TikTok Ad Specs 2026: Sizes, Aspect Ratios & Safe Zones
Use this TikTok ad specs cheat sheet for aspect ratios, video dimensions, safe zones, file limits, captions, Spark, TopView, Carousel and Catalog.
If you are building creative today, the first TikTok ad specs question is not philosophical. It is practical: what size should the editor export, which TikTok ad aspect ratio will pass upload, where can the headline sit without being covered, and which format has a different limit?
This cheat sheet is written for buyers, editors, agencies, and creative ops teams. It uses TikTok's public Business Help Center specs where they are explicit, and it flags the places where Ads Manager or your account's upload prompt should be treated as the final source.
TikTok Ad Specs Cheat Sheet
For most performance campaigns, make a vertical 9:16 video first. Export 1080x1920 when possible, keep important text inside the safe zone, and compress the file without destroying clarity.
| Format | Best default | Official minimum or confirmed requirement | Duration | File format and size | Copy and safe-zone note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-Feed Non-Spark video | 9:16, export 1080x1920 | Vertical 9:16 at least 540x960; horizontal 16:9 at least 960x540; square 1:1 at least 640x640 | Up to 10 minutes | .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi; up to 500 MB; bitrate at least 516 kbps | Ad caption is white system text; no clickable links, @, or hashtags in the caption. Safe zone changes by ratio, caption length, and add-ons. |
| In-Feed Spark Ads from an organic post | Use the original post, ideally 9:16 | Video format normally .mp4 or .mov; duration follows the organic post flow | No TikTok Ads duration restriction for pull-from-post Spark | Final limits depend on the original post and account prompt | Caption is pulled from the organic post; up to 4 lines may display before truncation. You cannot treat this like editable Non-Spark ad text. |
| TopView Non-Spark or Spark Push | 9:16 only | Vertical 9:16, at least 540x960 | 5-60 seconds; TikTok recommends 9-15 seconds | .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp; up to 500 MB; bitrate at least 2,500 kbps | Requires both open-screen and in-feed safe-zone checks. Caption limit is 100 characters. |
| TopView Spark Pull | Original post, still preview as TopView | Uploaded organic video is normally .mp4 or .mov | No restriction as long as the organic video can be published | Confirm in the account flow and preview tool | Qualified-customer format; usually needs higher eligibility and pre-review than normal auction habits. |
| Standard Carousel Ads | Image carousel, usually vertical product frames | 2-35 images; JPG/JPEG/PNG; recommended image resolution: vertical 720x1280, square 640x640, horizontal 1200x628 | Not video based | File size ≤100 KB suggested per image; use Ads Manager upload prompt as the final limit | Treat it as in-feed UI. Keep product claims away from the bottom caption/CTA and right action rail. |
| Catalog Carousel and Smart+ Catalog Ads | Product image/video assets from catalog | Catalog must contain eligible products; Smart+ Catalog needs at least 4 in-stock, approved, active products | Varies by selected creative asset | Catalog video upload paths may use stricter limits than normal In-Feed upload | Product cards, tiles, and catalog add-ons can cover the lower portion of the creative. Preview the exact add-on. |
| Video Shopping / TikTok Shop Ads | Product video pool, usually 9:16 | Current TikTok Shop flow routes Sales to GMV Max; product selection and shop permissions decide availability | Use account prompt; catalog video upload guidance commonly uses 5-60 seconds | Normal ad upload and catalog upload are different paths | Up to 20 active products can be attached in the Video Shopping creation flow; up to 50 videos per ad group are shown in TikTok's Help page for that flow. |
| Profile photo for Non-Spark identity | 1:1, clean center crop | 98x98; key element inside center 66x66 | Not applicable | JPG/JPEG/PNG; under 50 KB | Account name display is one line: max 10 CJK characters or 20 characters in other languages. |
If Ads Manager rejects a file with a newer prompt, the prompt wins.
TikTok Ad Aspect Ratio: Which One Should You Export?
The best TikTok ad aspect ratio for normal feed delivery is 9:16. It fills the phone screen, gives the platform the fewest resizing decisions, and leaves the creative team with one clean safe-zone template.
Use the other ratios only when there is a real reason:
| Aspect ratio | Use it when | Avoid it when |
|---|---|---|
9:16 vertical | New TikTok-first videos, UGC, product demos, Spark-style content, TopView, Shop videos | Almost never for TikTok-first performance creative. This should be the default. |
1:1 square | Reusing proven square assets, product images, some carousel frames, multi-platform tests | The hook depends on full-screen immersion or on-screen product detail. |
16:9 horizontal | Movie trailers, game footage, demo footage, or assets that genuinely need a wide frame | You are only using it because the team did not cut a vertical version. |
The handoff line to your editor should be blunt: export the primary version as 1080x1920, 9:16, MP4 or MOV, with the main product, price claim, logo, and readable CTA inside the safe zone.
