Social Media Specs
Social Video Aspect Ratios
Most video problems I get asked about are framing problems, not encoding problems. If a shoot is composed for one ratio and then delivered into four, everything gets cropped through the subject. This table is what I hand to an editor before the first export.
| Platform | Placement | Primary ratio | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reels and Stories | 9:16 | Feed video at 4:5 or 1:1 | |
| TikTok | In feed | 9:16 | 1:1 and 16:9 are supported but letterboxed |
| YouTube | Standard video | 16:9 | Shorts at 9:16 |
| Feed video | 4:5 or 1:1 | 9:16 for Reels and Stories | |
| Feed video | 1:1 or 4:5 | 16:9 and 9:16 supported | |
| X (Twitter) | In stream video | 16:9 | 1:1 supported |
| Video Pin | 2:3 | 9:16 and 1:1 supported |
| Ratio | Pixels | Where it fits best |
|---|---|---|
| 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | Reels, Shorts, TikTok, Stories |
| 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 | Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn feed |
| 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 | Safest cross platform fallback |
| 16:9 | 1920 x 1080 | YouTube, X, embedded and OTT |
| 2:3 | 1000 x 1500 | Pinterest video Pins |
Notes
Shoot 4K in 16:9 and frame for a 9:16 centre crop. That single decision gives you a native landscape master and a vertical reframe with real pixels left over, instead of an upscaled crop. If you are shooting vertical natively, still leave headroom, because platform chrome eats the top and bottom of the frame.
The safe area is the actual specification, not the canvas. On vertical placements keep titles, logos and faces roughly 250 pixels clear of the top and 400 pixels clear of the bottom of a 1920 pixel canvas, since captions, the profile row and the interaction rail all sit inside that band.
Do not letterbox to force a ratio. A 16:9 video padded into a 9:16 frame reads as repurposed content and underperforms even when the content is good. Reframe the shot, resize the type, and re-export rather than adding bars.
Platforms adjust supported ratios and player crops regularly, especially on newer short form surfaces. Confirm against the official help documentation for the platform before you lock an export preset for a campaign.
Frequently asked questions
If I can only make one video, which ratio?
9:16. It is native on the three highest reach short form surfaces and it downsizes into a 1:1 or 4:5 crop with less damage than the reverse. The exception is when YouTube long form is the primary goal.
Does 4:5 work for video the way it does for images?
Yes on Meta and LinkedIn feeds, where it takes more screen than a square without triggering the Reels player. It is a good compromise when a video has to live in feed rather than in a full screen surface.
Do I need separate exports per platform?
Two exports cover most programmes: one 9:16 and one 16:9 or 4:5. Beyond that the returns are small unless a specific placement is carrying a lot of budget.
Official sources
Platforms change specifications without notice. Check the primary documentation before a launch that depends on an exact value.
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Social Media Character Limits
Character limits for posts, bios, captions and headlines across Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
Instagram Specs
Instagram image sizes, Reels and Stories video specs, caption and bio limits, and file requirements in one reference.
LinkedIn Specs
LinkedIn image dimensions, video specs, character limits for posts, headlines and articles, plus document post requirements.
TikTok Specs
TikTok video dimensions, aspect ratio, length limits, caption and bio character counts, and safe zone guidance for creators.
YouTube Specs
YouTube video resolutions, thumbnail and banner sizes, title and description limits, and Shorts requirements in one table.