Imael Angel or TikTok.
What You Are Posting: The File From Bad Times Dance AI
Before you open any app, know what the file is. Bad Times Dance AI renders a 13 or 15 second video from one photo and a reference dance: 13 seconds for Solo Spotlight, Couple Duo and Friend Group, and 15 seconds for the Original, Dog or Cat and Pet Duo. The default shape is 9:16 vertical, which is exactly what TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts expect. You can also pick 1:1 or 16:9 in the generator, but for these three apps leave it on 9:16.
The file is an MP4 (H.264 video with AAC sound) named bad-times-dance-ai.mp4, and the site does not add a watermark of its own. The sound is the original "Bad Times" audio from the matching reference clip, put under the picture after the AI finishes rendering, so the moves land on the beat.
Resolution depends on the model tier you chose: 480p or 720p on every tier, and 1080p on Pro (Seedance 2.0) and Ultra (Seedance 2.5). The apps recompress everything you upload, so a 720p clip is fine for most posts. If you plan to post the same video on all three apps, render it once at the quality you want and reuse the file.
Download straight away. The finished video stays available for 24 hours, and the site keeps no longer-term copy for you. Save the MP4 to your phone's camera roll or a cloud folder, then post from there.
Posting to TikTok
TikTok is where the trend started, so it is the natural first stop. The original take was a French creator's close-up lip-sync, first posted in late August 2026, and the AI remakes with pets, couples and friend groups followed.
The simplest route is to upload the finished MP4 and post it with its built-in sound. Open the app, tap the create button, choose upload, pick the file and trim nothing: the clip is already cut to length.
You can also attach the trend sound in the app. Search the sound library for "Bad Times" by Imael Angel and add it, then, if you want the two to line up, lower or mute the original audio of your upload so you do not hear the song twice. Whether you do this is a matter of taste. The built-in audio matches the dance exactly. The in-app sound links your video to the sound page, which can help people find it when they browse that sound. Menus and options change often, so follow what you see in the current version of the app, and check that the sound is available for your account type before you plan around it.
Two practical tips. First, preview with the volume up before you post: if you hear an echo, you have two copies of the song playing. Second, keep the first frame strong. The dance opens with head in hands, which is a good thumbnail for a pet or a person.
Posting to Instagram Reels
Reels accepts the same vertical file. Open Instagram, tap the plus button, choose Reel, and select the MP4 from your gallery. The 13 and 15 second lengths fit comfortably inside the Reel limits.
Instagram has its own audio library, and the choice is the same as on TikTok. Keep the audio from your file, or search for the song and add it from the library, muting the original sound. Because the original audio is part of the file, keeping it is the least fiddly option and always sounds right.
Three details are worth a moment. Reels crops some of the top and bottom of a video in the grid, so keep the face in the middle third of the frame. Check that captions and any on-screen text sit clear of the buttons on the right. And choose a cover frame from the first or second second of the clip, where the pose is clearest.
Posting to YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts takes vertical video up to the Shorts length limit, so a 13 or 15 second clip is well within it. Upload the MP4 from the YouTube app (create, then upload) or from YouTube Studio on a computer. A vertical video that short is treated as a Short.
Add a title as well as a description, since Shorts show the title prominently. A plain title such as "My dog does the Bad Times dance" is fine. Put the song credit in the description, where there is room for it.
If you want to use YouTube's own sound library in the Shorts creator instead, the same trade-off applies: your file already has the song, and adding another copy on top will double it. Pick one.
Captions That Work
A good caption is short and says what the video is. Examples of the kind of line that reads well, which you can adapt: "My dog tried the Bad Times dance", "Me and my sister doing the Bad Times trend", "Our three friends, one photo, one dance". Add a question if you want comments, such as "Whose pet should I do next?"
Keep these rules in mind.
- Say it is AI. A simple "made with AI" in the caption is honest and helps people understand what they are watching.
- Do not claim it is the original. The original is the French creator's take. Yours is a remake.
- Do not paste lyrics. The song is copyrighted, and a caption does not need them.
- Tag people only with their consent. If your video shows a couple or a group, make sure everyone in it has agreed to appear and to be posted.
Hashtags: What to Add and How Many
Use a small number of relevant tags, not a wall. Reasonable choices for this trend are #badtimes, #imaelangel and #fyp. For pet videos, add one or two general pet tags such as #dogsoftiktok or #catsoftiktok on TikTok, or #dogsofinstagram and #catsofinstagram on Instagram. For a couple or friend group, a plain tag such as #couplegoals or #bestfriends is enough.
