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TikTok Video Dimensions & Specs Guide (2026)

March 29, 2026 · 5 min read

Getting TikTok's video specs right is the difference between a crisp, full-screen video and a blurry letterboxed clip that looks like it belongs on a different platform. This guide covers every dimension and spec you need, plus how to convert footage that's the wrong shape using RenderSnap's free crop & resize tool.

TikTok video dimensions at a glance

| Format | Resolution | Aspect ratio | |---|---|---| | Portrait (recommended) | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | | Square | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | | Landscape | 1920 × 1080 px | 16:9 |

Portrait 9:16 is the only format that fills the screen on mobile. Landscape and square videos get letterboxed — black bars appear around them, which typically reduces watch time and engagement. Unless you have a specific reason to shoot in landscape, always record and export in 9:16.

Full TikTok video specs

Resolution & frame rate

  • Recommended resolution: 1080 × 1920 px (1080p portrait)
  • Minimum resolution: 720 × 1280 px — anything lower looks noticeably soft
  • Frame rate: 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60 fps — TikTok accepts all standard frame rates
  • Codec: H.264 (MP4) is the safest choice; H.265 is supported but can cause processing delays

File format & size

  • Accepted formats: MP4, MOV
  • Maximum file size: 2 GB (TikTok for Business accounts: 4 GB)
  • Bitrate: 516 kbps minimum — use at least 2,500–4,000 kbps for clean 1080p

Duration

  • Standard (most accounts): up to 60 seconds
  • Extended (rolled out gradually): up to 10 minutes
  • Maximum (selected creators): up to 15 minutes

Audio

  • Codec: AAC
  • Sample rate: 44.1 kHz
  • Channels: stereo
  • Bitrate: 128 kbps minimum; 192–320 kbps recommended

Safe zones — what not to cover

TikTok's UI overlays parts of your video while it plays. If any important text, faces, or action falls inside these zones, it'll be partially hidden:

  • Bottom ~25%: profile name, caption, share buttons, music ticker
  • Right edge: follow button, likes, comments, share
  • Top ~5%: notification bar and status

Keep faces, titles, and key action in the central 60–70% of the frame, especially vertically (roughly between 15% and 75% from the top).

How to convert landscape footage to TikTok format

If you have 16:9 landscape footage — from a camera, screen recording, or stock library — you need to reframe it to 9:16. You have three options:

Fill (crop to cover)

Scales the video up until it fills the 9:16 frame. Edges of the original are cropped. Good for landscape footage with a centred subject. Use this if nothing important is near the sides.

Letterbox (fit + black bars)

Shrinks the video to fit inside the 9:16 frame, then fills the unused space with black bars. The full original picture is preserved — nothing is cropped. Best for footage with action at the edges.

Blur background

The cleanest-looking option for repurposing landscape content. The original video fits the frame cleanly, and the empty space is filled with a blurred, colour-matched version of the same footage. No black bars, no cropping. This mode looks intentional rather than a compromise, and it performs well on TikTok because it fills the screen.

To convert your footage: open the RenderSnap crop & resize tool, upload your video, select 9:16 (1080 × 1920), choose a scaling mode, and hit Render. No account required. The free plan exports up to 720p; Pro unlocks 1080p and 4K.

Why your TikTok video might look blurry

If your video looks soft after upload even though it was crisp before:

  1. Resolution too low — TikTok re-encodes everything. Start with 1080p; uploading 720p gives the encoder less to work with.
  2. Bitrate too low — Use at least 2,500 kbps. High-motion footage needs 4,000+.
  3. Wrong codec — Stick to H.264 / AAC. Exotic codecs often survive the upload but come out softer after TikTok's processing pass.
  4. Uploaded over mobile data — TikTok's mobile app compresses on upload. Use the desktop web uploader or TikTok Studio for best quality.

Quick reference card

Resolution:   1080 × 1920 px  (portrait 9:16)
Codec:        H.264 (MP4)
Frame rate:   30 or 60 fps
Bitrate:      2,500–4,000 kbps
Max size:     2 GB
Audio:        AAC, 44.1 kHz, stereo

Related guides

All the dimension conversions above can be done for free in the browser with the RenderSnap crop & resize tool. For batch exports, 1080p output, and API access, see RenderSnap Pro.

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