Stop Googling requirements before every export. One cheat sheet: resolution, format, duration, and file size for each social network—with limits verified in October 2026.
Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, YouTube Long, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Vimeo — all in one table.
Exact codec, profile, bitrate, and audio settings for vertical (9:16), horizontal (16:9), and square (1:1) formats.
Step-by-step export settings for DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro — both Reels/TikTok and YouTube 4K.
Visual diagram showing where to place text so it's not covered by platform UI overlays.
License types for different usage (gallery vs. social vs. ads), plus hashtag templates for wedding videographers.
Contents:
Table by 12 formats: Instagram (Reels, feed, Stories), TikTok, YouTube (Shorts and regular videos), Facebook (vertical and horizontal), Pinterest, X, LinkedIn, and Vimeo.
Vertical (9:16) — Reels, TikTok, Shorts
Resolution: 1080 × 1920 Codec: H.264 (AVC) Profile: High Bitrate: 8–15 Mbps (VBR) Audio: AAC, 48 kHz, Stereo, 320 kbps Frame Rate: 30 fps (or match source if 24fps) Container: MP4
Captions & Safe Zones
Rule of thumb: Keep all important text and graphics in the center 60% of vertical videos.
If you need a single size for all occasions, shoot and edit the master in 16:9, and create a separate vertical version at 1080×1920 (9:16) for social media. This size is accepted by Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, and Pinterest. Reserve horizontal 1920×1080 videos for YouTube, LinkedIn, and X. A square 1080×1080 format is suitable when a single video needs to look good in both the feed and the profile grid.
For Reels and Stories, use 1080 × 1920, 9:16, MP4 with H.264 codec, 30 frames per second. Reels are up to 3 minutes long, though Instagram has already launched longer versions on some accounts. Stories are up to 60 seconds per slide. Instagram publishes videos in the feed as Reels; for the cover image in the profile grid, keep the 3:4 aspect ratio in mind—the grid has cropped previews to 3:4 since 2025.
The cheat sheet contains a table of 12 formats: resolution, aspect ratio, maximum duration, file size, and frame rate. The limits were verified in October 2026, and a lot has changed in the last year: Facebook removed the length limit, TikTok allowed videos up to 60 minutes long, and Instagram increased Reels to 3 minutes. Platforms roll out changes gradually, so if an app displays a different limit, trust the app.
Posting wedding highlights on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube isn't optional anymore — it's how you get found by new clients. But uploading with the wrong settings means your beautiful 4K footage gets crushed by the platform's re-encoding.
When you export at the exact specs the platform expects, it processes your video with minimal quality loss. This cheat sheet saves you the research and gives you copy-paste settings for every major platform.
Short-form vertical video (9:16) dominates Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. These are your best tools for discovery and new client reach. Long-form horizontal (16:9) is ideal for YouTube and Vimeo — where clients watch full wedding films and highlights.
For estimating the file sizes of your exports, use our Video File Size Calculator.
1080 × 1920, aspect ratio 9:16. H.264 codec with the High profile, bitrate 8–15 Mbps (VBR), AAC 48 kHz stereo audio at 320 kbps, 30 fps (or 24 fps if the original was filmed that way), MP4 container.
As of October 2026: Instagram Reels - 3 minutes, Stories - 60 seconds per slide, TikTok - 60 minutes when uploaded as a file, YouTube Shorts - 3 minutes, Facebook - unlimited, Pinterest - 15 minutes, X - 140 seconds without Premium, LinkedIn - 15 minutes from a computer.
3840 × 2160, H.264 or H.265 codec, 50–80 Mbps bitrate, 24 fps for a cinematic look. In DaVinci Resolve: H.265 and Restrict to 60 Mbps. In Premiere Pro: YouTube 2160p 4K preset, target bitrate 50 Mbps, maximum 80.
In the center 60% of the frame. The top 15% is covered by the account name, and the bottom 25% is taken up by the like, comment, and share buttons and the caption.
It depends on the license. For a client's private gallery, a standard sync license is usually sufficient. For your social media, a creator/social license or royalty-free music is required. If the client publishes the video themselves, check the license terms. Advertising requires a commercial license.