For creative testing, do not mix aspect ratio changes with hook changes unless you want messy learning. Keep ratio as one testing variable in your TikTok creative testing matrix, not a hidden accident.
Video Dimensions, File Size and Length
Here are the specs that should sit in the asset brief.
| Video path | Ratio | Minimum resolution | Better production export | Max length | Max file size | Bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auction In-Feed vertical Non-Spark | 9:16 | 540x960 | 1080x1920 | 10 minutes | 500 MB | At least 516 kbps |
| Auction In-Feed horizontal Non-Spark | 16:9 | 960x540 | 1920x1080 | 10 minutes | 500 MB | At least 516 kbps |
| Auction In-Feed square Non-Spark | 1:1 | 640x640 | 1080x1080 | 10 minutes | 500 MB | At least 516 kbps |
| TopView Non-Spark or Spark Push | 9:16 | 540x960 | 1080x1920 | 5-60 seconds | 500 MB | At least 2,500 kbps |
| Catalog video upload path | 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9 | Same TikTok placement minimums | Usually 1080x1920 for vertical | Commonly 5-60 seconds | Catalog video file path can be 100 MB | More than 516 kbps |
"Accepted" is not the same as "good." A 540x960 vertical file may pass the official minimum, but 1080x1920 gives more room for subtitles, product closeups, and reuse.
Normal auction upload and catalog video upload are not the same path. When your task involves Catalog, Shop, GMV Max, or product-linked video, check the upload prompt for that exact flow before promising a file size to the editor.
TikTok Ad Safe Zones
TikTok ad safe zones are the parts of the video frame where important text, logos, product shots, prices, legal disclaimers, and CTA-style copy should remain visible after TikTok adds its interface.
The risky areas are predictable: the right-side action rail, lower caption and CTA area, top system area, and any product card or interactive add-on. The exact safe zone changes by ratio, caption length, language direction, add-ons, and device preview.
Use this working rule for vertical creative handoff:
| Area | Why it is risky | Practical rule |
|---|---|---|
| Top | System UI, TopView open-screen adaptation, device differences | Do not put the main logo or legal text at the top edge. Keep key text below the top UI band. |
| Right | Like, comment, share, profile, and other action icons | Keep faces, product labels, prices, and CTA copy away from the right action rail. |
| Bottom | Caption, CTA button, product cards, anchors, catalog tiles | Keep the primary value prop above the caption/add-on area. This is the most common place teams lose text. |
| Left | Usually safer, but not empty | Good place for short supporting text, but still keep margin for device crop and RTL variants. |
For a 1080x1920 vertical template, a conservative production overlay is: avoid the top 130px, right 140px, bottom 480px, and left 44px for critical information. Treat this as a QA guardrail, not a replacement for TikTok's downloadable safe-zone files. TopView has two stages, and TikTok says the in-feed safe zone is more restrictive than the open-screen stage.
Catalog add-ons make the bottom risk larger. TikTok says product cards use a 130px field at the bottom, product tiles can occupy a 546px bottom space, and display cards sit at the bottom with a 750x421 display. If price or product-name text sits low, preview it with the actual add-on.
Caption, Ad Text and Account Name Limits
Copy limits are where teams often mix up Spark, Non-Spark, API, and Ads Manager behavior.
| Copy element | Confirmed rule | Production advice |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Spark ad text | TikTok's ad creation guidance commonly uses 1-100 characters; no emoji; CJK characters can count as 2 characters in the creation flow | Keep the first line short. Long ad text reduces visible safe area and may hide behind "See more." |
| In-Feed Non-Spark caption display | White system font; no clickable links, symbols like @, or hashtags in the caption | Put the real CTA in the video and platform CTA, not inside a long caption. |
| Spark Ads caption | Pulled from the organic post; up to 4 lines may display before truncation | Fix the organic caption before authorization. Do not expect the buyer to rewrite it later. |
| TopView caption | Max 100 characters; max 4 displayed lines before "See more" behavior | For CJK, TikTok recommends staying within 50 characters when possible; for other languages, 100 is the upper edge. |
| Account name / nickname | One displayed line; max 10 CJK characters or 20 characters in other languages | Short brand names look better. Long names create truncation risk. |
| Profile photo | 98x98, key element in center 66x66, under 50 KB | Avoid tiny text. Use a centered mark or face crop. |
Write captions as if only the first visible line matters. Put the message in the video, keep captions clean, and preview on at least one smaller device.
Spark Ads, TopView, Carousel and Catalog Notes
Spark Ads are not just Non-Spark Ads with a different label. When you pull an organic post into Spark Ads, the caption, identity, and post context are tied to the original post. Before asking a creator for authorization, check the post ratio, caption, visible text, rights window, and safe-zone behavior. We covered the operating side in the Spark Ads UGC authorization SOP.
