TikTok aspect ratio and video size
Last updated 2026-10-20
TikTok's ad specs recommend vertical 9:16 video of at least 540 by 960 pixels, and a 1080 by 1920 frame has that shape. TikTok's developer documentation says every creator can post 3-minute videos and some accounts get 5 or 10 minutes. It lists MP4, WebM and MOV files at 23 to 60 frames per second.
TikTok video specs at a glance
TikTok publishes these numbers for advertisers and developers. Its help article on making a post gives no canvas size for posting in the app, so treat this table as TikTok's published limits.
| Spec | Value | Where TikTok says it |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 recommended | Ad specs and ad creative guidance |
| Minimum size | 540 by 960 pixels, vertical | Ad specs |
| Size per side | 360 to 4,096 pixels | Developer documentation |
| Frame rate | 23 to 60 fps | Developer documentation |
| File types | MP4 (recommended), WebM, MOV | Developer documentation |
| Video codec | H.264 recommended; H.265, VP8 and VP9 also accepted | Developer documentation |
| Length | 3 minutes for every creator; 5 or 10 for some | Developer documentation |
| File size | Up to 4 GB | Developer documentation |
How long a TikTok can be
TikTok's developer documentation says all creators can post 3-minute videos, and some accounts can post 5 or 10 minutes. Which limit you get depends on your account.
Check the length options on your own upload screen before you plan a long video, and finish under 3 minutes if you are unsure.
In the app you pick a maximum length before you record. On the web, TikTok uploads the entire video, so cut it to length before you upload.
TikTok safe zone
TikTok's help text gives no pixel margins. For ads it offers downloadable guide files, which label the zone in pixels, and it says the safe zone depends on the video's shape, the ad caption length and any added formats.
Its ad advice is to keep text, logos and key messages out of the areas where buttons, the username and the caption appear. Anything outside the safe zone might be covered or cropped.
TikTok's ad specs say the longer the ad caption, the smaller the safe zone. On a regular post, play it safe in the same way: if your description is long, keep on-screen text in the upper middle of the frame.
Settings that cause trouble
Two settings fall outside TikTok's published ranges. A frame rate of 120 is above the 60 maximum, and a side under 360 pixels is too small. A third is allowed but weaker: the ad specs accept 16:9 and 1:1, but 9:16 is the recommended shape, and a wide video cannot fill a tall screen.
Stay inside the ranges and a plain export works: 9:16, 1080 by 1920, 30 fps, H.264 MP4.
Set up and export for TikTok in Woven
In Woven, the AI video editor for Mac, a 9:16 canvas exports at sizes inside TikTok's range, and every frame rate except 120 fps fits. Export is always an H.264 MP4, the codec TikTok recommends. You upload the file to TikTok yourself.
Ask in chat
- Make this a 9:16 TikTok at 30 fps with captions.
- Move the captions higher so a long TikTok description does not cover them.
- Trim this to under three minutes and export at 1080p.
Or do it by hand
- 1Set the canvas. Open Format in the toolbar and choose Vertical 1080x1920. The button then reads 9:16.
- 2Set the frame rate. Clear the selection so the Settings page shows, then pick a Frame rate. The 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 options all sit inside TikTok's 23 to 60 range. Leave 120 alone.
- 3Add captions. Click Add, then Generate captions, and pick a Caption style in the Style tab. Drag the captions into the upper middle if your post description will be long.
- 4Export. Click Export and choose 1080p, or 1440p for a 1440 by 2560 file. Both make an H.264 MP4 and stay under the 4,096 pixel side limit.
Common questions
9:16 vertical is the shape TikTok recommends in its ad specs and creative guidance. A 1080 by 1920 frame is 9:16.
TikTok's developer documentation says every creator can post 3 minutes and some accounts get 5 or 10 minutes. Check the length options on your upload screen.
TikTok's documentation allows 360 to 4,096 pixels per side, 23 to 60 frames per second and files up to 4 GB. Its ad specs set a vertical minimum of 540 by 960.
1080 by 1920 is a 9:16 frame and clears the 540 by 960 minimum in TikTok's ad specs.
It is the part of the frame the TikTok interface does not cover. TikTok's ad specs say to keep text away from where buttons, the username and the caption appear, and that the zone shrinks as the ad caption gets longer.
TikTok's developer documentation lists MP4 as recommended, with WebM and MOV also accepted. H.264 is the recommended video codec.
Sources
- TikTok for Developers: Media Transfer Guide (video restrictions), checked October 19, 2026
- TikTok Ads Manager Help: TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads, checked October 19, 2026
- TikTok Ads Manager Help: TopView ad specifications, checked October 19, 2026
- TikTok Ads Manager Help: Creative best practices for performance ads, checked October 19, 2026
- TikTok Support: Making a post, checked October 19, 2026
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