Social media video sizes
Last checked November 2026
Sizes by app
| App | Format | Aspect ratio | Resolution | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Feed video | 9:16 vertical (recommended) | 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended) | Horizontal and square uploads are accepted but play smaller, with empty space above and below. |
| Instagram Reels | Reels | 9:16 vertical (recommended) | 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended) | Your profile grid shows a cropped preview, so keep the subject near the center of the frame. |
| YouTube Shorts | Shorts | 9:16 vertical (recommended); square 1:1 also works | 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended) | Horizontal videos are treated as regular YouTube videos, not Shorts. |
| YouTube | Regular video | 16:9 horizontal (recommended) | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) or 3840 x 2160 (4K), recommended | Other shapes play with bars around them. Vertical uploads may be shown as Shorts instead. |
| Feed video | 4:5 vertical or 1:1 square (recommended) | 1080 x 1350 or 1080 x 1080 pixels (recommended) | Video posts may be shared as Reels, so a 9:16 master with key content kept near the center covers both. | |
| Feed video and Reels | Feed: 4:5 or 1:1 (recommended). Reels: 9:16 | 1080 x 1350, 1080 x 1080 or 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended) | Feed videos taller than 4:5 are often cropped in the feed preview on phones. | |
| X (Twitter) | Post video | 16:9, 1:1 or 9:16 are all accepted | 1920 x 1080, 1080 x 1080 or 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended) | Square and vertical take more of the screen on phones; horizontal suits desktop viewers. |
| Feed video | 16:9, 1:1 or 4:5 (1:1 or 4:5 recommended for phones) | 1920 x 1080, 1080 x 1080 or 1080 x 1350 pixels (recommended) | Burned-in captions help anyone watching with the sound off. |
Every value is a recommendation. Apps also accept other sizes, and upload limits for length and file size change often, so check each app's help center for those.
Pick one master format
If you post the same video to several apps, decide on your master format before you film. For most short-form creators that is 9:16 vertical at 1080 x 1920: it fills the screen on TikTok, Reels and Shorts, and it also works for Facebook Reels and vertical posts on X.
For square or 4:5 feeds (the Instagram and Facebook feed, LinkedIn), frame your shot so the subject and any text sit in the middle of the vertical frame. Then a 4:5 or 1:1 crop from the center keeps everything that matters.
Regular YouTube is the exception. It is a horizontal 16:9 world, so if YouTube long-form matters to you, film horizontal for it and cut vertical shorts out of that footage, rather than the other way around.
Safe zones matter as much as size
A correctly sized video can still have its hook hidden. Each vertical app draws its own buttons, username, caption and sound name on top of your video, and they sit in slightly different places on each app.
The area that is clear on all three is the middle band of the frame, a little above center and away from the right edge. The size pages below show each app's areas on your own frame.
Size and safe zone tools
- Free, instantTikTok video sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus TikTok's safe zones.
- Free, instantInstagram Reels sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus the Reels safe zones.
- Free, instantYouTube Shorts sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus the Shorts safe zones.
- Free, instantSafe zone checkerOverlay each app's UI on your frame.
Questions
What is the one size that works on TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
9:16 vertical at 1080 x 1920 pixels is the recommended size on all three. Keep text in the middle band of the frame so it clears each app's buttons and captions.
Should I film in 4K?
You can. Filming in 4K gives you room to crop or punch in, and you can export at 1080 x 1920 for vertical apps. The apps compress uploads either way, so a clean 1080 export is the practical target.
Why do you not list maximum length and file size?
Those limits change often and can differ by account, region and how you upload. Rather than quote a number that may be out of date, we suggest checking each app's help center when it matters.
Can I post one horizontal video everywhere?
You can, but it will play small on the vertical apps, and YouTube will treat it as a regular video, not a Short. A vertical master plus a horizontal export for YouTube and desktop-heavy feeds usually works better.
Check your actual draft before you post
Check any short in about a minute: Ari scores the opening, flags the moments most likely to lose viewers, suggests 3 fixes and writes 5 hooks from what you say. Got a podcast or stream? Clip finder finds the best moments in videos up to 15 minutes.