Social Media Video Aspect Ratios and Sizes — The 2025 Guide

Optimize for Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and more

Social Media Video Aspect Ratios and Sizes — The 2025 Guide
Make sure your videos are correctly sized and ready to post in 2025

In 2025, video remains the most engaging form of social media content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn. With higher engagement rates than other media types, video is essential for capturing attention and growing an audience. To maximize impact, it's crucial to understand each platform’s specific aspect ratios and ensure your content is optimized for the best viewing experience.

This guide breaks down the exact video aspect ratios required for the top social media platforms in 2025. Plus, we’ll explore how tools like Kapwing can help you easily resize and edit your videos to meet these specifications. Whether you're creating a vertical video for TikTok or a widescreen upload for YouTube, this guide has everything you need to make your videos platform-ready.

Table of Contents

The Most Common Video Aspect Ratios

For short-form content, 9:16 is the most common aspect ratio across social media platforms. This is the vertical video format used in TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

For long-form content, 16:9 is the most common aspect ratio. This is the horizontal video format commonly used in YouTube videos.

For comparison, the graphic below compares a 16:9 horizontal video to a 9:16 portrait video. Again, the aspect ratio on the left is more commonly used for long-form videos while the aspect ratio on the right is common for short-form content.

Comparison of 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio and 9:16 vertical aspect ratio.
16:9 is the most common aspect ratio for horizontal content, and 9:16 is the most common for vertical content.

For a general aspect ratio, time limit, file size, and file type guide, refer to the infographic below. These details will help you better plan and optimize your videos for any platform.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube aspect ratios (2025)
Social Media video aspect ratios (2025)

Now, let’s take a look at each platform individually and how to resize videos for each social media channel.

YouTube Aspect Ratios

YouTube supports various video styles on its platform, including long-form content in the Videos section and short-form content through YouTube Shorts. Each format has specific guidelines to ensure your videos display optimally.

Long-Form YouTube Videos

YouTube accommodates a wide range of aspect ratios, including 1:1 square, 4:3, and 2.4:1 widescreen. For non-standard ratios, YouTube typically adds black padding to the sides to fill the space. However, sticking to standard aspect ratios like 16:9 horizontal and 9:16 portrait provides the best viewing experience.

  • Video length: Up to 15 minutes for all users; up to 12 hours for verified users
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • Size limit: 256 GB
16:9 aspect ratio guide for YouTube videos.
Long-form YouTube videos are typically in the 16:9 aspect ratio

Short-Form YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are optimized for vertical viewing and now support videos up to 3 minutes long. While square (1:1) and landscape (16:9) videos are allowed, vertical (9:16) is the only format that fits perfectly without black bars.

  • Video length: 15 to 180 seconds (3 minutes)
  • Aspect ratio: 9:16
  • Size limit: 10 MB
9:16 aspect ratio guide for YouTube Shorts.
YouTube Shorts are typically in the 9:16 aspect ratio

YouTube Advertisement Videos

The specifications for YouTube ads depend on the format, but standard aspect ratios like 16:9 and 9:16 are widely used. Here’s a breakdown of the main ad formats:

  • Skippable ads: Viewers can skip these ads after 5 seconds
  • Non-skippable ads: These must be watched entirely before the video resumes. Often mid-roll
  • Bumper ads: Short, non-skippable ads of up to 6 seconds that play before a video begins
  • Ads video length: Varies by campaign
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16
  • Size limit: 256 GB

TikTok Aspect Ratios

TikTok algorithmically prioritizes videos in 9:16, meaning users should resize their videos for TikTok if they are not already in that aspect ratio.

When editing TikTok videos, it’s important to consider how the interface will overlap with your content. Similar to Instagram Reels, TikTok overlays buttons such as Like, Comment, Share, and Follow on the screen, which can obscure parts of your video. To avoid losing key details, keep the main subject and critical information centered, away from the screen edges and bottom. Kapwing's Safe Zone templates can help with this.

  • TikTok video length: Up to 60 minutes
  • Aspect ratio: 9:16 or 16:9
  • Size limit: 72 MB
TikTok 9:16 aspect ratio size guide.
TikTok videos should use the 9:16 aspect ratio

TikTok Videos

TikTok offers varying lengths for uploaded videos, ranging from 15 seconds to 60 minutes. When recording videos on the platform, the maximum length is 10 minutes.

TikTok Live

For live streams, TikTok does not provide a strict duration limit, but it recommends keeping sessions under 30 minutes. However, for those using TikTok’s Stream Key, longer gaming streams are common, and the duration guidelines can be flexible.

TikTok Stories

TikTok Stories are temporary posts lasting 24 hours. These videos can range in duration from 15 seconds to 3 minutes.

