Ijharul Islam
The right TikTok video size, as of October 2026, is 1080×1920 pixels in a vertical 9:16 ratio. TikTok's ad specs recommend 9:16 at 540×960 or larger and also accept 16:9 and 1:1, and TikTok says every creator can post videos of up to 3 minutes, with some accounts allowed 5 or 10.
This guide lists TikTok's own numbers for regular posts and in-feed ads, explains the difference between the two sets, and gives export settings and caption placement that survive TikTok's interface.
The short answer
As of October 2026, make TikTok videos 1080×1920 pixels (9:16) as MP4 with H.264, at 23-60 fps. TikTok says all creators can post 3-minute videos and some can post 5 or 10 minutes. For in-feed ads, TikTok asks for 9:16 at 540×960 or larger, up to 10 minutes and 500 MB, with a bitrate of at least 516 kbps.
Key takeaways
- Use 1080×1920 (9:16). It is above every TikTok minimum and fills the screen.
- Regular posts: MP4, WebM or MOV, 23-60 fps, 360-4096 px per side, up to 4 GB (TikTok for Developers).
- In-feed ads: 9:16 at 540×960 or more, up to 10 minutes and 500 MB, at least 516 kbps (TikTok Ads Help).
- Keep captions and text in the middle of the frame, clear of the caption area and buttons.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
TikTok video size and dimensions (October 2026)
TikTok publishes two sets of specs: one for ads in TikTok Ads Help, and one in its developer documentation for videos posted to an account. Together they give the clearest official picture of what TikTok accepts.
| Spec | Regular post | In-feed ad (non-Spark) |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended shape | 9:16 vertical | 9:16 vertical (recommended) |
| Size | 360 to 4096 px on each side; use 1080×1920 | 9:16: 540×960 or more; 16:9: 960×540 or more; 1:1: 640×640 or more |
| File types | MP4 (recommended), WebM, MOV | .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi |
| Codecs | H.264 (recommended), H.265, VP8, VP9 | Not specified |
| Frame rate | 23 to 60 fps | Not specified |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB | 500 MB |
| Length | 3 minutes for every creator; 5 or 10 minutes on some accounts | Up to 10 minutes |
| Bitrate | Not specified | 516 kbps or more |
The regular-post column comes from TikTok for Developers, which describes what an app can send to a TikTok account. It's the most detailed public statement of TikTok's upload limits, and the same video settings work when you upload from the TikTok app. Spark Ads, which promote an existing organic post, accept .mp4 or .mov and have no duration restriction, according to TikTok Ads Help.
In short: if your video is 1080×1920, MP4, H.264, 30 or 60 fps and under 3 minutes, it meets every number TikTok publishes for both regular posts and in-feed ads, apart from the 500 MB ad file limit, which a short 1080p video comes nowhere near.
How long can a TikTok video be
TikTok's developer documentation says all TikTok creators can post 3-minute videos, while some have access to 5-minute or 10-minute videos. If you need longer, check the upload screen in your own app, because access differs between accounts.
As with Shorts and Reels, the limit is not a target. TikTok is a swipe feed, so cut to the length the idea needs:
| Video type | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Hook-driven tip or reaction | 10-30 seconds |
| Product demo or UGC-style ad | 15-45 seconds |
| Podcast or interview clip | 30-90 seconds |
| Tutorial, story or explainer | 1-3 minutes |
For ads, TikTok accepts up to 10 minutes, but short ads are the norm. Start with the product or the problem on screen in the first second, then test longer cuts against it.
Does a longer TikTok do better?
TikTok doesn't publish a best length, and any claim that a fixed length is rewarded should be treated with care. What you can control is whether people stay to the end. A practical way to choose:
- Write the one sentence the video must get across.
- Cut everything that doesn't support it, including greetings and long setups.
- Read the remaining script aloud and time it. At about 150 spoken words a minute, a 75-word script is a 30-second video; the free words to minutes calculator does the maths.
- If it runs past 3 minutes, split it into a numbered series rather than asking for longer upload access.
Then look at your own analytics. If most viewers leave at the same second, that's where the next edit should cut.
Export settings for TikTok
- Canvas 1080×1920, 9:16. If your footage is 16:9, reframe it to keep the speaker in shot rather than letterboxing it. See how to convert horizontal video to vertical.
- MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. TikTok lists H.264 as its recommended codec.
- Keep the original frame rate if it's between 23 and 60 fps, TikTok's accepted range.
- A video bitrate of about 8-12 Mbps at 1080p is a good working figure. For ads, stay under 500 MB; the video bitrate calculator tells you what bitrate fits a given file size and length.
