Social Media Video Specs for Every Platform | Sprout Social

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Summary

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Every social media platform enforces its own video requirements: specific dimensions, file sizes, aspect ratios and formats that determine whether your content renders correctly or gets cropped, compressed and cut off. This guide covers every social media video spec and advertising dimension for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Snapchat, so you publish right the first time on every platform.

For static image requirements, see our social media image sizes guide. To go deeper on video strategy, download our social media video content workbook.

Why social media video specs matter

Social media video specs are the technical requirements each platform enforces for uploaded video content—including resolution, aspect ratio, file size, file format, video length, frame rate and bitrate. When your video meets a platform’s specs, it renders at full quality. When it doesn’t, the platform crops it, compresses it or rejects it entirely.

Every platform enforces its own rules, and those rules change fast. What works on Instagram Reels doesn’t automatically work on LinkedIn. A clean TikTok upload fails on YouTube Shorts.

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Social media video specs and ad sizes by network

Every major social media platform enforces distinct video requirements for organic posts, short-form formats and paid placements. Publishing the wrong format costs you reach, quality and ad spend. The sections below cover specs for every platform and placement in this guide.

Each platform section includes two sets of specs:

Use our always up-to-date Google Doc to reference all social media video specs at a glance before diving into the platform-by-platform breakdowns below.

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Facebook video specs

Facebook dominates product discovery—nearly 40% of social users rely on it to find their next purchase. With video content surging across industries, hitting the exact Facebook video specs is your ticket to capturing that audience.

Facebook updates its design frequently and offers multiple video formats, making it hard to know if you’re uploading the right format for organic or paid posts. Follow the specs below to optimize your posts and maximize your reach.

Facebook video specs

The most common type of video on Facebook comes from shared posts. This type of video lives in your Facebook Feed and can be shared by brands or your friends. While organic reach on Facebook requires strategy, video remains a viable and high-impact format.

In June 2025, the Videos tab on Facebook was renamed to Reels, making it easier to post video content. But there are still discrepancies between video posts and Facebook Reels, so test this during your publishing workflow.

Facebook video guidelines

Sprout Social guidelines

Use Sprout Social’s Publishing Tools to manage your Facebook video strategy. You can store approved video assets in the Asset Library and schedule posts across multiple Facebook Pages from one centralized calendar.

Facebook Reels

Cross-posting your Instagram Reels to Facebook expands the reach of your videos. This format appears organically in feeds and often gets priority placement on Facebook feeds.

Facebook Reels guidelines

Sprout Social guidelines

Facebook Stories

Similar to Instagram Stories, you can post Facebook Stories to extend the reach of your posts. Users who don’t follow you on Instagram will still be able to view and interact with your Stories.

Facebook Stories video guidelines

Facebook video ad specs

Facebook video ads come in four distinct formats, each with its own specs, character limits and placement rules. Getting these right is the difference between an ad that performs and one that gets ignored.

Facebook in-feed video ads

In-feed video ads are the sponsored equivalent of organic feed posts. They follow the same visual logic, but with stricter technical requirements to ensure your creative renders correctly across devices.

Facebook feed video ad specs

Feed ad character limits

Facebook Carousel video ads

Carousel video ads let brands showcase up to 10 videos or images in a single scrollable unit, each with its own link. The format drives deeper engagement by giving audiences more to explore before they click.

Facebook Carousel ad specs

Facebook Carousel video ad specs

Facebook Carousel character limits (image and video)

Facebook Collection video ads

Collection ads pair a hero video with a grid of product images below it, creating an instant storefront experience. When a user taps the ad, it opens a full-screen Instant Experience built from Storefront, Lookbook or Customer Acquisition templates.

Facebook Collection ad video guidelines

The first media asset in your Instant Experience serves as the cover image or video.

Character limits

Facebook Stories ads

Stories ads run between organic Stories in a full-screen, vertical format. The immersive placement commands full attention, making precise specs non-negotiable for professional-looking creative.

Facebook Stories video ad specs

Facebook Stories character limits (image and video)

For complete Facebook video ad specifications, visit the Facebook Help Center.

Instagram video specs

According to the Sprout Social 2025 Content Benchmarks Report, video content on Instagram increased by 3 percentage points across all industries. Because video dominates the platform’s algorithm, getting your social media video specs right is a mandatory investment for your brand.

Using the correct social media video specs ensures your content looks professional and performs well in the feed. Review the requirements below to perfect your Instagram video strategy.

Instagram carousel video

Instagram supports three video orientations: landscape, square and vertical, but the platform has evolved significantly. IGTV and Instagram Video are gone. Today, video lives natively in posts, carousel posts or Reels.

Instagram carousel video guidelines

Sprout Social guidelines

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are short-form videos that dominate feed performance and audience reach. As Instagram adds separate tabs for different content types, thumbnails are cropped differently per view, so center your subjects and plan around the 4:5 crop to avoid undesirable vertical cropping on the main feed tab.

