How to Post Videos on X in 2025 (Vertical Video Tab)

A new short-form video competitor has arrived

How to Post Videos on X in 2025 (Vertical Video Tab)

In what was likely an attempt to capitalize on the virality of the recent TikTok ban and unban, X (Twitter) introduced the addition of a dedicated video tab on its mobile app. This new feature adopts the familiar swipe-to-scroll interface seen on major social media platforms, with user controls for comments, reposts, likes, and saves.

While short-form videos aren’t new to social media, they are new to apps like X, which has traditionally been considered a text-based alternative to platforms like Instagram and TikTok. For digital marketers, this shift presents new opportunities to drive engagement in 2025— especially since 73% of consumers prefer short-form videos when researching products.

Below, we’ll explore how to post videos so they appear in the feed, along with best practices for sizing and captions to maximize engagement.

Table of Contents

How to Post Videos on X

With the launch of the X video tab, users can now share vertical videos to boost engagement and align with the platform’s growing focus on video content in 2025. Posting videos in the correct format ensures they appear in the dedicated vertical video feed, improving visibility.

To post a vertical video on X, tap the “+” icon on the homepage, then select the media icon to upload a video file from your device. Once selected, your video will be displayed within the post, allowing you to add text, hashtags, and a location.

Three side-by-side images of the X platform showing how to upload a video to the vertical video tab.
Upload a video to your post to automatically be featured in the new vertical video tab.

After publishing, your video will be visible in both the main feed and the X video tab. In the main feed, the caption appears above the video, while in the video tab, it overlays at the bottom.

Side-by-side view of an X video showing it in the feed and video tab.
Post captions are displayed differently in the main feed vs the video tab.

There are a few important considerations when posting videos on X:

  • X does not enforce strict video size limitations, but vertical videos (9:16) display best in the X video tab, filling the screen in fullscreen mode.
  • Widescreen videos (16:9), commonly used on platforms like YouTube, remain uncropped in the post feed but appear significantly smaller in the video tab.
16:9 Video shown in the post feed (left) and video tab feed (right).
Widescreen 16:9 videos appear uncropped in the main feed but cannot be viewed full screen in the vertical video tab.

How to Edit Videos on X

Before uploading your video, ensure it is fully edited, as X does not offer advanced editing tools like text overlays, automatic subtitles, or clip splicing. Currently, the only built-in editing option is video trimming.

However, X does provide a few video content settings:

  • Download permission toggle – allows you to enable or restrict video downloads within the app.
  • Content warnings – lets you flag videos containing sensitive topics, such as nudity or violence.

These settings can be accessed by selecting the gear icon on the video editing screen.

Side-by-side images of the X interface showing limited video editing options.
X only offers video trimming and does not include broader video editing tools.

These settings help ensure your content reaches the right audience, but they don’t necessarily make your video more engaging. Adding captions, for example, makes viewers 80% more likely to watch until the end.

For content creators and business marketers, editing videos before posting is essential to maximizing engagement. Resizing your video beforehand can also help ensure it displays correctly on X, giving it the best chance to perform well.

How to Upload an SRT File and Add Automatic Captions

X does not offer automatic or manual captioning on its mobile app or desktop site. However, desktop users can upload an .SRT file to add closed captions to their videos.

To do this, create a new video post and click Upload caption file (.srt) beneath the video. Then, select Upload captions and choose your SRT file.

X guide on how to upload an SRT file.
Upload an SRT file on desktop to include closed captions on any video.

Once uploaded, viewers can enable captions by tapping the CC option in the bottom right. Captions appear in white text with a black border, centered on the screen.

X video player showing subtitles from an SRT file.
Captioning on X is always displayed in white text with a black border. Use Kapwing to generate and customize your subtitles further.

X does not provide customization options for font, text color, or placement. If you need these features, Kapwing allows you to edit captions and can automatically generate them with up to 99% accuracy.

Generating Automatic Captions with Kapwing

Start by uploading your video to the Kapwing editor. If your video is already online, such as on YouTube, you can import it directly by pasting the URL.

Kapwing media upload screen.
Upload a video from your device or link content from sites like YouTube and X.

After uploading, open the Subtitles menu from the left sidebar and select Auto Subtitles to generate captions automatically.

Kapwing editor highlighting the automatic subtitles interface.
Find the Subtitles menu in the sidebar and select Auto subtitles to begin captioning.

Once generated, the subtitles will be added to your video and organized in the timeline. To edit them, select them directly from the timeline or use the transcript box on the left.

Kapwing editor showing the different subtitle editing options.
Edit your subtitles from the transcript or video timeline.

Finally, take a moment to edit your captions by adjusting the color, font, and style to match your post’s theme. These small details can make your content look more polished and professional while also making it more accessible to a wider audience.

Beyond captions, resizing your video to fit X’s display is another simple way to enhance its appearance. With 57% of X visits coming from mobile devices, optimizing your content for mobile viewing ensures it reaches and engages the largest audience possible.

How to Resize Videos for X

To optimize your content for mobile viewing and the new vertical video tab, consider resizing it to a 9:16 aspect ratio.

In Kapwing, start by uploading your media to the editor or using a preset social media template. Then, select the background of your project and click Resize Project on the right-hand side to adjust the dimensions.

Kapwing editor showing the process to resize a video for free.
Select the background, then select Resize Project.

Then, select from over 15+ preset sizes or enter custom dimensions for your project. For the most consistent display across the mobile app and desktop site, use a 9:16 aspect ratio.

Kapwing resize project interface with different social media preset options highlighted.
Select a social media preset or enter custom dimensions.

Finally, adjust your media to fit the frame by double-clicking it or using the Crop tool on the right-hand side.

Kapwing editor showing the crop video shortcut.
Double-click your media to instantly crop.

Your video is now resized for X and will display in full screen on mobile devices. Using Kapwing, this quick adjustment takes less than a minute and helps your content appear more polished and professional.

How to Download X Videos for Free

With the introduction of X’s new video tab, video posts are expected to increase, and many users may want to download videos to share or save for later.

Downloading videos in the X app is only available for premium users, so free users will need an alternative. Kapwing provides a free and quick solution that works just as efficiently. Here’s how to download videos using both methods.

Downloading X Videos on the App

To download a video from X, tap the share icon in the bottom right corner of the post, then select Download (represented by the same share icon). If you have a premium subscription, the video will automatically save to your device.

For free users, a pop-up will indicate that downloads are restricted to premium subscribers. Even if you upgrade, keep in mind that individual users can disable video downloads in their settings, meaning you may not be able to download certain videos natively.

X interface showing how to download a video.
Select the share icon, then select Download. Users must have a paid subscription to download videos in the X app.

Downloading X Videos for Free on Kapwing

Find the video you want to download and tap the share icon in the bottom right corner. Then, select Copy Link to copy the video’s URL to your clipboard.

X interface showing how to copy a link.
Select the share icon, then select Copy Link.

Next, open Kapwing in your browser and paste the link into the import menu. Kapwing will process the video, allowing you to remove or change the background, add text, or splice in additional clips before downloading.

When you're ready to save the video, select Export in the top right corner to finalize and download it to your device.

Kapwing mobile interface showing how to download X videos for free.
Paste the video link to import it into Kapwing. Then, make edits or download your video by selecting Export.

Using Kapwing allows you to download X videos for free, while integrating video editing options like adding captions, resizing, and splicing other video clips.