- Burn in captions, or add them in TikTok's editor. Silent viewing is common and captions keep viewers who can't play sound.
If you post the same video to Shorts and Reels, export once at 1080×1920 and reuse it. Our social media video size guide shows every platform's spec next to each other.
Where to put captions and text on TikTok
TikTok's interface covers the bottom of the video with your username, caption and sound, and the right side with the profile, like, comment, save and share buttons. TikTok Ads Help offers downloadable safe zone files for ads, with separate files for right-to-left Arabic layouts, rather than fixed pixel numbers on the page.
- Download the safe zone overlay from TikTok Ads Help and place it over your edit if you're making ads.
- For regular posts, keep captions around the middle of the frame and away from the right edge.
- Keep your face or product in the upper-middle area, where nothing overlays it.
- Don't put your call to action at the very bottom; it will sit behind the post caption.
Our comparison of caption styles for Reels and TikTok covers which styles stay readable on busy footage.
Text size matters as much as position. On a 1080×1920 canvas, captions roughly 60-80 px tall with a dark outline or box read well on a phone, and two short lines at a time are easier to follow than one long one. Test on the smallest phone you have before posting a batch.
Common TikTok upload problems, and one file for every platform
If TikTok rejects a file or it looks worse after posting, the cause is usually one of these:
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Upload fails | File over the limit, or an unusual format | Export MP4 with H.264 and AAC; ads must be 500 MB or less |
| Ad rejected for quality | Bitrate under 516 kbps or resolution under 540×960 | Export 1080×1920 at a normal bitrate |
| Video looks soft | Upscaled from a small source, or heavy compression | Start from the sharpest source and export 1080×1920 |
| Choppy motion | Frame rate converted, or below 23 fps | Keep the source frame rate within 23-60 fps |
| Text covered | Captions in the bottom or right edge | Move captions to the middle; use TikTok's safe zone file for ads |
Reusing the same video on Reels and Shorts
TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts all play vertical 9:16 video full screen, so one master file can serve all three:
| Setting | Works for all three |
|---|---|
| Size | 1080×1920, 9:16 |
| Length | Up to 3 minutes; under 90 seconds is usual |
| Frame rate | 30 fps (meets Instagram's 30 fps minimum and TikTok's 23-60 fps range) |
| Format | MP4, H.264, AAC |
| Captions | Burned in, in the middle third of the frame |
Export a clean master without another app's watermark, and post it natively to each platform. See YouTube Shorts size and length and Instagram Reels dimensions for the rest of each platform's rules.
Doing it in QuickVeed
QuickVeed makes TikTok-ready vertical videos at 9:16, and can post them for you.
- From a long video: open Podcast to Clips, upload a podcast, interview or webinar (up to 3 hours) and let the AI transcribe it (1.5 credits a minute, rounded up) and pick 3-10 clips of 15-90 seconds with hook titles and scores.
- Choose 9:16, a crop that follows whoever is speaking, and a caption style. Pauses and filler words are cut and the hook title shows for the first 4 seconds. Each clip is 3 credits.
- Post or Schedule straight to TikTok (Boost plan: 3 social accounts; Scale: 10), or download all clips as a ZIP and upload them yourself.
For product ads, UGC video ads makes a 9:16 video with a fictional AI creator presenting your product photo; scripts never pose as real customer reviews, and you should still label AI-made content where TikTok asks you to. For text-to-video b-roll, the AI video generator generates 9:16 clips on models such as Kling v3 and Seedance 2.0, with the credit price shown before you generate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best video size for TikTok?
1080×1920 pixels in a 9:16 vertical ratio. TikTok's ad specs ask for 540×960 or larger, and posted videos can be 360 to 4096 pixels on each side, so 1080×1920 clears every minimum.
What aspect ratio does TikTok use?
9:16 vertical. TikTok also accepts 16:9 and 1:1 for in-feed ads, but those don't fill the screen.
How long can a TikTok video be in 2026?
TikTok says all creators can post 3-minute videos and some accounts can post 5 or 10 minutes. In-feed ads can run up to 10 minutes.
What is TikTok's maximum file size?
TikTok for Developers lists 4 GB for posted videos. In-feed ads are limited to 500 MB.
What frame rate should TikTok videos be?
TikTok accepts 23 to 60 fps. Keep the frame rate you filmed at, usually 30 or 60 fps.
Can I upload a horizontal video to TikTok?
Yes, but it plays as a strip in the middle of a vertical screen. Reframing to 9:16 almost always looks better.
Try it with your own video
Turn a long recording into TikTok clips with captions. Try the free tools first, then upload a video when you want captions, clips or dubbing. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 75 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
