Social Media Video Specs 2026
- Shootlab
- 5 hours ago
- 5 min read
Sizes, Aspect Ratios & Formats That Actually Perform
Social media doesn’t reward the prettiest video, it rewards the best-formatted one.
In 2026, getting your social media video specs right is the difference between crisp, full-screen content and a blurry, cropped mess that quietly underperforms. In this guide, we break down the exact video sizes, aspect ratios and formats we use at Shootlab for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. More importantly, we show you how to shoot once and deliver everywhere, without sacrificing quality, framing or intent.
Once your formats are right, choosing the right platforms matters just as much. We’ve broken that down separately in our guide to the best social media sites for sharing video content.
Quick Reference: Social Media Video Specs Cheat Sheet (2026)
Platform | Best Aspect Ratio | Ideal Resolution | Typical Length |
Facebook Feed | 4:5 or 1:1 | 1080 × 1350 / 1080 × 1080 | 30–60s |
Facebook Reels & Stories | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | ≤ 90s |
Instagram Feed | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | ≤ 60s |
Instagram Reels & Stories | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | 15–30s |
TikTok | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | 15–30s |
YouTube (Standard) | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 | Long-form |
YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | < 60s |
1:1 or 16:9 | 1080 × 1080 / 1920 × 1080 | 30–90s |
These are the formats we use at Shootlab when repurposing a single shoot across platforms.
Want this as a one-page reference?
Why Video Specs Matter More Than Ever
Most social views still happen on phones. That single fact drives almost every formatting decision that matters. At Shootlab, we regularly see well-shot videos underperform because the export or crop doesn’t match how the platform displays video natively.
When your video doesn’t match the platform’s preferred shape:
Key action gets cropped
Black bars or padding appear
Compression increases
Watch time drops and distribution follows
Correct specs tell the platform this content was made for here. That improves user experience and helps your video compete fairly in crowded feeds.
Platform Specs (Framed Around Real Problems)
Best size to avoid cropping on Facebook (Feed vs Reels)
Facebook Feed: 4:5 (1080 × 1350) uses more screen space and avoids awkward side crops
Facebook Reels & Stories: 9:16 (1080 × 1920) fills the screen properly
If a Facebook video feels oddly framed, it’s usually because a horizontal edit is being forced into a vertical placement.
Why Instagram Reels get cropped or look awkward
Best size for Instagram Reels: 1080 × 1920 (9:16)
Cropping issues usually happen because:
Text is too close to the top or bottom
The video wasn’t designed with vertical safe zones in mind
Feed videos still work well at 4:5 (1080 × 1350), but vertical remains the safest default.
TikTok video specs (and why landscape struggles)
Best TikTok video format: 9:16 at 1080 × 1920
Landscape uploads technically work, but they fight user behaviour. Most brands see stronger completion rates with 15–30 second vertical videos that get to the point quickly.
YouTube vs YouTube Shorts (don’t mix them up)
• YouTube: 16:9 at 1920 × 1080
• YouTube Shorts: 9:16 at 1080 × 1920
Uploading the wrong format to the wrong surface is a common, and avoidable performance killer!
LinkedIn video specs for B2B content
Best formats: 1:1 or 16:9
Safe resolutions: 1080 × 1080 or 1920 × 1080
Ideal length: 30–90 seconds
If LinkedIn videos underperform, it’s often a legibility issue, not a content issue.
Shoot Once, Repurpose Everywhere (Centre-Safe Framing)
This is where most brands lose time and budget and where professionals gain leverage.
When shooting, keep:
• Faces
• Text
• Key action
inside the centre third of the frame. This allows one master video to be safely cropped into:
• 16:9 for YouTube
• 9:16 for Reels, TikTok, Shorts
• 1:1 or 4:5 for feeds
This approach works regardless of camera, but modern capture formats make it more forgiving. Apple’s introduction of Open Gate recording on iPhone allows you to capture the full sensor image, giving you more flexibility to reframe for 9:16, 1:1 or 4:5 after the shoot, as long as you’ve planned for it.
Troubleshooting: Why Your Video Looks Bad After Upload
Why is my Instagram Reel blurry after upload?
Because of compression.
At Shootlab, we export Reels at 1080 × 1920, use a constant frame rate (25–30fps), and avoid extreme bitrates. Uploading 4K rarely helps, Instagram will compress it anyway.
Does 4K video hurt reach on TikTok?
Not directly, but it doesn’t help.
TikTok prioritises watch behaviour, not resolution. In our experience, oversized files often increase compression without improving perceived quality.
Why is my text getting cut off?
At Shootlab, we see this most often when videos are framed for a timeline preview rather than how the platform actually displays them.
Keep titles and key graphics away from:
• The top and bottom edges
• The right side where UI elements sit (profile, likes, captions, CTA buttons)
Design for the centre first. We’ll sometimes shoot Open Gate or leave extra headroom to give ourselves more flexibility in post, but it won’t fix poor framing decisions made on set.
What is the best aspect ratio for Instagram Reels?
Use 9:16 (vertical) at 1080 × 1920. This fills the screen and matches Instagram’s native canvas.
We avoid wide 16:9 exports with black bars, they get pillar-boxed and consistently look smaller and less engaging in the feed.
What is the best aspect ratio for TikTok and YouTube Shorts?
Both platforms prefer 9:16 vertical video, ideally at 1080 × 1920.
Mixed-ratio uploads (like 1:1 or 16:9) are supported, but they usually take up less screen real estate and feel less native in the feed.
What export settings should I use for Reels, TikTok and Shorts?
Aim for 1080 × 1920, 25–30fps, H.264 codec, and a moderate bitrate (around 10–20 Mbps for most social content). Turn off HDR where possible and avoid variable frame rates if you can, as they sometimes cause sync and quality issues on upload.
Does uploading from desktop reduce quality or reach?
Quality is usually similar if your file matches platform specs, but mobile apps tend to be better optimised and often receive new features first.
In practice, we find uploading from the phone app is safest for both stability and predictable processing.
Why do my colours or contrast look different after upload?
Platforms apply their own compression and colour handling, which can flatten contrast and slightly shift saturation.
To minimise this, we avoid extreme grading, turn off HDR, and export in a standard Rec.709 colour profile so the uploaded video stays closer to what we see in the edit.
Final Takeaway
Final Takeaway
If you:
Use the cheat sheet
Design vertical-first
Keep key content centre-safe
Export clean 1080p files
you’ll stop fighting the algorithm and start engaging your audience.
At Shootlab, we build social media video around how platforms actually display content not just how it looks on a timeline.
Get the specs right first, and everything else works harder.
Comments