Social Media Video Sizes 2026 — The Complete Cheat Sheet
- Every major platform's video specs in one table — ratio, pixel size, length, bitrate
- Organized by platform and by aspect ratio so you can work from either direction
- Updated April 2026 for current spec changes across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X
Table of Contents
The fastest 2026 reference for social media video specs. Every major platform's accepted ratios, pixel dimensions, length caps, bitrate recommendations, and safe zones — in one place. If you only remember one number, remember 1080x1920 at 9:16. That format covers TikTok, Reels, Shorts, LinkedIn Creator posts, and Stories on every platform that still has them.
The master table — every platform, every placement
| Platform | Placement | Ratio | Pixel size | Max length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Main feed | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 10 min |
| Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 90 sec | |
| Feed (tall) | 4:5 | 1080x1350 | 60 sec | |
| Feed (square) | 1:1 | 1080x1080 | 60 sec | |
| Stories | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec per segment | |
| YouTube | Main | 16:9 | 1920x1080 | 12 hours |
| YouTube | Shorts | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec |
| Feed | 1:1 or 9:16 | 1080x1080 or 1080x1920 | 10 min | |
| Ads | 1:1 | 1080x1080 | 30 min | |
| Feed | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1080x1080 or 1080x1350 | 240 min | |
| Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 90 sec | |
| X (Twitter) | Feed | 16:9 or 1:1 | 1280x720 or 1080x1080 | 2 min 20 sec (free), 10 min (Premium) |
| Standard pin | 9:16 or 1:1 | 1080x1920 or 1080x1080 | 15 min | |
| Idea pin | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec per page | |
| Snapchat | Snap | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec |
| Threads | Feed | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1080x1080 or 1080x1350 | 5 min |
Reference by aspect ratio
9:16 (1080x1920) — the dominant format. TikTok, Reels, Shorts, Stories on every network, LinkedIn Creator posts, Pinterest idea pins, Snapchat. If you make one video, make it 9:16.
1:1 (1080x1080) — the cross-platform safe bet. Works cleanly on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram feed, and Threads. No platform penalizes it. Safe for ads.
4:5 (1080x1350) — the Instagram feed advantage. Takes up more screen than 1:1 without triggering Reel reformatting. Facebook also accepts it.
16:9 (1920x1080) — long-form only. YouTube main, LinkedIn live, Facebook long videos. Does not get reach in feed placements on any network in 2026.
Sell Custom Apparel — We Handle Printing & Free ShippingBitrate, codec, and format rules
- Codec: H.264 (AVC) is universal. H.265 (HEVC) works on Apple platforms but fails intermittently on Android upload, so stick with H.264.
- Container: MP4 for everything. MOV works but gets re-encoded on upload.
- Audio: AAC at 128-192 kbps stereo. Mono audio is fine for talking-head but stereo is standard.
- Bitrate targets: 8-10 Mbps for 1080p, 15-20 Mbps for 1080p 60fps, 35-45 Mbps for 4K.
- Frame rate: 30 fps is standard. 60 fps for sports/action. 24 fps only for cinematic mood.
Safe zones — where platforms hide your content
Every social platform overlays UI on top of your video. Keep critical content (text, faces, key action) inside the safe zone to survive.
| Platform | Top blocked | Bottom blocked |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | ~220 px | ~480 px |
| Instagram Reels | ~220 px | ~450 px |
| YouTube Shorts | ~150 px | ~400 px |
| ~150 px | ~400 px | |
| Snapchat | ~300 px | ~250 px |
Pixel values are for 1080x1920 canvases. Safe zone = keep content between roughly Y=220 and Y=1440.
The one-master-file strategy
Render once at 1080x1920 9:16 with safe-zone-aware framing. That single file uploads natively to TikTok, Reels, Shorts, LinkedIn Creator, Pinterest, and Snapchat. For 1:1, render a square version as a second pass. For 4:5, a third. Three master files cover every 2026 placement.
To create the 9:16 from landscape source, use our reframe tool. For 1:1 and 4:5, the same tool produces those variants.
Need to Reframe for Multiple Platforms?
Render 9:16 for TikTok/Reels/Shorts, 1:1 for LinkedIn/Twitter, 4:5 for Instagram feed — all in one tool.
Open Free Video ReframerFrequently Asked Questions
Is 1080p enough or should I export at 4K?
For all feed placements, 1080p is the ceiling platforms display. 4K gets downsampled on upload. Export 1080p to save render time and file size. Reserve 4K for long-form YouTube where the resolution actually matters.
Should I use HDR for social media video?
No. Most social platforms strip HDR metadata on upload. HDR exports can look worse after platform processing than standard SDR exports. Stick with Rec. 709 SDR for social.
Does 60 fps help on TikTok and Reels?
Only for sports, gaming, and action content. For talking-head, vlog, or product content, 30 fps uploads faster and looks nearly identical. The algorithm does not weight frame rate.
What about ultra-wide (21:9) footage?
Ultra-wide does not fit any native social format. Reframe to 9:16 with blurred sides, or crop to 16:9 for YouTube. Pure 21:9 uploads get letterboxed on every platform.
