Video Specs Checker
Check if your video meets TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts specifications for dimensions, size, and format.
TikTok, Reels, and Shorts Video Specifications in 2026
All three major short-form video platforms use 9:16 vertical format at 1080x1920 resolution. While each platform has different max durations and file size limits, the core specs are the same - making cross-posting straightforward if you get the basics right.
The most common mistakes are uploading landscape (16:9) video, using resolutions below 720p, or exporting in unsupported formats. All of these result in lower quality, cropped content, or failed uploads.
Why Video Specifications Matter for Reach
Uploading a video with incorrect specifications doesn't just look bad - it actively hurts your distribution. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube each have preferred encoding parameters, and videos that match these preferences get processed faster and distributed more broadly. When you upload a 1920x1080 horizontal video to TikTok (which expects 1080x1920 vertical), the platform auto-crops or letterboxes it, wasting screen real estate and reducing visual impact. Similarly, uploading at 24fps when the platform optimizes for 30fps can create subtle stuttering during playback.
Bitrate matters too - under-compressed videos look blurry on larger phone screens, while over-compressed files lose detail in dark scenes and fast motion. The most overlooked spec is audio: TikTok recommends AAC audio at 128kbps or higher. Videos with poor audio encoding get lower completion rates because viewers perceive audio quality subconsciously - a slightly muffled voiceover triggers early exits even when the viewer can't articulate why.
Getting specifications right is a one-time setup cost that pays dividends across every video you publish.
2026 Specification Updates You Should Know
Platform specifications evolve yearly, and 2026 brought several important changes. TikTok now supports HDR content (HDR10 and HLG) on supported devices, which means creators with HDR-capable workflows can deliver richer colors and higher dynamic range. Instagram Reels extended maximum duration to 90 seconds and now accepts uploads up to 4K resolution (3840x2160), though they're downscaled to 1080x1920 for delivery - starting with 4K source material preserves more detail after compression.
YouTube Shorts expanded to 3 minutes and now supports uploads at 60fps (previously limited to 30fps for Shorts), making it the most flexible platform for higher frame rates. All three platforms now use AV1 codec for delivery on supported devices, but still accept H.264 and H.265 uploads - you don't need to encode in AV1 yourself.
The safe universal export setting that works well across all platforms in 2026: 1080x1920 resolution, H.264 codec, 30fps, 8-12 Mbps bitrate, AAC audio at 192kbps. This delivers good quality without exceeding any platform's processing limits.
Exporting for Multiple Platforms at Once
Cross-posting the same reel to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts requires understanding each platform's quirks. While all three accept 9:16 vertical video at 1080x1920, they handle safe zones differently. TikTok overlays a username, caption, and interaction buttons on the right side and bottom of the screen - keep important visual elements and text within the center 80% of the frame. Instagram Reels has a similar overlay pattern but positions elements slightly differently, and the Reels grid preview crops to 4:5 from the center.
YouTube Shorts shows the title and channel name at the bottom, consuming roughly 15% of the screen. The practical solution is to design your reels with a "safe zone" mentality: keep all critical content (text overlays, key visual elements, captions) within the center 720 pixels horizontally and the center 1400 pixels vertically. Anything outside this zone risks being covered by platform UI elements on at least one platform.
Reelry handles this automatically by keeping generated content within the safe zone, but if you're editing manually, template overlays showing each platform's safe zone are worth using.