The Best TikTok Video Size Guide

In this article, we're sharing the optimal sizes and formats to use when creating TikTok videos.

The Best TikTok Video Size Guide

If TikTok’s global dominance wasn’t apparent before, Cloudflare announced the app surpassed Google as the most visited site in 2021.

The time to embrace this growing social platform is now and everything you need to get started is within reach. A cellphone, an idea, and a video optimized for the app are all that stand between you and your first TikTok video. With the first two likely checked off your list, we're stepping in to cover the last. In this guide, we're sharing the ultimate TikTok video size guide.

TikTok Video Size

The recommended TikTok video size is 1080 x 1920 with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Following the recommended dimensions and aspect ratio ensures every TikTok video is visible across all devices. An online video resizer can change the width and height of your video in seconds without diminishing its quality, putting you one step closer to content fit for the For You Page.

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Portrait or Landscape

Filming in portrait mode is the best option for creating head-turning videos that fill the screen. Black bars appear above and below videos filmed in landscape mode, potentially resulting in a substandard viewing experience for users seeking out amazing content. What you use to film is entirely up to you. Many successful videos have been filmed right from a cell phone in natural lighting and edited online with tools that enable engaging storytelling.

Try these trending TikTok tools:

TikTok Video Length

TikTok’s video length has changed multiple times since its inception to support longer storytelling. The 15 second limit increased to 60, but this change didn't suffice.

Now, TikTok’s video maximum video length is ten minutes. The increase in duration means more room to develop ideas for vlogs, tutorials, skits and duets. TikTok video ads, however, can be between 5-60 seconds. It's recommended to create ad videos between 9-15 seconds.  

Despite the time limit increase, shorter videos still seem to perform better. This may be because it's easier to maintain a higher watch time percentage with shorter videos, which is a key factor in how the TikTok algorithm ranks videos.

TikTok File Size and Type

The maximum file size of a TikTok video is dependent on the device. For Android users, the maximum video file size is 72MB. If you're using an iPhone, the maximum video file size is 287.6MB. TikTok currently supports MOV and MP4 file formats. AVI, MPEG, and 3PG files are also supported for TikTok ad videos.

How to Resize a Video for TikTok

With the size guide covered, we'll now share how to resize any video for TikTok. All you need to get started is your phone, a video, and Kapwing, an online video editor open in your browser.

  1. Upload video to the resize tool
  2. Change the output size to 9:16
  3. Export and download

Step One: Upload Video to the Resize Tool

Open the video resizer tool from your device and tap upload file to add your video to the editor. You can also paste a video link or tap the get started button to begin with a blank canvas. The resize video tool is free, easy to use, and when signed in, videos under five minutes export without a watermark.

Step Two: Change the Output Size to 9:16

Tap Edit Background, change the output size to 9:16, then tap Done at the bottom of the screen to save the changes. You can make additional edit such as adding text, emojis, shapes, and GIFs by clicking Menu then exploring the toolbar.

Step Three: Export and Download

When you're finished editing the TikTok video, tap the export button at the top the editor. After the video has processed, click Download or publish directly to TikTok with the share button to quickly post your content.

We’ve reached the end of the TikTok size guide, but there’s more to explore regarding this app. Read the related articles below to learn more about TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for modern video editing tutorials. Our YouTube channel is a creator's number one destination for editing tips that empower storytelling. Please reach out on Instagram and Twitter if you have any suggestions for future articles.  

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