Social Media Specs

TikTok Specs

TikTok specs are simple. The safe zone is not, and it is where most brand content fails, with logos and captions buried under the interaction rail. Here is what I brief for both organic and Spark Ads eligible content.

Video specifications
ItemSpecification
Aspect ratio9:16 vertical
Recommended resolution1080 x 1920
Container and codecMP4 or MOV, H.264 video, AAC audio
Frame rate30fps recommended, 60fps supported
Minimum length3 seconds
In app recording lengthUp to 10 minutes
Safe zone guidance on a 1080 x 1920 canvas
EdgeApproximate keep clearWhat sits there
TopAbout 130pxFollowing and For You tabs
BottomAbout 480pxCaption, handle, music ticker
RightAbout 140pxLike, comment, share, profile rail
LeftAbout 60pxCaption text wrap
Text limits
FieldLimit
Caption2,200 characters
Bio80 characters
Username24 characters
Comment150 characters

Notes

Safe zone numbers are approximate and drift with app updates and device notches. Treat them as a design margin, not a guarantee: if a piece of text absolutely must be read, keep it in the middle 60 percent of the frame vertically and away from the right rail entirely.

Shoot for sound on and caption anyway. A large share of viewing is with audio, unlike most feed video, but burned in captions still lift completion. Use the platform's own caption tool where possible, since auto captions are also machine readable for search.

Length is a creative decision, not a spec decision. The maximum has been raised repeatedly and will keep moving. What holds steady is that completion rate and rewatch drive distribution, so a tight 18 seconds usually beats a padded 45.

TikTok changes caption limits, length caps and safe zone chrome frequently, and the ad specs differ from organic. Confirm in the TikTok Creative Center or Business Help Center before locking a template.

Frequently asked questions

Does a watermark from another app hurt reach?

Reposting content with a visible watermark from a competing app is widely reported to underperform, and TikTok has discouraged it. Export clean masters and add branding inside your own edit if you need it.

What is the ideal TikTok video length?

There is no ideal number. Optimize for completion: make the video exactly as long as the idea requires and cut the setup. For most brand content that lands between 15 and 34 seconds.

Official sources

Platforms change specifications without notice. Check the primary documentation before a launch that depends on an exact value.

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