Instagram Aspect Ratios

Instagram supports various video formats depending on where they’re posted. Videos can appear in Posts, Stories, Reels, or Threads, with each format offering unique aspect ratio and size requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the most common video specs:

  • Instagram video length: Up to 60 minutes
  • Video size limit: 4 GB

Instagram Stories Aspect Ratio

Instagram Stories follow the standard 9:16 portrait aspect ratio (1080 x 1920 pixels). This format provides a full-screen immersive experience. When uploading media to Stories, you can adjust smaller files by zooming in or adding background elements. Larger files may require cropping or scaling.

  • Video length: Up to 60 seconds per Story slide

Instagram Reels Aspect Ratio

Reels is a vertical video platform that recently extended its maximum length to 3 minutes, similar to YouTube Shorts. All Instagram Reels must have an aspect ratio of 9:16 (1080 x 1920 pixels).

Instagram Reels 9:16 aspect ratio size guide
Instagram Reels should use the 9:16 aspect ratio

Similar to TikTok, the Instagram Reels interface can cover some of the content in your video. The Like, Comment, and Save buttons, along with your profile picture and caption, can cover up to 30% of the screen. To fix this, you can use tools like Safe Zones to see where the UI will cover your video to make sure important elements like subtitles are still visible.

  • Video length: Up to 180 seconds (3 minutes)

Instagram Live

Instagram Live broadcasts have a maximum duration of 60 minutes, with a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio.

Instagram Threads Video Specs

Threads is Instagram’s text-based platform, but it still supports video uploads in multiple aspect ratios. Unlike other formats, Threads doesn’t restrict videos to 9:16 and accommodates the following:

  • Threads video length: Up to 5 minutes
  • Supported aspect ratios:
    • Portrait (3:4): Covers significant vertical and horizontal space in the feed
    • Square (1:1): Retains screen width but reduces vertical coverage
    • Landscape (16:9): Appears smaller in fullscreen mode, but turning your phone won’t expand it
    • Tall (9:16): Left-aligned in the feed, with a blank space on the right. Viewers can tap to see the video in fullscreen

Facebook Aspect Ratios

Facebook videos in the main feed are visible in 16:9 and 1:1. Anything taller will have automatic padding added to the sides, so your whole video will be visible.

Facebook Reels, like Instagram Reels, support only 9:16 video.

Facebook Watch, though, is the opposite. All videos are padded to fit a 16:9 frame. If you'd prefer to add your own background instead, you can resize your video to 16:9 and add a solid-color background before uploading.

  • Facebook video length: up to 4 hours
  • Facebook aspect ratio: 16:9 recommended
  • Facebook video size limit: 10 GB
Facebook 16:9 aspect ratio size guide
Facebook videos typically use the 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio

For video ads, Facebook has reported that 47% of the value in a video is seen in the first 3 seconds of your advertisement. In short, get your message across. Fast.

X (Twitter) Aspect Ratios

Recommended video resolutions for best display are: 1280 x 720 (landscape), 720 x 1280 (portrait), and 720 x 720 (square).

  • X video length: 140 seconds
  • X video aspect ratio: 16:9, 1:1, 3:4
  • X video size limit: 512 MB
X (Twitter) aspect ratio size guide
Videos on X can be posted in 16:9, 1:1, and 3:4 aspect ratio

Pinterest Aspect Ratios

Idea Pins

Idea Pins are vertical, full-screen media that use a 9:16 aspect ratio. While smaller sizes are acceptable, this ratio ensures the most immersive experience.

Pinterest 3:2 aspect ratio size guide
Pinterest videos are typically in the 2:3 aspect ratio

Video Pins

Standard video Pins should use a 2:3 aspect ratio, which maximizes screen space and highlights your content effectively.

Reddit Aspect Ratios

Reddit’s approach to video content offers creators flexibility, but adhering to specific guidelines ensures your uploads perform well and display correctly. Videos uploaded directly to Reddit should not exceed a file size of 1 GB and can be up to 15 minutes in length.

While there are no strict aspect ratio requirements for Reddit uploads, videos in standard formats like 16:9, 1:1, or 9:16 often display well across devices. Many creators prefer to host their content on external platforms like YouTube or Vimeo and share links on Reddit. When you do this, Reddit’s embedding system automatically adjusts the video’s display within the feed, ensuring a seamless user experience. This makes Reddit an excellent platform for repurposing content created for other channels.

Keep in mind Reddit’s community-driven nature — choosing the right subreddit for your video can significantly impact its reach and engagement.

