At a glance
- Ratio and pixels. Use 9:16 vertical. TikTok’s ad pages call 9:16 the recommended ratio, and 1080×1920 is that ratio at 1080p width.
- Web upload rules. TikTok Studio on the web asks for MP4 or WebM, 720×1280 or higher, up to 30 minutes and under 10 GB.
- Per-device file caps. TikTok’s pages we checked list none for iOS or Android. The 287.6 MB and 72 MB figures in many guides are unverified.
- Ads are different. Non-Spark in-feed ads allow up to 10 minutes and 500 MB, with a vertical minimum of 540×960 (page updated June 2026).
- Last checked: October 27, 2026.
What is the TikTok video size?
For a standard vertical video, export 1080×1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. That is the most common recommendation, and it clears every minimum TikTok publishes. None of the TikTok pages we read names 1080×1920 as a requirement, so treat it as a safe default rather than a rule.
- Aspect ratio
- 9:16 vertical (recommended in TikTok’s ad guidance)
- Resolution
- 720×1280 or higher for TikTok Studio web uploads
- Formats
- MP4 or WebM on the web; MP4, WebM or MOV through the API
- Length
- Up to 30 minutes on web uploads
- File size
- Under 10 GB on web uploads; 4 GB through the API
- Frame rate
- 23 to 60 fps (API limit)
- Photo posts
- Up to 35 photos in one post
What is the TikTok aspect ratio?
The TikTok aspect ratio for full-screen video is 9:16, meaning 9 units wide for every 16 tall. TikTok’s ad specifications list three ratios for ads: 9:16 (marked recommended), 16:9 and 1:1. For regular posts, the help pages and the developer documentation we read give no list of accepted ratios; the developer page sets only a pixel range of 360 to 4096 pixels per side.
What are the TikTok dimensions in pixels?
| Ratio | Example size | What TikTok’s pages say |
|---|---|---|
| 9:16 vertical | 1080×1920 | Ads: recommended, at least 540×960. Web upload: at least 720×1280. |
| 9:16 vertical | 720×1280 | Web upload minimum. Ad best practices say to shoot at least 720p. |
| 1:1 square | 1080×1080 | Ads only: at least 640×640. |
| 16:9 horizontal | 1920×1080 | Ads only: at least 960×540. |
The developer documentation caps both height and width at 4096 pixels. A 2160×3840 vertical file is inside that range. The page does not say whether TikTok re-encodes larger files, so no official figure tells you whether 4K uploads keep their detail.
What are the TikTok upload limits?
TikTok does not publish one upload table. The limits come from three different places.
| Where | Formats | Resolution | Length | File size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok Studio on the web (help center) | MP4 or WebM | 720×1280 or higher | Up to 30 minutes | Under 10 GB |
| Content Posting API (developer docs, updated August 4, 2026) | MP4 (recommended), WebM, MOV; H.264 recommended | 360 to 4096 pixels per side | 3 minutes for all creators, 5 or 10 for some; 10 is the API maximum | 4 GB |
| TikTok mobile app | Not published | Not published | You pick a maximum length when you record; no figure on the help page | Not published |
The published length figures differ, and the pages do not explain why; they describe different upload paths. If your account shows a different maximum in the app, trust the app.
What are the safe zones on TikTok?
TikTok describes safe zones only for ads. Its in-feed ad page says the safe zone depends on the ad’s dimensions, the caption length and any extra formats, and it offers downloadable safe-zone files. It also warns that the preview can differ slightly from the live ad because previews are not device-specific. The page gives no pixel margins.
For regular posts we found no official margins. RecurPost suggests leaving roughly 250 pixels of empty space at the bottom of a cover and 150 on its right side, but no TikTok page confirms those numbers. Until TikTok publishes margins, keep captions, faces and logos away from the edges and check the editor preview before you post.
What are the TikTok ad video specs?
These figures apply to ads only, from TikTok’s auction in-feed ads page (last updated June 2026). They do not limit organic posts.
| Spec | Non-Spark in-feed ads | Spark Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio and minimum size | 9:16 (recommended) at least 540×960; 16:9 at least 960×540; 1:1 at least 640×640 | Not listed |
| File types | .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi | .mp4 or .mov |
| Length | Up to 10 minutes | No restrictions |
| File size | 500 MB or less | Not listed |
| Bitrate | 516 kbps or higher | Not listed |
What other guides get wrong. Four claims in popular guides contradict TikTok’s own pages, and a fifth could not be confirmed.