Instagram Reels video specs

Sprout Social guidelines

Maximize your Instagram Reels performance by scheduling them with Sprout Social. Our ViralPost® technology automatically identifies the optimal times to post when your specific audience is most active.

Instagram Reel cover photo size:

Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are short-form videos that display for 24 hours on your profile. Followers access Stories directly from their feed, where they appear at the top of the screen, making this format one of the highest-visibility placements on the platform.

Instagram Stories video specs

Instagram Stories video character limits

Leave roughly 250 pixels at the top of the video free from text to prevent your profile icon from covering it.

Instagram video ad specs

Instagram advertising puts your brand in front of highly targeted audiences who are actively discovering products. To ensure your paid creative renders perfectly across all devices, follow these specifications exactly.

Instagram feed video ads

Instagram feed video ads appear in users’ main feeds alongside standard posts, making them a direct path to audiences already engaged with video content.

Instagram feed video ad specs

Instagram feed video ads character limits

Carousel video ad

Instagram carousel video ads let you showcase multiple facets of a product or campaign across 2–10 cards, each with a full-width call to action below the ad.

Instagram carousel feed ad dimensions and guidelines (images and videos)

Instagram carousel ads character limits

Instagram Stories ads

Instagram Stories ads integrate your video content directly between users’ Stories, creating a full-screen, immersive experience that feels native to the format.

Instagram Stories video ad specs

Instagram Stories video ads character limits

Leave roughly 250 pixels at the top of the video free from text to avoid covering the profile icon.

Instagram Reels video ads

Reels ads drop into the content discovery experience in a sound-on environment, putting your brand in front of audiences actively seeking new and entertaining content.

Instagram Reels video specs

Instagram Reels video ads must not contain:

Instagram Reels video ads character limits

Pro tip: Leave 14% (250 pixels) at the top and 20% (340 pixels) at the bottom of your creative free of text and logos. This safe zone keeps your key elements clear of the profile icon and call-to-action prompts.

For a complete breakdown including image specs, visit our guide to all Instagram ad sizes.

TikTok video specs

TikTok is the fastest-growing platform for brand investment. With 71% of marketers increasing their spend in 2026 and 49% of Gen Z using it for product discovery, flawless video specs aren’t just a best practice—they’re non-negotiable.

TikTok’s format rewards authentic, easy-to-create content. Capitalize on TikTok trends and use the correct social media video specs to reach this highly engaged audience at full quality.

TikTok In-Feed Videos

TikTok specs are built around mobile dimensions. One critical detail for teams repurposing video content across platforms: videos uploaded from an external file source can run longer than 60 seconds, while in-app recordings cap at 3 minutes.

TikTok in-feed video guidelines

Sprout Social guidelines

As your TikTok presence grows, managing comments becomes critical. Use Sprout Social’s Smart Inbox to centralize your TikTok mentions and comments, so your team assigns messages and responds efficiently without missing a beat.

TikTok Feed Ads

TikTok ads follow formatting that closely mirrors organic content, making it straightforward to adapt existing videos for paid distribution. Consult TikTok’s business center for the latest performance guidance.

TikTok feed video ad guidelines

TikTok feed video ad character limits

X (formerly known as Twitter) video specs

Video content on X (formerly known as Twitter) is growing, and our 2025 report shows a 2 percentage points increase in video posts on the platform since 2023. In fast-paced industries like sports and entertainment, X is the primary destination for real-time video sharing. Getting your social media video specs right ensures your content stands out in the feed.

X landscape and portrait videos

X supports two in-feed video formats, landscape and portrait, for content uploaded directly to the platform. These formats do not apply to shared YouTube or external links.

X landscape and portrait video guidelines

X Pro Media users can upload files up to 1GB and videos up to 10 minutes.*

Sprout Social guidelines

X landscape and portrait video character limits

X video ad specs

X video ads use the same specs as organic videos, so you can repurpose your best-performing content directly into paid campaigns without reformatting.

X video ad guidelines

X video ad character limits

For the latest spec details, visit the X Help Center .

Use Sprout Social’s Publishing Tools to schedule and publish video content to X alongside every other platform in this guide—without switching between tabs or losing track of character limits.

YouTube video specs

Data from the Sprout Social 2026 Social Media Content Strategy Report shows 24% of users find new products on YouTube and 56% of marketers plan to increase their investment in the platform. As the second-largest search engine behind Google, YouTube serves as an essential network for product education and brand promotion.

The platform hosts everything from short-form promotional videos to long-form educational content. Because users stream content on various devices with different zoom levels, adhering to exact video specifications guarantees a flawless viewing experience.

While YouTube has no hard rules on the video editing concept of “title safe” areas, avoid placing text elements like titles and subtitles at the edges of your video frame. Read on for specifics on each format available on YouTube.

Video player (standard YouTube video)

Organic YouTube videos follow a 16:9 ratio, though 4:3 uploads are accepted, and the platform automatically pillarboxes the sides to fit the player. YouTube supports seven recommended dimensions for standard videos.

