Guide · checked against TikTok's published pages on November 10, 2026
TikTok Spark codes for TikTok Shop creators, explained
What a Spark code is, how to create one, what brands do with it, and why authorizing a video makes it eligible for GMV Max ads.
Short answer
A Spark code lets a brand run your video as a paid ad from your post. Turn on Ad authorization for the video and generate a code. You choose how long it's valid. Orders from those ads show under Shop Ads. Brands' GMV Max campaigns can automatically include authorized affiliate videos, so only authorize videos that follow the rules.
Sooner or later a brand asks for your Spark code. Here's what you're handing over, in plain English, because we see a lot of creators send codes without knowing what they agreed to.
What it is
A Spark code, also called an ad code or authorization code, lets a brand run your video as a paid ad. The ad plays from your post, with your handle on it, to more people than your followers.
Making one
- Turn on Ad authorization for the video. You can do it on the posting screen or later from the video's settings.
- Generate the code and pick how long it's valid.
- Send it through the brand's official form or Discord.
You can turn authorization off later.
What brands do with it
They run the ad. Simple. Orders from it show in your Affiliate orders under Shop Ads, separate from your organic sales.
TikTok also says brands' GMV Max campaigns "automatically include authorised affiliate videos" featuring their products, with a commercial content label. So authorizing a video is what makes it eligible for those automated ads too.
Rules of thumb
Only authorize videos that follow the rules. A flagged claim reaches far more people once it's an ad.
Write down which brand has which code. Creators working with 5 or 6 brands lose track fast. Note the expiry date too. A simple list with 3 columns works.
Never send a login instead of a code. A Spark code is the whole point. Nobody needs your account.
One more, and it catches people out: a video a brand is running ads on may not be deletable until the ads stop, so if that video later gets a violation, you'll need the brand to pause the campaign before you can do anything with it yourself.
Spark code questions
Do I get paid more for ad sales?
Ad orders show separately under Shop Ads. Your commission terms are set by the product and the brand.
Is it normal for a challenge to require codes?
Yes. Read what the brand may do with the video before you send it. Ask how long they'll run it, and whether they'll pay a flat fee for 30 or 60 days of ad use.
Can a brand use my video forever?
Only for the period you chose when generating the code. Pick a sensible window, like 30 days, and extend it if the brand asks.
Know someone stuck on the same thing? Send them this page. Members can also get a personal invite link with /refer in our Discord, and every friend who joins and stays earns you a free product report.