- Riverside (updated December 14, 2025) lists ad length as 5 to 60 seconds. TikTok’s ad page says up to 10 minutes for non-Spark in-feed ads. An undated TikTok ad PDF, whose data note cites May to July 2021 research, still says 5 to 60 seconds.
- SocialSizes gives a maximum length of 60 seconds. TikTok’s developer documentation says all creators can post 3-minute videos, and some can post 5 or 10 minutes.
- RecurPost (updated September 29, 2026) says API videos can run 10 minutes on most accounts and up to 60 on some. The developer documentation says 3 minutes for all creators, 5 or 10 for some, and 10 as the longest.
- Shopify (September 10, 2024) says web uploads are capped at 1 GB and lists 540×960 as the minimum resolution. TikTok’s help center says under 10 GB for web uploads and 720×1280 or higher. The 540×960 figure is the minimum for ads.
- Several guides give 72 MB for Android and 287.6 MB for iOS. We could not find those numbers on any TikTok page, so we leave them out.
Editing a horizontal clip into 9:16? Our CapCut review covers the editor and its AI features.
Read the CapCut reviewWhat should you read next?
After the file is ready, pick a posting slot with our comparison of five posting-time studies. If you build videos with AI tools, how to make an AI video walks through the workflow. We cover sizes for YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels on separate pages. More TikTok guides are on the TikTok hub.
FAQ
What is the best size for a TikTok video?
Export 1080×1920 pixels at 9:16. TikTok does not name that size as a requirement, but it clears the minimums TikTok does publish: 720×1280 for TikTok Studio web uploads and at least 720p in its ad best practices.
What is the TikTok aspect ratio?
9:16 vertical. TikTok’s ad specifications mark 9:16 as recommended and also list 16:9 and 1:1 for ads. The help pages and developer documentation we read give no list of accepted ratios for regular posts.
What is the max file size for a TikTok video?
TikTok’s help center says under 10 GB for uploads in TikTok Studio on the web. The Content Posting API allows 4 GB. In-feed ads allow 500 MB or less. We found no iOS or Android cap on any TikTok page.
How long can a TikTok video be?
TikTok’s help center says TikTok Studio web uploads can be up to 30 minutes. Its developer documentation says all creators can post 3-minute videos, some can post 5 or 10 minutes, and 10 minutes is the API maximum. The mobile app lets you choose a maximum length when recording.
What video format is best for TikTok?
MP4. TikTok Studio on the web accepts MP4 or WebM. The developer documentation recommends MP4 with H.264 video and also accepts WebM and MOV, plus H.265, VP8 and VP9 codecs, at 23 to 60 frames per second.
Can I upload a square or horizontal video to TikTok?
TikTok’s ad specifications list 1:1 and 16:9 as valid ad ratios, with 9:16 recommended. For regular posts we found no TikTok page that states how other ratios are displayed, so export vertical 9:16 if you want the full screen.
What are the TikTok safe zones?
TikTok publishes safe-zone files for in-feed ads and says the zone depends on dimensions, caption length and extra formats. It gives no pixel margins and no safe-zone guide for regular posts, so keep text and faces away from the edges.
Sources
- TikTok Support: Tools for creators (TikTok Studio web upload requirements), checked October 27, 2026
- TikTok Support: Making a post, checked October 27, 2026
- TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API media transfer guide (last updated August 4, 2026), checked October 27, 2026
- TikTok Ads Help: TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads (video ad specifications) (last updated June 2026), checked October 27, 2026
- TikTok Ads Help: Creative best practices for performance ads (last updated June 2025), checked October 27, 2026
- TikTok for Business: 7 Top Tips for Making TikTok Videos (PDF) (undated), checked October 27, 2026
- Riverside: TikTok Video Size Guide (updated December 14, 2025), checked October 27, 2026
- SocialSizes: TikTok Video Size 2026, checked October 27, 2026
- Shopify: TikTok Video Size Guide (published September 10, 2024), checked October 27, 2026
- RecurPost: TikTok Video Sizes (updated September 29, 2026), checked October 27, 2026
Method: how we research.