Best Video Dimensions for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts
Nothing kills a video's performance faster than wrong dimensions. Black bars, cropped faces, cut-off text - these technical issues make your content look amateur and hurt engagement. With each platform having its own requirements, keeping track of video dimensions can be confusing.
This guide breaks down the exact dimensions, aspect ratios, and formats you need for every major platform in 2025.
Understanding Aspect Ratios
Aspect ratio is the relationship between width and height. The three you need to know:
- 9:16 (Vertical) - TikTok, Reels, Shorts, Stories
- 16:9 (Horizontal) - YouTube videos, landscape content
- 1:1 (Square) - Instagram feed, some Twitter posts
When in doubt, 9:16 vertical is the safest bet for short-form social content in 2025.
TikTok Video Specifications
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels (Full HD)
- Max Length: 10 minutes
- Ideal Length: 21-34 seconds
- File Size: Up to 287.6 MB (iOS) or 72 MB (Android)
- Format: MP4 or MOV
Pro tip: Leave 150px at top and bottom for TikTok's UI elements (username, captions, buttons).
Instagram Reels Specifications
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Max Length: 90 seconds
- Ideal Length: 15-30 seconds
- File Size: Up to 4 GB
- Format: MP4 or MOV
Note: Reels also appear in the feed at 4:5 ratio, so keep important content in the center.
YouTube Shorts Specifications
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Max Length: 60 seconds (strict limit)
- Ideal Length: 15-60 seconds
- File Size: Standard YouTube limits apply
- Format: MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, and more
Important: Videos over 60 seconds will NOT appear as Shorts, even if vertical.
Stories (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat)
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Max Length: 15 seconds per story (splits longer videos)
- Format: MP4 or MOV
Regular YouTube Videos
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (horizontal)
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p) minimum, 3840 x 2160 (4K) ideal
- Max Length: 12 hours (verified accounts)
- Ideal Length: 8-15 minutes for algorithm favor
- Format: MP4 with H.264 codec recommended
Safe Zones: Where to Put Important Content
Each platform has UI elements that cover parts of your video. Keep critical content (faces, text, CTAs) away from:
- Top 10-15% - Status bar, platform headers
- Bottom 20-25% - Captions, engagement buttons, descriptions
- Right side - Like, comment, share buttons
The "safe zone" is roughly the center 60% of your video.
Get Your Dimensions Right Every Time
Using the correct video dimensions is a simple way to look professional and maximize your content's reach. When in doubt, shoot in 9:16 at 1080x1920 - it works for all major short-form platforms.
Need to resize a video? Editly can automatically crop and resize your content for any platform while keeping important elements visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same video for all platforms?
If your video is 9:16 at 1080x1920 and under 60 seconds, it works for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. However, each platform has different UI elements, so you may want to adjust text placement.
What happens if I upload the wrong dimensions?
Platforms will add black bars (letterboxing/pillarboxing) or crop your video to fit. This looks unprofessional and can cut off important content.
Should I upload in 4K?
For short-form content, 1080p is plenty. 4K files are larger and take longer to upload with minimal visible benefit on phone screens. Save 4K for long-form YouTube content.
