The safest TikTok video size in 2026 is 1080×1920 px in a 9:16 vertical MP4. Official ad specs allow lower floors like 540×960, but lean teams should export a full-screen master that also works for Instagram Reels without a second editing round.
For small B2B teams, the size question has quietly turned into a repurposing problem. One file can travel across platforms, but overlay placement still needs a TikTok-specific check after captions and the platform UI are visible on the live post.
The export decision sets up a chain reaction across the rest of the workflow, and these are the points worth holding on to:
- A 1080×1920 px export in 9:16 is the working master that covers TikTok and Reels cleanly.
- TikTok’s official vertical floor sits at 540×960 px, so the minimum should never become the team preset.
- Safe zones shift with caption length and dimension, which means edge text needs to move inward.
- Instagram Reels accept 9:16 at 720 px minimum, so most cropping pain comes from overlays, not canvas.
Use 1080×1920 for TikTok videos
Set 1080×1920 px as the default TikTok export because it gives a full-screen 9:16 vertical file that sits comfortably above TikTok’s official minimums and stays usable for Instagram Reels reuse. One master, two destinations, no quality penalty.
The official floor matters as a sanity check, not a target. TikTok’s video ad specifications set the vertical minimum at 540×960 px, with square clips at 640×640 and horizontal at 960×540. Supported formats include .mp4 and .mov, which are also the only two accepted for Spark creative, so MP4 is the cleanest default. Non-Spark files can reach 500 MB and must clear 516 kbps. Duration in the ad documentation reaches 10 minutes, but that figure belongs to ads rather than a blanket organic claim.
| Spec | TikTok value |
|---|---|
| Recommended export | 1080×1920 px, 9:16, MP4 |
| Vertical minimum | 540×960 px |
| Square minimum | 640×640 px |
| Horizontal minimum | 960×540 px |
| Max file size (Non-Spark) | 500 MB |
| Min bitrate | 516 kbps |
| Ad duration range | 5 seconds to 10 minutes |
Where should TikTok text sit?
Keep meaningful text away from the outer edges of the frame. TikTok’s official guidance says the safe zone varies with video dimension, caption length, and additional ad formats, so promising one fixed pixel box would be misleading.
TikTok points users toward downloadable safe-zone files for ad production rather than a single public number. The practical consequence: a longer caption draws more visible UI, which means more potential collision with overlays you thought were safe. Preview and live delivery can also differ slightly because the preview view is not adapted to one specific device.
Worth noting: TikTok itself states the safe zone is determined by dimension, ad caption length, and the additional formats used, which is why static “X pixels from the bottom” rules circulating in blog posts age poorly.
Keep subtitles in the center-safe portion of the frame. Logos and CTA copy belong inward too, not at the edges of the 1080×1920 canvas. Treating the whole frame as design space is the most common preventable cause of covered captions.
Why does a Reel crop on TikTok?
A 9:16 Instagram Reel is rarely a true size problem on TikTok. Instagram Reels accept aspect ratios from 1.91:1 up to 9:16 with a 720 px minimum and 30 FPS floor, while TikTok recommends the same 9:16 vertical, so the canvases match.
The breakdown happens when the design assumes both apps place interface elements in the same spots. A Reel with text near the bottom can sit cleanly on Instagram and then collide with TikTok captions or share controls. The first fix is moving overlays inward inside the existing 1080×1920 canvas, not rebuilding the file at a new size. For the exact Reels handoff details, our Instagram dimensions reference carries the full Reels side so this page stays focused on TikTok placement.
One vertical master keeps repurposing clean
Small B2B teams should treat the 1080×1920 file as the single master asset. The same vertical export can serve TikTok and Reels when overlays are protected before the post hits a scheduler. TikTok’s SMB guidance backs the full-screen 9:16 approach with a 720p minimum.
- Start from one full-screen 9:16 canvas at 1080×1920 px.
- Export the master before platform-specific captions are finalized.
- Place subtitles inside the center-safe area, never near the bottom edge.
- Keep the logo far enough from the edge to survive either platform’s UI.
- Hold CTA text in the same protected band as the subtitles.
- Tie this export habit to a wider repurposing workflow so derivatives start from one approved file.
When should the TikTok export check happen?
Run the TikTok export check after subtitles and the caption draft are present. Safe-zone risk depends on those elements, so an early visual review can miss the actual collision. The owner confirms the 1080×1920 canvas first, then verifies the export is MP4, then reviews overlay placement only once the final caption is visible.
If the post fails the check, the cheap fix is moving the overlay inward, not rebuilding the file. A weekly production block can absorb this review as the last publishing gate, which fits naturally inside our 90-minute weekly cadence rather than a separate editing round.
TikTok overlays can cover the main claim
A covered subtitle is not just a design slip. 55% of adult TikTok users regularly get news on the platform, which means information delivery is part of the job, not a side effect.
For B2B teams, that shifts the priority. A viewer can still recognize the brand when a logo sits a little lower in the frame, but a covered subtitle can break the argument completely. Measure safe-zone fixes against retention and click behavior in the KPI dashboard you already track, so the overlay rule has a feedback loop instead of staying a style preference.
The final TikTok export habit
The useful answer is not only a pixel number. The real handoff is a shared preset that survives the move from editor to scheduler after captions and interface overlays are real on the live post.
Caption length becomes a design variable the moment TikTok’s safe zones enter the workflow, and a single 1080×1920 master only reduces re-editing when overlays are designed for both platforms from the start. The best preset is the one the team can actually check every week before scheduling, not the one with the most settings.
Save one export preset named “TikTok and Reels 1080×1920 MP4” and add a two-minute overlay review after the final caption is written. That single habit covers most of what this article describes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I upload square or horizontal video to TikTok?
Yes, but vertical 9:16 should stay the default. TikTok’s specs allow square video at a 640×640 px minimum and horizontal video at a 960×540 px minimum. Vertical full-screen content still gets the cleanest treatment in the feed and matches how most viewers hold their phone.
Is 720p enough for TikTok?
Yes, 720p clears TikTok’s SMB guidance for resolution. Use 1080×1920 as the working default when you want a cleaner master that also fits Instagram Reels without a second export. The higher resolution gives more headroom for cropping, recompression, and on-screen text without visible quality loss.
What file type should I export for TikTok?
Use MP4 as the default export. TikTok lists several Non-Spark formats, but MP4 and MOV are the safest choices because Spark creative is restricted to those two. Standardizing on MP4 also keeps your file compatible with most schedulers, ad managers, and Instagram Reels uploads.
How long can a TikTok video ad be?
For TikTok ads, plan within a 5-second to 10-minute range. The official ad documentation supports that span, while current organic duration limits should be checked separately rather than assumed from the ad spec. For most B2B clips, the practical sweet spot sits well below the upper limit.
Does TikTok preview always match the live video?
No. TikTok states that preview and live delivery can differ slightly because the preview is not adapted to one specific device. Always check overlay placement once the caption is in place on the live post, since that is when the real UI elements appear over your frame.
What FPS should I use when repurposing Reels to TikTok?
Use 30 FPS or higher as the cross-platform default. Instagram requires at least 30 FPS for Reels, which makes it the clean operational floor for reuse on TikTok as well. Higher frame rates work fine, but 30 FPS keeps file sizes manageable while clearing both platforms’ minimums.
