What size should an Instagram Reel be?

1080 × 1920 at 9:16, exported as MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio.

Is the Reels size the same as TikTok?

The frame is identical, but the interface overlays differ, so safe zones are not interchangeable.

The area covered by the app's own interface — captions, username, buttons and progress bar.

Can I upload 4K vertical video?

Shorts accepts up to 2160 × 3840. Instagram and TikTok re-encode to around 1080 wide.

What about the Reels cover image?

It is cropped square in your grid and shown 9:16 in the Reels tab, so keep the subject centred.

Reels Size Calculator

Recommended dimensions, aspect ratio, format and interface safe zones for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Stories.

9:161080 × 1920

Shaded bands are covered by the interface

Aspect ratio: 9:16
Width: 1080 px
Height: 1920 px
Resolution: 1080 × 1920 (Full HD vertical)
Format: MP4 (H.264) or MOV, AAC audio
Max length: Up to 3 minutes

The cover thumbnail is cropped to 1:1 in the profile grid, so keep the key subject centred.

How it works

1Pick the platform you are exporting for.
2Read the ratio, width, height, resolution and format.
3Use the preview to see which parts of the frame the interface covers.
4Copy the specs into your editing project.

Features

Four vertical video destinations side by side.
Safe-zone visualisation for top and bottom overlays.
Maximum length and accepted formats per platform.
Copy-ready spec summary.
A reference tool — nothing to upload.

Examples

Instagram Reels — 9:16, 1080 × 1920, MP4 (H.264), up to 3 minutes
TikTok — 9:16, 1080 × 1920, MP4/MOV, up to 10 minutes
YouTube Shorts — 9:16, up to 2160 × 3840, up to 3 minutes
Instagram Story — 9:16, 1080 × 1920, 15 seconds per card

Why vertical video is 9:16

9:16 is a phone screen turned upright: 1080 pixels wide by 1920 tall. Exporting at exactly that size means no letterboxing, no upscaling and no surprise cropping. If your footage is 16:9, reframe the subject inside a vertical canvas rather than accepting blurred bars.