YouTube video guidelines for non-verified accounts

Sprout Social guidelines

Inform your YouTube video strategy using Sprout Social’s Listening tools. Analyze sentiment and uncover trending topics in your industry to create highly targeted, relevant video content.

YouTube video guidelines for verified accounts

Sprout Social guidelines

YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts give brands a direct path to wider audiences through short-form vertical video. With short-form video consumption rising globally, Shorts are a high-impact format for both entertainment and product education.

YouTube Shorts video guidelines

For more information on YouTube video specs, visit the Google Help Center .

YouTube video ad specs

YouTube offers five distinct video ad formats, each with unique placement rules and length requirements. All five formats play through the standard YouTube video player, so they share the same resolution and aspect ratio specs as organic videos, and only the length and skip behavior differ.

Skippable, non-skippable, mid-roll, bumper and in-feed display ads

YouTube video ad guidelines

For full technical specifications, visit the Google Help Center.

LinkedIn video specs

LinkedIn prioritizes native video content in its feed and using the correct specifications is non-negotiable for professional results. While some technical requirements overlap with other networks, LinkedIn enforces its own dimensions and file sizes that directly affect how your content performs.

Optimizing your content for the busy LinkedIn feed by adhering to the correct LinkedIn video formats maximizes discoverability and drives engagement. Explore best practices for content creation and repurposing to build a comprehensive LinkedIn strategy.

LinkedIn in-feed video

LinkedIn has expanded beyond shared video uploads, giving brands the ability to upload native video directly to the platform for greater reach and visibility.

LinkedIn in-feed video guidelines

Sprout Social guidelines

For more information on the video specs for LinkedIn, visit the LinkedIn Help Center .

LinkedIn video ads

LinkedIn video ads carry distinct requirements from in-feed video. Review these specs before building your paid campaign to avoid rejected assets and wasted budget.

LinkedIn video ads guidelines

LinkedIn video ads character limits

For more information on the video specs for LinkedIn ads, visit LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Help .

Pinterest video specs

Pinterest video uploads are restricted to business accounts, giving brands direct access to one of the most visually driven platforms for lifestyle and inspirational content. Use Sprout Social’s Publishing Tools and Asset Library to store approved Pinterest video assets and schedule pins across multiple boards from a centralized content calendar.

Shared video Pins and standard width video ads

Pinterest Business Accounts support two video formats: standard width and max width. The specs below apply to standard width video ads and organic Video Pins.

Shared video Pins and standard width video ads guidelines

Character limits

Max-width video Pin ads

Max width video ads expand across a mobile user’s entire screen, making them the highest-impact paid video format on Pinterest. These specs apply exclusively to max width video ads.

Max-width video Pin ads guidelines

Character limits

For the latest Pinterest video ad specifications, visit Pinterest Business Help .

Snapchat video specs

Snapchat remains a dominant platform for younger audiences, with vertical short-form video at the core of how users communicate and discover brands on the app. To maximize your reach and engagement, pair these specs with a comprehensive Snapchat marketing strategy.

Single Snapchat videos and single video ad

Single videos are the primary format users and brands rely on for Stories and direct sharing. Use these specs to ensure your content renders correctly every time.

Single Snapchat videos and single video ad guidelines

Single Snapchat videos and single video ad character limits

Long-form story video ad

Story Video Ads appear between users’ Stories, giving brands a full-screen, immersive placement to capture attention. Match the organic feel of the feed by following the same vertical format.

Long-form Snapchat story video ad guidelines

Long-form Snapchat story video ad character limits

For the latest Snapchat video spec requirements, visit the Snapchat Ads Help Center .

Keep your video strategy moving

Social media video specs are the difference between content that lands and content that gets cropped, compressed or cut off before it connects.

Keep this guide close: use it before you edit, before you export and before you publish. When you’re ready to plan, schedule and manage video across every network from one place, Sprout Social gives you the control to move faster and publish with confidence.

Turn video production from a guessing game into a repeatable workflow. Start your free trial.

FAQs about social media video specs

What size should a video be for social media?

The right size depends on the platform and format. Short-form vertical video uses 1080×1920 at a 9:16 ratio. Landscape formats like standard YouTube use 1920×1080 at 16:9. Match the spec to the feed.

Can I use the same video across all platforms?

Start with a high-quality master file, then adapt it for each platform’s length limits, text placement and safe zones. A vertical MP4 travels far when you size it for the feed it’s entering. Sprout Social’s Asset Library lets you store approved video assets and publish them across platforms from one place, so your team stops hunting for the right file and starts shipping content faster.

Is 4:3 or 16:9 better for social media?

16:9 leads on YouTube and landscape placements. Vertical 9:16 dominates TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Snapchat. Match the ratio to how people already watch on that platform.

Why does my video look blurry after uploading?

Blurry uploads come from compression, low source resolution or incorrect export settings. Export at the platform’s recommended dimensions in high quality; a weak source file only gets weaker after upload.

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