What is the best resolution for TikTok videos?

1080 x 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. TikTok supports up to 4K uploads but compresses everything server-side, and the additional file size from 4K rarely translates to noticeable quality improvement after platform compression. Most viewers watch on mobile screens where 1080p is visually indistinguishable from 4K. If your source footage is 4K, export at 4K and let TikTok decide; if your source is 1080p, do not upscale.

Should I export at 30fps or 60fps for short-form video?

30fps for all three platforms. TikTok, Reels, and Shorts all serve content at 30fps or below regardless of the source frame rate. Exporting at 60fps increases file size by roughly 40 to 50 percent with no visible benefit because the platform will transcode to 30fps on delivery. The only exception is content with fast motion or gaming footage where 60fps source capture matters; export at 60fps and accept the quality hit from platform transcoding.

What file format do TikTok, Reels, and Shorts all accept?

MP4 with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec. This combination is universally accepted across all three platforms and produces files that upload without transcoding errors. MOV with the same codec configuration also works for YouTube Shorts but may fail on TikTok and Reels. When in doubt, MP4 H.264 with AAC audio is the safe default that will upload to all three platforms without format rejection.

Vertical Video Export Settings: Optimal Formats for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts

The optimal export settings for vertical short-form video are 1080 x 1920 resolution, 9:16 aspect ratio, 30 frames per second, H.264 video codec, AAC audio codec at 128 to 256 kbps, and Rec.709 color space in an MP4 container, with bitrate adjusted per platform: 10 to 15 Mbps for TikTok, the same for Reels with a 4 GB file size cap, and the same for Shorts with a 10 GB cap. These settings produce a file that uploads to all three platforms without transcoding errors, looks clean after each platform's server-side compression, and transfers reasonably fast over standard internet connections. Platform-specific deviations from this baseline are edge cases, not everyday requirements.

What Are the Exact Export Settings for TikTok?

TikTok accepts a wider range of formats than it publishes. You can upload up to 4K at 60fps, but the platform compresses everything on its servers and serves content at a resolution and bitrate optimized for mobile delivery.

The export settings that produce the best result after TikTok's compression:

Resolution. 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio. If you shot in 4K, export in 4K and let TikTok handle the downscale; manually downscaling introduces quality loss before TikTok's own compression pass.
Frame rate. 30fps. Higher frame rates increase file size without visible improvement after platform transcoding. Fast-motion content can use 60fps but TikTok serves at 30fps regardless.
Video codec. H.264, High Profile, Level 4.2 or higher. H.265 uploads may fail or process slower. H.264 is universally supported.
Bitrate. 10 to 15 Mbps for 1080p30. Below 8 Mbps produces visible artifacts; above 20 Mbps offers no visible gain on mobile screens.
Audio. AAC at 128 to 256 kbps, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, stereo. Export at 256 kbps to give TikTok's aggressive audio compression more data.
Color space. Rec.709. TikTok does not support HDR properly; HDR footage often appears washed out.

According to TikTok's creator guidelines, the platform processes over one billion video uploads per month, and the compression pipeline is optimized for throughput, not quality preservation. Exporting with headroom in bitrate and resolution gives the compression algorithm more data to work with, which produces a cleaner final image.

What Settings Does Instagram Reels Use?

Instagram Reels uses the same fundamental specs as TikTok with a few differences in file size limits and processing behavior:

Resolution. 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio. Same as TikTok.
Frame rate. 30fps. Instagram Reels supports 24, 25, 30, and 60fps, but 30fps is the safest choice.
Video codec. H.264, Main or High Profile, Level 4.1 or higher. H.265 is accepted but processes slower.
Bitrate. 10 to 15 Mbps. Instagram's compression is slightly more aggressive than TikTok's, so the higher end (12 to 15 Mbps) is recommended.
File size limit. 4 GB maximum. A 60-second 1080p30 video at 15 Mbps is roughly 110 MB, so this limit rarely matters.
Audio. AAC at 128 to 256 kbps, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, stereo. Consistent audio levels across clips prevent Instagram from applying different normalization curves.
Color space. Rec.709. No HDR support on Reels.

According to Meta's Facebook and Instagram video ad specs, Instagram processes video with server-side compression that varies based on upload volume and account type. Verified accounts and accounts with high engagement may receive less aggressive compression, but this is a black-box factor that cannot be controlled through export settings.

What Are the YouTube Shorts Export Specs?

YouTube Shorts has the most lenient upload specifications of the three platforms because YouTube's video infrastructure is built for long-form content and handles a wider range of formats natively:

Resolution. 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio. YouTube Shorts supports up to 8K, but 1080p is the practical standard. YouTube's compression is less aggressive than TikTok or Instagram.
Frame rate. 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60fps all work natively. 30fps is the safest default.
Video codec. H.264, High Profile, Level 4.2 or higher. H.265 is fully supported and may produce slightly better quality, but processing is slower. Upload H.264 for fastest processing.
Bitrate. 10 to 15 Mbps for 1080p30. YouTube's recommended range is 8 to 12 Mbps; 15 Mbps provides comfortable headroom.
Container. MP4 or MOV. MP4 with H.264 is the cross-platform standard.
Audio. AAC or MP3 at 128 to 256 kbps, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, stereo.
Color space. Rec.709 for standard dynamic range. HDR is supported via Rec.2020 but unnecessary for most Shorts content.

According to Google's YouTube encoding guidelines, YouTube processes uploads by first generating a low-resolution version for immediate availability, then progressively encoding higher resolutions. The initial quality viewers see for the first few minutes after upload is the low-resolution version; the full-quality encode takes 15 to 60 minutes depending on video length and server load.

How Do Platform Compression and Audio Differences Affect Exports?

Platform compression varies significantly: TikTok applies the most aggressive compression, favoring simple compositions with clean text and solid backgrounds over grainy, high-detail footage. Instagram's pipeline is tuned for faces and text overlays. YouTube Shorts inherits YouTube's infrastructure and applies the least compression. For batch exports to all three platforms, export once at 1080p30, 15 Mbps, H.264, MP4, and upload that file everywhere. The quality difference between per-platform optimization and a single universal export is smaller than the time saved.

Audio normalization also differs: TikTok targets approximately -14 LUFS, Instagram Reels approximately -16 LUFS, and YouTube Shorts approximately -13 to -14 LUFS. For a cross-platform export, target -14 LUFS integrated with a true peak of -1 dBTP, AAC 256 kbps, 48 kHz sample rate, stereo. These settings produce acceptable audio on all three platforms without per-platform re-export.

Conbersa handles the distribution side: once your videos are exported at the right settings, the infrastructure posts them across accounts on real physical devices so the upload pipeline is consistent and the technical settings are the only variable you need to manage.