TopView is not a normal in-feed upload. It usually needs higher eligibility, pre-review, and a stronger safe-zone review because the first three seconds open full-screen and then transition into an in-feed experience.
Carousel is useful when the creative is image-led: product angles, before-after steps, bundles, product sets, or catalog frames. Standard Carousel can use 2-35 images. TikTok's spec page lists recommended image resolutions of vertical 720x1280, square 640x640, and horizontal 1200x628, with file size ≤100 KB suggested per image. In practice, Ads Manager may accept a wider upload, so treat the current upload prompt as final. Avoid placing the only price, ingredient, or offer claim in the bottom UI area.
Catalog and Collection-style shopping ads are where naming gets confusing. TikTok's public Help flow increasingly talks about Catalog Ads, Smart+ Catalog Ads, Video Shopping Ads, and GMV Max rather than a single old "Collection Ads" checklist. Brief the team by source: catalog image, catalog video, uploaded ad video, authorized Spark post, or TikTok Shop product video.
If your team is turning AI-generated or edited clips into ad assets, specifications are only one part of the last mile. The next step is getting files into the right accounts, preserving tags, and launching with guardrails; see AI video to TikTok ads last mile.
Pre-Launch QA Checklist
Do not leave spec checks until upload. Use this checklist before the asset enters Ads Manager.
| Check | Pass condition | Common failure |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Correct format for the placement: video, Spark post, image carousel, catalog asset, or TopView | The team exports one master file and expects every format to accept it. |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9 chosen deliberately | A square or horizontal asset is resized into vertical without a creative decision. |
| Resolution | At or above the official minimum; preferably production-standard export | Small files pass upload but look soft in the feed. |
| Length | Within the chosen format's limit | TopView and catalog video are treated like normal In-Feed video. |
| File size | Under the limit for the exact upload path | Catalog import and normal ad upload are confused. |
| Safe zone | Key text, product, logo, face, price, and legal line remain visible in preview | Bottom caption, product card, or right action rail covers the main claim. |
| Caption | Fits the format and does not rely on hidden lines | Spark caption is wrong because the organic post was never cleaned. |
| Preview | Checked in Ads Manager or reservation preview tool | The team signs off from an editing canvas only. |
After the spec check, move into testing discipline. Specs prevent upload failure; they do not tell you whether the creative deserves spend. Start with the creative testing matrix, then use the creative fatigue automation loop once winners begin to wear out.
Where AdRate Fits
AdRate is not a design tool, video editor, safe-zone generator, or pixel-level spec checker. It should not be sold as one.
Where it does fit is after the creative is approved for use. Teams can keep assets organized, push videos to the right TikTok ad accounts, create ads from prepared assets, apply automation rules for CPA, ROAS, spend, and fatigue, and review execution logs later. In other words, AdRate helps with the operating layer after the file exists. The creative team still owns export specs, safe-zone overlays, and visual QA before upload.
That boundary is healthy. A clean media workflow should not pretend that software can fix a bad crop after the ad is live.
FAQ
What is the best aspect ratio for TikTok ads?
For most TikTok performance ads, use 9:16 vertical. It is the safest TikTok-first format for In-Feed, Spark-style creative, Shop video, and TopView. Use 1:1 or 16:9 only when the creative concept or source material requires it.
What is the TikTok video ad size?
For auction In-Feed Non-Spark video, TikTok lists vertical 9:16 at least 540x960, horizontal 16:9 at least 960x540, and square 1:1 at least 640x640. In practice, export vertical masters at 1080x1920 when possible.
What is the TikTok ad file size limit?
TikTok's public In-Feed Non-Spark and TopView pages list a 500 MB video file limit. Catalog video upload workflows can be stricter, so use the exact Ads Manager or catalog upload prompt when the asset is product-linked.
How long can a TikTok video ad be?
Auction In-Feed Non-Spark video can be up to 10 minutes. TopView Non-Spark or Spark Push is 5-60 seconds, with TikTok recommending 9-15 seconds. Catalog and Shop flows can use separate limits, often shorter.
What are TikTok ad safe zones?
TikTok ad safe zones are the areas where important creative elements should remain visible after TikTok overlays captions, CTA buttons, right-side actions, product cards, or reservation UI. Use official safe-zone files and preview tools for the final check.
Source Notes
The core specs in this article were checked against TikTok Business Help Center pages for Auction In-Feed Ads, TopView ad specifications, Carousel Ads specifications, Smart+ Catalog Ads, Catalog interactive add-ons, and Video Shopping Ads for TikTok Shop. TikTok updates product flows often; always treat the upload prompt in your account as the final check.
