Best Video Settings for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and More
By Joe Crozier · December 12, 2024
Each platform has different video requirements. Wrong settings mean blurry videos, rejected uploads, or wasted bandwidth. This guide covers the optimal specs for every major platform.
Universal Settings
These settings work well across all platforms:
- Format: MP4 (H.264 video + AAC audio)
- Frame rate: 30fps (60fps for gaming or action)
- Resolution: 1080p minimum
- Audio: 128–256 kbps stereo AAC
YouTube
YouTube supports the widest range of formats and offers the most flexibility.
Standard Videos
| Resolution | 1920×1080 or 3840×2160 (4K) |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Frame rate | 24–60fps |
| Bitrate (1080p) | 8–12 Mbps |
| Bitrate (4K) | 35–45 Mbps |
| Max file size | 256GB |
YouTube Shorts
- Resolution: 1080×1920 (9:16 vertical)
- Max length: 60 seconds
TikTok
TikTok is optimized for vertical video. Note that TikTok compresses uploads heavily—upload at higher quality than you think necessary.
| Resolution | 1080×1920 |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (vertical) |
| Frame rate | 30fps |
| Bitrate | 5–8 Mbps |
| Max file size | 287MB (mobile), 500MB (web) |
| Max length | 10 minutes |
Instagram has different requirements for Feed posts, Stories, and Reels.
Instagram Reels
- Resolution: 1080×1920 (9:16)
- Max length: 90 seconds
- Bitrate: 5–8 Mbps
Instagram Stories
- Resolution: 1080×1920 (9:16)
- Max length: 60 seconds per story
- Keep important content away from edges (UI overlays)
Instagram Feed
- Square: 1080×1080 (1:1)
- Portrait: 1080×1350 (4:5) — recommended for more screen space
- Landscape: 1080×608 (1.91:1)
- Max length: 60 minutes
Twitter / X
| Resolution | 1280×720 min, 1920×1080 recommended |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 or 1:1 |
| Frame rate | 30–60fps |
| Max file size | 512MB |
| Max length | 2 minutes 20 seconds |
Feed Videos
- Resolution: 1080p minimum
- Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1
- Max length: 240 minutes
- Max file size: 4GB
Facebook Reels
- Resolution: 1080×1920 (9:16)
- Max length: 90 seconds
- Same specs as Instagram Reels (Meta owns both)
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 1:1, or 9:16 |
| Frame rate | 30fps |
| Max file size | 5GB |
| Max length | 10 minutes |
Quick Reference
| Platform | Resolution | Ratio | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 1920×1080 | 16:9 | 12 hours |
| YouTube Shorts | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | 60 sec |
| TikTok | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | 10 min |
| Instagram Reels | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | 90 sec |
| Instagram Feed | 1080×1350 | 4:5 | 60 min |
| Twitter/X | 1920×1080 | 16:9 | 2:20 |
| 1920×1080 | 16:9 | 240 min | |
| 1920×1080 | 16:9 | 10 min |
Best Practices
- 1. Always use MP4 with H.264. It's universally supported.
- 2. Don't upscale. If your source is 720p, don't convert to 1080p.
- 3. Match the platform's aspect ratio. Vertical for TikTok/Reels, horizontal for YouTube.
- 4. Keep file sizes reasonable. Smaller files upload faster and process more reliably.
- 5. Use AAC audio. 128–256 kbps stereo is sufficient for social media.
Converting Your Videos
Have a video that's not in the right format? The process is straightforward:
- 1. Upload your video (MOV, WebM, MKV, or AVI)
- 2. Choose quality settings based on your target platform
- 3. Convert to MP4
- 4. Upload to your platform
Convert Videos Free handles the conversion directly in your browser—no uploads to external servers required.