Video formats by platform: ratios, lengths, captions and where the safe zones are
One video, seven places, each with its own frame and habits. Export once to a plan and the same clip works everywhere without a re-edit.
The short answer
- Master in 9:16 vertical with the subject centred and the text inside the middle 80 percent; every short platform takes it.
- Keep the top 12 percent and bottom 20 percent of a vertical frame free of words: that is where the platforms draw their own UI.
- Burn captions in. Most feeds start muted and platform auto-captions are not under your control.
- For LinkedIn and portals, cut a 1:1 or 16:9 version from the same master; do not stretch.
The format sheet
- Instagram Reels: 9:16, 1080 by 1920, 15 to 60 seconds works best, up to 90 allowed in most accounts; captions burned in; cover frame chosen on upload.
- TikTok: 9:16, 15 to 45 seconds for ads, longer for organic; first frame is the thumbnail; text in the middle band.
- YouTube Shorts: 9:16, under 60 seconds to be treated as a Short (the limit has moved over the years, so check the current figure); title in the first frame.
- YouTube long form: 16:9, 1920 by 1080 or 4K; a separate thumbnail file; chapters in the description.
- LinkedIn: 1:1 or 16:9 reads best in the feed; 45 to 90 seconds; first line of the post carries the hook.
- Facebook: takes the Reels file as is; square for the feed.
- WhatsApp: 9:16 or 1:1, under 16 MB for painless sending; the first frame is what the recipient sees before pressing play.
Platform limits change through the year. The sheet is the habit; confirm the current number on the platform's own help page before a campaign.
Safe zones
On a vertical frame the platform draws its own buttons, captions and profile strip over your video. Keep your words and faces inside the middle 80 percent horizontally and away from the top 12 percent and bottom 20 percent. A title card that sits under the platform's caption is a title card nobody reads.
The one export plan
- Edit once in 9:16 with the subject centred.
- Export the vertical master: H.264, 1080 by 1920, 30 frames a second, captions burned in.
- Reframe to 1:1 for LinkedIn and Facebook feed, and to 16:9 only when the shot was filmed wide.
- Name files by platform and date; the 30 day calendar has the column.
Checklist
- Vertical master, subject centred
- Words inside the safe zone
- Captions burned in
- 1:1 cut for LinkedIn and feed
- File names by platform and date
Mistakes we see
- Stretching a vertical clip to 16:9
- Relying on auto-captions
- Title card under the platform caption
- One export, every platform, no check