TikTok video size and safe zones
Last checked November 2026
TikTok size at a glance
Last checked November 2026- Aspect ratio
- 9:16 vertical (recommended)
- Resolution
- 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended)
- Good to know
- Horizontal and square uploads are accepted but play smaller, with empty space above and below.
- Covered by the app
- Top bar: Following, For You, search
- Buttons: profile, like, comment, share
- Username, caption and sound
Length and file size limits change often and differ by account, so check TikTok's own help center for those.
- Top bar: Following, For You, search
- Buttons: profile, like, comment, share
- Username, caption and sound
Free safe zone templates (transparent PNG, 1080 x 1920)
Drop one on top of your timeline in any editor as a guide layer, then hide it before you export.
How to use it
- Export or film at 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 vertical.
- Take a screenshot of a frame with text on it and drop it into the preview above, set to TikTok.
- Move anything important out of the red areas, then download the overlay or a blank template for your editor.
Why vertical 9:16
TikTok is built around full-screen vertical video. A 9:16 frame fills a phone screen; anything else plays smaller, with empty space around it. Filming vertical from the start also means you do not lose the sides of a horizontal shot when you crop.
1080 x 1920 is the recommended resolution. Filming in 4K and exporting at 1080 x 1920 is fine; uploading a lower resolution than 1080 wide tends to look soft once the app compresses it.
Where TikTok's interface covers your video
In our overlay, TikTok's interface covers the top 6% of the frame (top bar), a column on the right edge about 14% of the width wide, from 50% to 88% down the frame (the buttons), the bottom 20% of the frame (username, caption and sound). Those are approximate areas that work across common phones; the exact spot moves a little between devices and app versions.
The safest place for hook text and captions is the middle band of the frame, a little above center and away from the right edge.
- Hook text belongs in the upper middle of the frame: below the top bar, above where the caption starts.
- Long captions and sound names grow upward from the bottom, so keep your own captions higher than you think.
- If you point at something on screen, make sure it is not under the button column on the right.
Questions
What is the best video size for TikTok?
9:16 vertical at 1080 x 1920 pixels is the recommended size. It fills the screen on almost every phone.
Can I post horizontal videos on TikTok?
Yes, TikTok accepts them, but they play smaller with empty space above and below. For anything you want people to watch full screen, reframe to vertical first.
How long can a TikTok be?
The limit has changed several times and can differ by account and by how you upload. Check TikTok's help center for the current number. ViralAri checks short drafts up to 2 minutes.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Your image is not uploaded.
Does ViralAri keep captions out of these areas?
Yes. When you export a checked draft, captions and hook text are placed clear of each app's buttons, with a warning if they collide.
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.
More free tools
- Free, instantSafe zone checkerOverlay each app's UI on your frame.
- Free, instantInstagram Reels sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus the Reels safe zones.
- Free, instantYouTube Shorts sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus the Shorts safe zones.