AI PandaBest Video Sizes for Every Platform (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook)
One table with the shapes, sizes and length limits for each platform, with a note on which ones are officially confirmed.
Each app shows videos in a different shape. If you use the wrong one, your video gets black bars or important parts get cut off. This guide gives one simple table. We checked official pages on 25 October 2026. Where we could not confirm a number from an official page, we say so.
Three shapes to know
- 16:9 (wide): like a TV. Example size: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- 9:16 (tall): full phone screen. Example size: 1080 x 1920 pixels.
- 4:5 (portrait) and 1:1 (square): for feed posts. Example sizes: 1080 x 1350 and 1080 x 1080.
The table
| Where | Best shape | Common size | Length | How sure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube long video | 16:9 | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) or higher | Up to 15 minutes by default. Up to 12 hours (or 256 GB) after phone verification. | Official YouTube Help |
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 or 1:1 | 1080 x 1920 | Up to 3 minutes | Official YouTube Help (shape and length) |
| YouTube thumbnail | 16:9 | 3840 x 2160 recommended, minimum 640 wide | Not applicable | Official YouTube Help |
| TikTok | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | Long uploads are allowed, but the limit has changed several times. Check in your app. Creator Rewards only pays on videos over 1 minute. | Shape from TikTok ads help (vertical recommended). Upload limit not confirmed. |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | Up to 3 minutes (announced January 2025) | Length from news report of Meta announcement. Size is common practice. |
| Instagram feed post | 4:5 or 1:1 | 1080 x 1350 or 1080 x 1080 | Not confirmed | Instagram Help confirms photos up to 1080 pixels wide. The profile grid now shows taller tiles, so preview the crop. |
| Instagram Stories | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | Not confirmed | Common practice. Check in app. |
| Facebook Reels | 9:16 (vertical or horizontal allowed) | 1080 x 1920 | At least 3 seconds. Meta says there is no maximum length. | Official Meta for Creators (length, MP4) |
| Facebook feed video | 16:9, 1:1 or 4:5 | 1920 x 1080 or 1080 x 1350 | Not confirmed | Common practice. Check in app. |
File type and quality
- Use MP4. YouTube recommends MP4, and Meta requires .mp4 for Facebook Reels.
- Record in 1080p or better. YouTube suggests about 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24 to 30 frames per second.
- Keep the original. Export separate versions for each app instead of re-saving one file many times.
Safe zones: keep text away from the edges
On TikTok, Reels and Shorts, buttons, captions and your username sit on top of the video, mostly on the right side and the bottom. If you put text there, it gets covered.
- Keep important text and faces in the middle of the screen.
- Leave space at the bottom for captions and buttons.
- Leave space on the right for like and share buttons.
- Each app is a little different. TikTok publishes safe zone files for advertisers.
Use our Safe Zone Checker to see what will be covered before you post.
One video, many apps
- Film in 9:16 with your subject in the centre. This works for Shorts, TikTok, Reels and Stories.
- For YouTube long videos, film or edit a separate 16:9 version.
- Use our Social Media Resizer or Video Trimmer & Cropper to make each shape.
- Add captions with Auto Captions. They help on every app.
- Check the length limit for each app before you post.
Common mistakes
- Uploading a wide 16:9 video to TikTok or Reels. It shows small with black bars.
- Uploading a 2-minute 16:9 video and expecting it to be a YouTube Short. Wide videos are treated as long videos.
- Putting text at the very bottom of a vertical video where captions cover it.
- Exporting a low-resolution file, which looks blurry on big phones.
Apps change their limits often. If a number here does not match what you see in the app, trust the app.
Questions
What is the best size for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
Vertical 9:16, usually 1080 x 1920 pixels. Keep text away from the bottom and right edges.
How long can a YouTube video be?
Up to 15 minutes by default. After phone verification, up to 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever is less.
How long can Instagram Reels be?
Meta announced in January 2025 that Reels can be up to 3 minutes. Check your app, as limits change.
Can one video work on every platform?
A vertical 9:16 video works for Shorts, TikTok, Reels and Stories. For YouTube long videos, make a 16:9 version.
Sources
- Upload videos longer than 15 minutes (YouTube Help)
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts (YouTube Help)
- Add video thumbnails on YouTube (YouTube Help)
- YouTube recommended upload encoding settings (YouTube Help)
- TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads video specifications (TikTok Ads Help)
- Facebook Reels (Meta for Creators)
- Instagram moves to 3-minute Reels and taller profile grid (Engadget, Jan 2025)
- Instagram photo resolution (Instagram Help)