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TikTok video specs

Shoot vertical 9:16. TikTok accepts MP4 (recommended), MOV or WebM at 23–60 fps, 360–4096 px per side and up to 4 GB; every creator can post 3-minute videos, and captions run to 2,200 characters.

Every number links to TikTok's own page · Checked October 2026

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Video file

SpecValue
Aspect ratio9:16 (vertical)[3]TikTok's creative guidance; the developer docs set no ratio
Resolution360 px minimum, 4096 px maximum (height and width)[1]
Recommended captureAt least 720p[3]ads guidance
File formatsMP4 (recommended), WebM, MOV[1]
Video codecsH.264 (recommended), H.265, VP8, VP9[1]
Frame rate23–60 fps[1]
Max file size4 GB[1]
BitrateNot published

Length

SpecValue
Post length3 minutes for all creators[1]some accounts can post 5 or 10 minutes
Longest file sent from an app10 minutes[1]the creator trims it in TikTok to their account's limit
Minimum lengthNot published

Text and captions

SpecValue
Caption length2,200 characters[2]counted in UTF-16 units; hashtags and mentions included
On-screen text pace5–10 words per second[3]ads guidance
Hook timingProposition in the first 3 seconds, hook in the first 6[3]ads guidance

Safe zone

SpecValue
Safe zoneVaries with format and caption length; downloadable template files[4]published for ads only, no pixel margins on the page

What TikTok doesn't publish

Creators ask about these, but there's no official number. We leave them out rather than guess.

  • Exact safe-zone margins in pixels for organic posts
  • Recommended bitrate
  • Minimum video length
  • The upload cap in the app and in TikTok Studio — the help pages that list it wouldn't load for us to verify, so check the upload screen

Exporting for TikTok

Export 9:16 inside the limits

1080x1920 sits well within TikTok's 360–4096 px range. Use MP4 with H.264, the formats TikTok recommends.

Match the frame rate window

TikTok takes 23–60 fps. Export at the rate you shot; 24, 30 or 60 all fit.

Front-load the point

TikTok's own creative guidance asks for the proposition in the first 3 seconds and the hook by second 6.

Pace your text

Keep on-screen text to about 5–10 words per second so it can be read before it disappears.

Keep text off the edges

Captions, buttons and the username sit over the bottom and right of the video. Keep key text in the centre and check it against TikTok's safe-zone template.

Mimic exports vertical 9:16 video with captions and titles kept inside the apps' safe zones and off the speaker's face.

Sources

  1. [1] TikTok for Developers, Content Posting API: Media Transfer Guide. Checked October 2026.
  2. [2] TikTok for Developers, Content Posting API: Direct Post reference. Checked October 2026.
  3. [3] TikTok Ads Manager Help, Creative best practices for performance ads. Checked October 2026.
  4. [4] TikTok Ads Manager Help, TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads. Checked October 2026.

Platforms change limits without notice. Check the linked page before a big campaign.

Questions

How long can a TikTok video be?

TikTok's developer docs say every creator can post 3-minute videos and some have access to 5 or 10 minutes. Apps can send files up to 10 minutes that the creator then trims to their account's limit.

What size should a TikTok video be?

Vertical 9:16. TikTok accepts 360 to 4096 px per side, and its creative guidance says to shoot at least 720p.

What file types does TikTok accept?

MP4 (recommended), MOV and WebM, encoded in H.264 (recommended), H.265, VP8 or VP9, up to 4 GB.

How long can a TikTok caption be?

Up to 2,200 characters, counting hashtags and mentions.

What frame rate should I export for TikTok?

Anything from 23 to 60 fps.

Made for TikTok, edited by Mimic.

Raw clip in. Captions, cuts, hook and product shots out.

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