TikTok Ad Specs 2026 Cheat Sheet: All Sizes & Aspect Ratios (Free)
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 Pull | Use the original post; prefer 9:16 | No separate Spark upload specification for ratio, resolution, file type, bitrate, or size | Eligible source video: max 10 minutes | Inherits the published post; confirm eligibility | Original caption; up to 4 displayed lines; not editable like Non-Spark ad text. |
| TopView Non-Spark or Spark Push | Standard requirement: 9:16 | 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; preview in TopView | Reuses the post, not a new Non-Spark upload | Eligible source video: max 10 minutes | Confirm authorization and eligibility | Requires TopView eligibility, pre-review, and two-stage preview. |
| 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 | Rules depend on the catalog field and selected creative path | Product cards, tiles, and catalog add-ons can cover the lower portion of the creative. Preview the exact add-on. |
| TikTok Shop Ads / Product GMV Max | Eligible Shop creative pool | Since July 2025, GMV Max is the default and only supported campaign type for the TikTok Shop sales destination; VSA remains only for Showcase | Depends on the source asset | No universal Shop upload cap; check the exact path | The legacy VSA limits of 20 active products and 50 videos per ad group are not general Product GMV Max limits. |
| 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 |
Ads Catalog feed video_link recommendation | Recommended: 9:16 | Recommended: ≥720x1280 | 1080x1920 | Not specified on the Catalog parameter page | Not specified on the Catalog parameter page | Recommended: ≥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.
Reservation / Reach & Frequency In-Feed Non-Spark or Spark Push differs from Auction: the same ratio minimums, but 5-60 seconds (9-15 recommended), up to 500 MB, and at least 2,500 kbps. See the official specifications.
For an Ads Catalog feed, TikTok recommends video_link at 9:16, at least 720x1280 and 516 kbps, with sound and captions. The page gives no universal duration or file-size limit; do not import one from a Shop listing or another ad path.
Check the exact asset path and account prompt before promising duration or file size.
TikTok Ad Safe Zones
TikTok ad safe zones keep text, logos, products, prices, disclaimers, and CTA-style copy visible behind the platform interface.
Risk sits around the right action rail, lower caption/CTA, top system area, and product add-ons. There is no universal fixed-pixel box: it changes with ratio, caption, Anchor/add-on, LTR/RTL direction, and device.
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. |
AdRate internal 1080x1920 production line—not an official TikTok value: avoid the top 130px (6.8% of height), right 140px (13.0% of width), bottom 480px (25.0% of height), and left 44px (4.1% of width). This conservative overlay is not a device guarantee. Use TikTok's matching official template, then verify with the Preview Tool and current account prompt. Check both TopView stages; its in-feed stage is stricter.
TikTok's component dimensions put Product Card in a bottom 130px field, Product Tile in a bottom 546px space, and Display Card at 750x421. These are specific footprints, not universal Feed safe-zone edges. Preview 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 Pull ties caption, identity, and interactions to the source post, and videos eligible for Spark are capped at 10 minutes. Check ratio, caption, visible text, rights window, and safe zone before authorization. The operating steps are in our Spark Ads UGC authorization SOP.
TopView needs separate eligibility, pre-review, and safe-zone QA because its first three seconds transition from open-screen to in-feed.
Standard Carousel supports 2-35 images. TikTok recommends vertical 720x1280, square 640x640, or horizontal 1200x628, with ≤100 KB suggested per image. Follow the current upload prompt and keep the only price, ingredient, or offer claim out of the bottom UI area.
Since July 2025, GMV Max has been the default and only supported campaign type for the TikTok Shop sales destination. VSA remains only for Showcase, and existing legacy campaigns may continue. The old VSA 20-product/50-video values are not general Product GMV Max limits.
Shop/GMV Max is a campaign and product context; Spark is a post and identity source. They can combine when an authorized Spark post is available to the GMV Max pool. Brief assets by source: Catalog feed, uploaded video, Spark post, or Shop listing.
After specs pass, files still need the right account, tags, and launch controls; 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. |
Specs prevent upload failure, not weak performance. Test deliberately, then use the creative fatigue automation loop as winners wear out.
Where AdRate Fits
AdRate is not a design tool, editor, safe-zone generator, or pixel-level checker. It starts after creative approval: organize assets, push videos to the right accounts, create ads, automate CPA/ROAS/spend/fatigue rules, and retain execution logs. The creative team still owns export and visual QA.
FAQ
What is the best aspect ratio for TikTok ads?
Use 9:16 for most TikTok-first performance creative. Choose 1:1 or 16:9 only when the concept or source material requires it.
What is the TikTok video ad size?
Auction In-Feed Non-Spark minimums are 9:16 at 540x960, 16:9 at 960x540, and 1:1 at 640x640. Export vertical masters at 1080x1920 when possible.
What is the TikTok ad file size limit?
Auction In-Feed Non-Spark and TopView allow up to 500 MB. Catalog video_link has no universal published file-size limit; check the exact feed, listing, or account prompt.
How long can a TikTok video ad be?
Auction In-Feed Non-Spark allows 10 minutes. Reservation In-Feed Non-Spark or Spark Push and TopView Non-Spark or Spark Push allow 5-60 seconds (9-15 recommended). Spark Pull adds no upload spec, but videos eligible for Spark cap at 10 minutes. Check Catalog and Shop assets by their exact path.
What are TikTok ad safe zones?
TikTok publishes no universal four-edge pixel box. Safe zones change with ratio, caption, Anchor/add-on, language direction, placement, and device. Use the matching official file, Preview Tool, and current account prompt.
Source Notes
The core specs in this article were checked against TikTok Business Help Center pages for Auction In-Feed Ads, Reservation In-Feed Ads, About Spark Ads, TopView ad specifications, Carousel Ads specifications, Catalog Product Parameters, Smart+ Catalog Ads, Catalog interactive add-ons, GMV Max migration for TikTok Shop Ads, and the legacy Video Shopping Ads flow. TikTok updates product flows often; always treat the upload prompt in your account as the final check.
