# Social media video sizes and lengths cheat sheet

Ratio, resolution, length and file size limits for every major network, each with its source, plus a checker that tells you which networks your video fits without uploading it.

## YouTube

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 16:9 (vertical and square are accepted and padded) | 3840×2160, 2560×1440, 1920×1080 or 1280×720 (down to 426×240) | Up to 15 min (unverified accounts); up to 12 h (verified) | 256 GB or 12 h, whichever is less | MP4 recommended (H.264, AAC-LC); also MOV, MPEG-1/2/4, AVI, WMV, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, ProRes, HEVC |  | official | https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6375112 https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/71673 https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171 |
| Shorts | Square or vertical | 1080×1920 (common practice) | Up to 3 min (uploads after 2024-10-15) | Same as YouTube video | Same as YouTube video |  | official | https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877 https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12779649 |

## Instagram

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reels (app) | 1.91:1 to 9:16 | At least 720 px, at least 30 fps; cover 420×654 | Up to 20 min (over 3 min is not recommended to new audiences) | Not stated | Not stated |  | official | https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/1038071743007909 https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/2720958398006062 |
| Reels (publishing API) | 0.01:1 to 10:1 accepted, 9:16 recommended | Up to 1920 px wide; 23–60 fps; H.264 or HEVC; AAC up to 48 kHz | 3 s to 15 min | 300 MB | MP4 or MOV (moov atom first, no edit lists) |  | official | https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media |
| Stories (publishing API) | 0.1:1 to 10:1, 9:16 recommended | Up to 1920 px wide | 3 s to 60 s | 100 MB | MP4 or MOV |  | official | https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media |
| Reels ads | 9:16 | 1440×2560 | Up to 15 min | 4 GB | MP4, MOV | Keep text and logos out of the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side | official (ads) | https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels |

## Facebook

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video and Reels (app) | Any; since 2025 every video except Stories and Live posts as a reel | Not stated | Any length | Not stated | MP4 or MOV recommended |  | official | https://www.facebook.com/help/166707406722029 https://creators.facebook.com/blog/making-it-easier-to-create-videos-on-facebook |
| Reels (publishing API) | 9:16 | 1080×1920 recommended, at least 540×960; 24–60 fps; H.264 or H.265 | 3 s to 90 s | Not stated | MP4 recommended |  | official | https://developers.facebook.com/docs/video-api/guides/reels-publishing |
| Feed video ads | 4:5 | 1440×1800 | 1 s to 241 min | 4 GB | MP4, MOV, GIF | Not stated | official (ads) | https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/facebook-feed |

## TikTok

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video (Content Posting API) | Not stated by the API; 9:16 is common | 360–4096 px per side; 23–60 fps; 1080×1920 is common | Up to 10 min through the API; each creator's maximum (often 3 min) comes from the creator info call | 4 GB | MP4 (recommended), WebM, MOV; H.264 recommended, H.265, VP8, VP9 | TikTok publishes templates only, no pixel values | official | https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-media-transfer-guide |

## X (Twitter)

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post video | 1:3 to 3:1; 16:9 or 1:1 recommended | 1280×720, 720×1280 or 720×720; up to 60 fps; Premium can upload 1080p | 0.5 s to 20 min (Premium and verified: 125 min) | 8 GB (Premium: 16 GB) | H.264 High profile with AAC-LC audio, YUV 4:2:0, progressive scan |  | official | https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices |

## LinkedIn

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video (app) | 1:2.4 to 2.4:1 | 256×144 to 4096×2304; 10–60 fps | 3 s to 15 min | 5 GB (at least 75 KB) | MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM, MKV, WMV and more |  | official | https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a548372 |
| Video (Videos API) | Not stated | Not stated | 3 s to 30 min | 75 KB to 500 MB | MP4 |  | official | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/linkedin/marketing/community-management/shares/videos-api |
| Video ads | 16:9, 1:1, 4:5 (recommended) or 9:16 | 1920×1080; 1080×1080; 720×900 (up to 1080×1350); 720×1280 (up to 1080×1920) | 3 s to 30 min | 500 MB | MP4 (H.264 or VP8, AAC audio) |  | official (ads) | https://www.linkedin.com/help/lms/answer/a424737 |

## Pinterest

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video Pin | 9:16 recommended; also 1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 1:1 | 1080×1920 | 4 s to 5 min | Not stated | MP4, M4V (web); MOV (apps); H.264 or H.265 | Keep text out of the top 270 px, bottom 790 px, left 65 px and right 195 px of a 1080×1920 frame | official | https://help.pinterest.com/en/article/review-pin-specs |
| Video ads | 1:2 to 1.91:1 | Not stated | 4 s to 15 min | 2 GB | MP4, MOV, M4V |  | official (ads) | https://help.pinterest.com/en/business/article/pinterest-product-specs |