Lemon8 Aspect Ratios

Lemon8 has grown in popularity as a TikTok alternative, especially since its integration with TikTok accounts in late 2024. New users on the platform can easily sign in by using their TikTok login. While the social media app is still upcoming without strict posting standards, it does prioritize content under the following guidelines:

  • Preferred aspect ratio: 3:4 (ideal for vertical content)
  • Maximum video length: 60 seconds

This ratio aligns with most modern visual platforms, ensuring your content fits industry standards.

LinkedIn Aspect Ratios

LinkedIn has expanded its video offerings to include both long-form content and the recently introduced LinkedIn short video format, catering to a wide range of professional and creative use cases. Here are the key specifications for LinkedIn videos:

  • Portrait aspect ratio: 9:16 (standard for mobile-friendly, short-form content)
  • Horizontal aspect ratio: 16:9 (ideal for landscape and desktop viewing; cropped in feed for mobile users)
  • Resolution range: 256 x 144 pixels (minimum) to 4096 x 2304 pixels (maximum)
  • File size limit: 5 GB
  • Video length: Ranges from 3 seconds to 10 minutes

When creating videos for LinkedIn, consider the professional tone and audience of the platform. Shorter videos tend to perform well for LinkedIn shorts, especially if they provide professional insights, relevant data, or engaging topics that will spark interactions with the post.

Additionally, LinkedIn’s algorithm favors native uploads, meaning content uploaded directly to the platform may see better visibility compared to external links. Optimize your video’s title, description, and thumbnail to increase its viewing potential.

Bluesky Aspect Ratios

On the Bluesky mobile app, standard social media aspect ratios such as 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, and 4:5 are not cropped and appear without black bars when expanded to full screen. However, on desktop, the appearance of videos varies depending on the aspect ratio:

  • 16:9 (Horizontal): This is the only standard aspect ratio unaffected on desktop. Videos appear proportionally in the feed and expand to full screen without issues.
  • 9:16, 1:1 (Square), 4:5: These aspect ratios display with black bars on either side in the feed but expand to fill the screen when viewed full screen.

Videos on Bluesky automatically play and loop in the feed with sound muted by default, so visuals play a crucial role in capturing attention.

  • Bluesky video length: No official limit, but shorter videos perform better
  • Bluesky aspect ratio: 16:9 recommended for consistent display on both desktop and mobile.
  • Bluesky video size limit: 50 MB
  • Bluesky formats: MP4, MPEG, WebM, MOV

Bluesky also offers direct support for video subtitles on desktop, allowing users to manually enter closed captions, or upload a .VTT file.

RedNote Aspect Ratios

The RedNote feed is vertically oriented, displaying taller content more clearly. While they will appear slightly cropped within the feed, users should use the 9:16 aspect ratio when posting videos. Though other aspect ratios are supported, they appear smaller due to added padding.

There are two ways to upload videos on RedNote:

  • Integrated camera: Record videos in the 9:16 aspect ratio for up to 60 seconds
  • Imported videos: MP4 or MOV files up to five minutes in length are supported, regardless of aspect ratio

Live streaming options are also available for users with at least 500 followers. Live streams use the 9:16 aspect ratio, but feature comments and other interface elements over a significant portion of the screen, especially towards the bottom. Ensure subjects are well-centered during live streams to avoid losing details.

Videos consistently outperform images on RedNote, driving 1.2 times greater engagement and 2.4 times more exposure. To maximize results, focus on concise, engaging content and consider splitting longer videos into shorter segments.

How to Resize a Video for Any Social Media Using Kapwing

No matter which platform you're posting on, you'll want to ensure your content is optimized for best display. Whether you're cropping a horizontal video to portrait, following a template, or cropping to a custom size, here's how to resize your content.

1) Upload Your Video

Start by uploading your video to the Kapwing online editor. Customize your content by adding text, music, voiceover, graphics, or layering other media.

2.) Resize Your Project

Click on the background of your project to access the "Resize Project" menu, which appears on the right-hand side.

Kapwing video editor showing how to resize a video
Select the background, then select the Resize Project option

3) Choose New Project Dimensions

Choose from available presets or input custom dimensions in the resize menu to fit your platform’s requirements.

Kapwing Resize Project menu showing multiple aspect ratio options
Automatically resize your project or enter custom dimensions

4) Crop and Export Your Video

Use the Crop tool to adjust your video’s fit within the frame. Add any finishing touches before exporting. Your resized video will now be ready to post on any social media platform.

Kapwing editor showing how to adjust the framing of a video
Select Crop to adjust the framing of your video

For more articles like this with helpful tips, tricks, and tools for navigating social media in 2025, visit our Resources Library, check out our YouTube channel, or read our blog on social media IMAGE aspect ratios and sizes.