Vertical short-form video
The dominant format in 2026. TikTok set the template; Reels, Shorts, and Snap clones all use the same 9:16 shape. Spec differences are mostly about duration caps and what survives platform UI overlay.
| Platform | Resolution | Aspect | Duration | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | Up to 10 min | 10–15 Mbps H.264 |
| Instagram Reels | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | Up to 90 sec (3 min for some accounts) | 8–10 Mbps H.264 |
| YouTube Shorts | 1080×1920 (up to 4K) | 9:16 | Up to 60 sec | 10–20 Mbps H.264 / VP9 |
| Snapchat Spotlight | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | Up to 60 sec | 8–10 Mbps H.264 |
Use image resizer if you're prepping a 9:16 thumbnail from a wider source.
Square and horizontal feed video
For Instagram feed, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook — the audience watches on phones held vertically but the content frame is usually square or 16:9. Slightly more forgiving aesthetic; less aggressive UI overlay.
| Platform / format | Resolution | Aspect | Duration | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram feed (square) | 1080×1080 | 1:1 | 3–60 sec | 5–8 Mbps H.264 |
| Instagram feed (portrait) | 1080×1350 | 4:5 | 3–60 sec | 5–8 Mbps H.264 |
| X (Twitter) video | 1280×720 (or higher) | 16:9 or 1:1 | Up to 2:20 (free tier) | 5 Mbps H.264 max |
| LinkedIn feed | 1280×720 (1080p OK) | 16:9, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16 | 3 sec to 10 min | 5–10 Mbps H.264 |
| Facebook feed | 1080p min, 4K OK | 16:9, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16 | Up to 240 min | 4–10 Mbps H.264 |
Long-form video
YouTube proper, Vimeo, podcast clips, webinars. Higher resolution and bitrate budgets, looser duration limits.
| Platform / format | Recommended resolution | Aspect | Duration | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube 1080p | 1920×1080 | 16:9 | Up to 12 hours | 8–12 Mbps SDR / 12–18 HDR |
| YouTube 4K | 3840×2160 | 16:9 | Up to 12 hours | 35–45 Mbps SDR / 45–68 HDR |
| YouTube 8K | 7680×4320 | 16:9 | Up to 12 hours | 80–160 Mbps |
| Vimeo (default plan) | 1080p or higher | 16:9 typical | Unlimited (size cap by plan) | 10–20 Mbps H.264 / HEVC |
Safe zones — where to keep your text and CTAs
Every platform overlays UI on top of the video frame. Anything you put in the "danger zones" gets partially hidden. Rough rules for vertical 1080×1920 frame:
- TikTok — safe zone is roughly the middle 60% of the frame. Bottom ~300 px hides under caption text + music attribution + UI buttons. Top ~150 px under the profile/audio overlay.
- Reels — similar to TikTok but slightly more forgiving. Bottom ~250 px, top ~120 px.
- Shorts — bottom ~200 px hides; top ~80 px for channel info.
- Stories (Instagram, Facebook) — bottom ~250 px for reply box; top ~150 px for username/timestamp.
Practical advice: design captions and CTAs in the middle-third of the frame. If you absolutely need edge-of-frame text, design for TikTok's worst-case safe zone and the others will follow.
Caption strategy across platforms
Most short-form viewers watch with sound off in feed (>70% on average across studies). Captions aren't optional anymore; they're the primary content channel. Two approaches:
- Burned-in captions — text rendered into the video frame. Works on every platform regardless of caption support. Looks professional, doesn't get truncated. The default for high-quality short-form.
- Platform captions — uploaded SRT/VTT files (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) or auto-generated (most platforms). Helps with discoverability since platforms index caption text. Sometimes shown as toggle-able overlay.
Best practice: burn captions into the video AND upload the SRT separately. The burn ensures the viewing experience; the SRT helps SEO and accessibility.