## Threads

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 0.01:1 to 10:1, 9:16 recommended | Up to 1920 px wide; 23–60 fps; H.264 or HEVC | Up to 5 min | 1 GB | MP4 or MOV |  | official | https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/overview |

## Google Business Profile

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | Not stated | 720p or higher | Up to 30 s | 75 MB | Not stated |  | official | https://support.google.com/business/answer/6103862 |

## Bluesky

| Placement | Ratio | Resolution | Length | Max file size | Formats | Text safe zone | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | Not stated | Not stated | Up to 10 min | 300 MB | MP4, MPEG, WebM, MOV |  | app source code | https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app |

## Why one video rarely fits every network

Vertical 9:16 video is the shared format of Reels, TikTok, Shorts, Threads and Pinterest, but the limits around it differ. Lengths range from 30 seconds on Google Business Profile to 12 hours on YouTube, file size caps from 75 MB to several gigabytes, and a ratio that one network shows full screen can be padded or cropped on another. Checking the target networks before you edit saves a second export.

## App limits and API limits

Many networks publish two sets of numbers: what the app accepts and what the publishing API accepts. Scheduling tools, PostBoost included, publish through the API, so the API row is the one that applies when you schedule. Facebook's app takes videos of any length while its Reels publishing API takes 3 to 90 seconds, and Instagram Reels can run 20 minutes in the app but 15 minutes through the API. Rows marked "ads" are the ad placements, which often allow longer and larger files.

## Text and safe zones

Each app draws buttons, captions and profile details over the edges of a vertical video. Only Instagram (for Reels ads) and Pinterest publish exact zones, so those are the only rows with numbers; for other networks, keep text and logos near the centre. This page lists no invented safe zones.

## How the checker decides

"Does not fit" means the length, the ratio or the file size is outside a limit the source states. "Check" means it fits but the source recommends something else, such as 16:9 for a regular YouTube video, or a long video that only some accounts can post. Codec, frame rate and bitrate are not read from the file, so check them in your editor's export settings.

## How to use

1. Pick a video from your device. It stays in your browser: only its length and size are read.
2. Read the list: each network shows Fits, Check or Does not fit, with the reason.
3. Open the network's table below for the full limits and the source of each number.

## FAQ

### What is the best aspect ratio for Reels, TikTok and Shorts?

9:16 vertical. Instagram's publishing API and Threads recommend 9:16, the Facebook Reels publishing guide asks for 9:16, YouTube Shorts are square or vertical, and 1080×1920 is the common TikTok size.

### How long can a Reel be?

In the Instagram app a Reel can run up to 20 minutes, but Instagram does not recommend Reels over 3 minutes to new audiences. Reels published through the API, which is how scheduling tools such as PostBoost publish, run from 3 seconds to 15 minutes and up to 300 MB.

### How long can a YouTube Short be?

Up to 3 minutes for Shorts uploaded after 15 October 2024, square or vertical. Older guides that say 60 seconds are out of date.

### Why do some networks have two rows?

The app and the publishing API can have different limits. Facebook's app accepts videos of any length, while its Reels publishing API takes 3 to 90 seconds; LinkedIn's app allows 15 minutes and 5 GB, its Videos API 30 minutes and 500 MB. A scheduling tool works within the API row.

### Is my video uploaded anywhere?

No. The checker opens the file in your browser and reads its length, width, height and file size. Nothing is sent to PostBoost or stored.

### Where should text go in a vertical video?

Away from the edges, where the app shows buttons and captions. Only two networks publish exact zones: Instagram Reels ads (keep text out of the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side) and Pinterest (270 px top, 790 px bottom, 65 px left, 195 px right on a 1080×1920 frame).

### How current are these specs?

Each row was checked against its source on the date shown under "Last verified", and the page is re-checked once a year. Networks change limits without notice, so check the linked source before a large campaign.

## Related

- [Social media image sizes, with a free resizer](https://postboost.co/tools/social-media-image-sizes): Image sizes for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest and more, each with its source. Crop and resize your image in the browser.
- [Social media post preview](https://postboost.co/tools/social-media-post-preview): Preview a post on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook: see where the caption folds, how the image crops and if the text is too long. Free, in your browser.
- [Post editor](https://postboost.co/features/editor): Write once, adjust per account, preview it the way each network shows it and pick the format: Reel, Story, thread, offer, board or privacy.

Last verified: 2026-10-14

Canonical: https://postboost.co/tools/social-media-video-specs