A fair warning: no research behind this site found an official hashtag for the trend, and tag popularity shifts week to week. Treat the list above as a starting point, search the tag in the app to see what people are actually using that week, and swap accordingly. Three to five tags is plenty on all three apps.
On Shorts, put a hashtag or two in the title or description. On Reels, put them in the caption or the first comment.
Labelling AI Content on Each Platform
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube all ask creators to label realistic AI-generated content, and each app has its own setting for doing so. Because these rules are updated frequently, this guide does not quote them; instead, open the upload screen on each app, look for a setting about AI-generated or altered content, and turn it on when your video qualifies.
Does a Bad Times AI video qualify? Treat it as yes. It shows a realistic-looking person or pet doing something they did not do, so label it. The label protects you in three ways: it is honest with viewers, it keeps you on the right side of each platform's rules, and it avoids the situation where someone sees your clip, assumes it is real footage and later feels deceived.
The label is not a substitute for your own words. Say it in the caption, too, in a few words: "AI video made with Bad Times Dance AI". Also remember that you should only post videos that show people who agreed to be in them. Bad Times Dance AI requires every person in the photo to be 18 or older and to have consented, and blocks photos of celebrities, public figures and minors. Posting a video of a real person does not remove the need for that consent.
If a platform later changes where the label lives or what it is called, follow the app's current menu rather than this guide.
Crediting the Song and the Original Creator
The song is "Bad Times" by Imael Angel, released on 30 March 2026 on Imael Angel Records. It reached the UK singles chart and the US iTunes Top 10 in October 2026. The artist is described as AI-assisted, with human-written lyrics and AI-built production according to its Deezer bio and Songfacts, though that has not been officially confirmed.
A good credit line looks like this: "Song: Bad Times by Imael Angel. Trend popularized by BOUUH YACHAKA on TikTok. Video made with Bad Times Dance AI." It is short, it gives credit where it is due, and it helps viewers find the original.
A few points on rights, kept simple. The song belongs to its rights holders, not to Bad Times Dance AI. Posting through an app's own sound library is generally how platforms handle licensing, but terms differ by platform and by account type (personal, creator or business), so check what your account may use. Bad Times Dance AI is an independent fan-made tool and is not affiliated with Imael Angel, Imael Angel Records, TikTok or the creators of the original clips. Do not imply otherwise in your caption.
A Short Checklist Before You Post
Run through these before you press the button.
- Is the clip vertical 9:16 and at the length you expected (13 or 15 seconds)?
- Does it sound right, with one copy of the song and not two?
- Does everyone in it have a good reason to be there, and have they agreed?
- Is the AI label switched on in the app, and does the caption say so too?
- Is the song credited, along with the original creator?
- Are there three to five relevant tags?
If the video itself is not right, fix that before posting rather than after. Nine ways a video goes wrong covers the common problems and their fixes, and the pet photo guide helps you choose the picture for a dog or cat. To make a new one, open the generator. One Standard 720p video costs 10 credits, and the Single pack is $6.99 for 10 credits. Failed renders return their credits.
FAQ
What format should a Bad Times AI video be for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
Vertical 9:16, which is the default on Bad Times Dance AI. The file is an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC sound, 13 or 15 seconds long depending on the dance, with no site watermark. The same file can be posted to TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Does my Bad Times AI video already have the song in it?
Yes. Bad Times Dance AI mixes the original "Bad Times" audio from the matching reference clip into the finished MP4, so the moves land on the beat. You can post it as it is, or add the trend sound in the app and mute the file's audio to avoid hearing it twice.
Do I have to label my Bad Times AI video as AI?
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube each ask creators to label realistic AI-generated content, and a Bad Times Dance AI video shows a realistic person or pet doing something they did not do. Switch on the app's AI label and add a plain line to your caption.
Which hashtags should I use for a Bad Times AI video?
Reasonable choices are #badtimes, #imaelangel and #fyp, plus a general pet tag for dog or cat videos. No official hashtag for the trend has been confirmed, so search the tag in the app and use three to five. Videos from Bad Times Dance AI work with any of them.
How long can I download my Bad Times AI video?
Bad Times Dance AI keeps the finished video available to download for 24 hours, and uploaded photos are deleted within 24 hours. Save the MP4 to your device as soon as it finishes, then post from your own copy to TikTok, Reels or Shorts.
Sources
- Songfacts: Bad Times by Imael Angel
- AI Musicpreneur: five AI acts on the iTunes Top 20
- Official Charts: Imael Angel
- AI Miracle: Bad Times AI trend guide