TikTok, Reels & Shorts Video Specs: The Creator's Cheat Sheet (2026)

Why Video Specs Matter

Uploading a video in the wrong format isn't just a minor inconvenience — it directly impacts your reach. Every major platform has specific requirements for resolution, aspect ratio, duration, and file size. When your video doesn't meet these specs, three things happen: the platform re-encodes your video (reducing quality), the algorithm deprioritizes it (reducing reach), and viewers scroll past it (reducing engagement).

Getting the specs right is the lowest-effort, highest-impact optimization you can make. This cheat sheet covers every major short-form video platform's requirements for 2026, updated as platforms change their specs.

TikTok Video Specs

TikTok remains the dominant short-form platform with over 1.5 billion monthly active users. The algorithm heavily favors native vertical content — landscape videos with black bars receive significantly less distribution.

Pro tip: TikTok's sweet spot is 15-60 seconds for maximum For You Page distribution. Videos over 60 seconds can perform well if retention is high, but shorter content gets more initial algorithmic push. Need to convert landscape video for TikTok? Portrait AI handles the reframing automatically.

Instagram Reels Specs

Instagram Reels is Meta's primary discovery surface — Reels consistently outperform static posts and Stories in reach and engagement. Instagram specifically recommends 9:16 vertical format for Reels and penalizes landscape content in the Reels tab.

Important: Reels under 90 seconds are eligible for Explore page recommendations. Instagram also supports 4:5 for Feed posts — a useful format if you want a less aggressive crop. Convert for Instagram Reels with AI subject tracking.

YouTube Shorts Specs

YouTube Shorts has crossed 70 billion daily views and operates as a completely separate discovery algorithm from regular YouTube. Shorts can drive subscribers to your main channel and serve as a discovery funnel for long-form content.

Critical: YouTube strictly enforces the 60-second limit. Videos longer than 60 seconds will not be classified as Shorts, even if they're vertical. Add #Shorts to your title or description for reliable classification. Reframe video for YouTube Shorts.

Facebook Reels Specs

Facebook Reels reaches 3 billion monthly active users — often an overlooked platform for short-form content. The competition is lower than TikTok and Instagram, making it easier to gain traction.

Snapchat Spotlight Specs

Snapchat Spotlight is Snapchat's algorithmic video feed — content is distributed based on engagement, not social graph. It's a genuine discovery platform for vertical video content.

Quick Reference Table

All platforms side by side. Bookmark this table — we update it as platforms change their specs.

The universal takeaway: 1080x1920, 9:16, H.264 works on every platform.

What If Your Video Is Landscape?

Every spec above requires vertical 9:16 video. If your existing content is landscape (16:9) — which most camera and screen recordings are — you need to convert it before uploading. Simply adding black bars (letterboxing) wastes 60% of the screen and kills engagement. The right approach is intelligent reframing: cropping the landscape video to portrait while following the subject.

Portrait AI handles this automatically — upload any landscape MP4, MOV, or MKV (up to 5 minutes, 500 MB) and AI subject tracking follows the action to generate a smooth portrait crop. For a deeper dive on methods, read our complete guide to converting landscape to portrait. For understanding which aspect ratio to use beyond 9:16, see our video aspect ratios guide.

Pro Tips for Export Settings

• Bitrate sweet spot: 5-8 Mbps for 1080p portrait. Higher isn't always better — platforms re-encode anyway, so diminishing returns above 10 Mbps.
• Safe zones for text: Keep text overlays and captions within the center 80% of the frame. TikTok and Reels overlay UI elements (like buttons, usernames) on the bottom 15% and top 10%.
• Always add captions: 80-85% of social media video is watched with sound off. Burned-in captions dramatically improve retention across all platforms.
• H.264 is universal: When in doubt, use H.264 (AVC). Every platform supports it natively with minimal re-encoding. H.265 (HEVC) offers better compression but slower uploads and less consistent platform support.
• 60fps for action: Sports highlights, gaming clips, and fast-moving content benefit from 60fps. Talking-head content and tutorials are fine at 30fps.
• Test on mobile first: Your portrait video will primarily be viewed on phones. Always preview on a phone screen before posting — desktop previews can be misleading.