If you have ever had a video look sharp on your phone and then blurry, squashed or half-covered by buttons once it went live, you have run into the tiktok video size problem. The good news is that it is simple to get right once you know the handful of numbers that matter. This guide covers the dimensions to film and export in, the aspect ratio, how long videos can be, where to keep text and faces clear of the buttons, and what to do about file size.

A quick note on how we have written this. We checked what we could on TikTok’s own pages. TikTok’s advertising help page gave us clear, current numbers for ads. Its general help pages for ordinary uploads would not load for us, so for everyday posts we point out where we are working from experience or from older announcements, and we tell you to check the in-app limits. TikTok changes things often, so treat any number as a guide and look at what the app shows you when you upload.

The short answer: the tiktok video size to use

For almost every video you post, film and export vertically at a 9:16 aspect ratio. In practice, that means 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall, the standard full-HD portrait size that most phones shoot in by default. Here is the quick version:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical) fills the whole screen and is what TikTok recommends for ads.
• Resolution: 1080 x 1920 is our recommendation for organic posts. For ads, TikTok’s page gives a minimum of 540 x 960 for vertical.
• Format: MP4 or MOV are the safe choices. TikTok’s ad page lists .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp and .avi for ads.
• Frame rate: keep to what your camera shoots, usually 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second. We could not confirm an official TikTok figure for this.

If you only remember one thing, remember this: shoot vertically on your phone, at the highest quality setting, and do not crop or stretch it afterwards.

Aspect ratio: why 9:16 matters

An aspect ratio is simply the shape of the video: width compared with height. A 9:16 video is tall and thin, like your phone held upright. It fills the screen from top to bottom, which gives viewers a more immersive experience and leaves less room for the next video to distract them.

Can you post horizontal or square video?

You can, but it will not look as good. A horizontal 16:9 video displays small in the middle of a vertical screen with black or blurred bars above and below. Square 1:1 video sits in the middle in a similar way. TikTok’s ad page lists square and horizontal as accepted for ads, with minimums of 640 x 640 for square and 960 x 540 for horizontal, but it names vertical 9:16 as the recommended format.

The exception is when you have a good reason, such as a clip that was only ever filmed in landscape. In that case, consider editing it into a vertical layout, perhaps with the clip in the middle and captions or a title in the space above and below, rather than leaving big empty bars.

Repurposing landscape footage

If you film a lot on a camera in landscape, plan ahead. Shoot with the subject centred so you can crop a vertical version without losing the important part, or film a second take held upright. Many editing apps have an auto-reframe tool that follows the subject. Check the result before you post, because automatic reframing sometimes cuts people off at awkward moments.

Video length limits

Length limits are the part of the tiktok video size question that changes most often, so be careful with older articles. TikTok started with very short clips and has extended the limit several times. In a newsroom announcement dated 1 July 2021, TikTok said creators could record, upload and edit videos up to three minutes long. That page is a few years old and the limit has since moved, so we cannot give you a confirmed current maximum for ordinary uploads. The app will tell you what you can upload on your account.

For ads, TikTok’s advertising specification page says uploaded video ads can be up to 10 minutes long, with a file size of 500 MB or less.

What matters more than the maximum is what works. Many accounts do well with short videos, often somewhere between 15 and 60 seconds, but that is a general pattern from experience and not a rule. A video should be as long as it needs to be to deliver its point, and no longer. If you are still building an audience, our guide on how to get followers on TikTok covers the kinds of content that tend to earn attention at the start.

Safe zones: keeping your text visible

A safe zone is the part of the screen that stays clear of TikTok’s buttons and text overlays. On the live feed, the app places things on top of your video: the caption and account name at the bottom left, the like, comment, share and sound buttons down the right edge, and the search and navigation bar at the top and bottom. If your important words or your face sit under any of these, viewers will not see them.

We could not confirm exact pixel measurements for organic posts from TikTok’s own help pages. What we can say from TikTok’s advertising help page is that the safe zone depends on the size of your video, the length of your caption and any extra formats, and that TikTok offers downloadable safe zone template files. Use the standard left-to-right file for most regions, and use the right-to-left version for Arabic. If your ad uses a call-to-action anchor, download the version that includes the anchor. The page also notes that the ad preview is not specific to a device, so the live version may look slightly different.

A practical rule of thumb

Without exact numbers, use a cautious approach that works on almost any phone:

• Keep key text and faces away from the very top and bottom of the frame. Think of the middle 60 to 70 per cent of the height as your main stage.
• Leave extra space at the bottom, where the caption and sound details sit.
• Leave space down the right-hand side, where the buttons are.
• Keep captions and subtitles near the middle of the screen rather than the bottom edge.
• Test by uploading as a private draft and looking at it on a real phone before you publish.

That last point is the most reliable method. Different phones have different screen shapes and notches, so a quick look on a real device beats any template.

File size and quality

For ads, TikTok’s page gives a limit of 500 MB for uploaded video and a minimum bitrate of 516 kbps. For ordinary posts, we could not verify an official file size limit, and we know that it differs depending on the device and the upload method, so check what the app accepts on your account.

A few things help whichever limit you face:

1. Export at 1080 x 1920. Going higher rarely helps because TikTok compresses what you upload anyway.
2. Use MP4 with H.264 video. This is the most widely supported combination and tends to give a good balance of quality and size. This is a widely used standard, though not something we confirmed from TikTok’s pages.
3. Keep the file as light as the video allows. A smaller file uploads faster on mobile data and is less likely to fail.
4. Upload the original, not a copy that has been through other apps. Every re-save loses a little quality. A video downloaded from another platform with a watermark will also look worse.

If your video looks blurry after posting, the usual causes are low-quality source footage, a bad connection during upload, heavy compression from repeated exports, or filming in poor light. It is rarely the dimensions, as long as you are close to 1080 x 1920.

Before you hit upload: a quick checklist

1. Is the video vertical, roughly 1080 x 1920?
2. Are faces and key words away from the edges?
3. Do captions sit comfortably in the middle of the screen?
4. Does it look sharp when played back on a real phone?
5. Is the file a sensible size for your connection?

Running through five questions takes under a minute and saves a lot of reposting.

Covers, thumbnails and profile photos

The cover is the still image shown on your profile grid. TikTok lets you pick a frame from your video when you post. Because the profile grid crops thumbnails to a different shape from the full-screen video, keep any title text towards the middle of the frame. We could not confirm an official cover size, so use the frame-picker and look at it on your profile before moving on.

For your profile photo, use a clear, square image with the subject in the centre, since it is displayed as a circle. A logo with plenty of space around it works well.

Sizes for other platforms

Many people film once and post in several places, such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. These use the same vertical 9:16 shape, which makes it easy to reuse the same video. Keep in mind that each platform has its own buttons and text overlays, so the safe zone for one may not match another. For static posts, our guide to Instagram post size covers the ratios and safe areas there.

If you reuse a TikTok video elsewhere, post a clean version without the TikTok watermark, using your original file. Some platforms reduce the reach of content with another app’s logo on it, though you should check each platform’s current guidance.

Planning your videos around the size

Getting the tiktok video size right is only the first step. A sharp, correctly framed video still has to earn attention in the first second or two. A few habits help:

• Start with the main point or a clear visual hook, not a logo.
• Add captions. Many people watch without sound, and captions inside the safe zone help.
• Film in good natural light and hold the phone steady.
• Be consistent, so people know what to expect from you.

Planning ahead makes this easier. A simple social media content calendar template can help you map out what to film and when, so you are not making things up on the day. And if you are wondering whether your results are good, remember that numbers need context, and what counts as a decent performance varies by account and sector.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best tiktok video size?

1080 x 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio is our recommendation for organic videos. For ads, TikTok’s page recommends vertical 9:16 with a minimum of 540 x 960.

How long can a TikTok video be?

The limit has changed several times. TikTok announced a three-minute limit in 2021, and we could not confirm the current maximum for ordinary uploads. The app shows what you can upload. Uploaded video ads can be up to 10 minutes, according to TikTok’s ad page.

What is the maximum file size?

For ads, 500 MB or less, per TikTok’s ad specification page. For regular uploads we could not verify a figure.

Can I post a landscape video?

Yes, but it will appear small with bars above and below. Vertical is better for most content.

Why does my video look blurry?

Usually it is the source footage, repeated exports, a weak connection or poor lighting. Film at 1080 x 1920, export once and upload the original file.

Need a hand with TikTok?

If you would like help planning, filming or editing short video that suits your business, we are happy to chat. Learn more about Delivered Social, or contact us for a friendly conversation. And if you are looking for a quick rule to remember about tiktok video size, it is vertical, 9:16, 1080 x 1920, with your key words kept away from the edges.