TikTok Ad Specs 2026: Sizes, Lengths, and Safe Zones

For an auction In-Feed video, TikTok ad specs allow vertical 9:16, horizontal 16:9, and square 1:1. Vertical is the recommended orientation, at a minimum of 540x960 pixels. Files can be up to 500 MB, at a bitrate of at least 516 kbps. TikTok's ad format policy allows 5 to 60 seconds, and its safe-zone template keeps key content out of the top 160 and bottom 440 pixels of a 720x1280 frame. TopView and reservation ads ask for a higher bitrate, Spark Ads inherit the organic post, and carousel ads have their own image rules.

TikTok In-Feed Ad Specs

For auction video ads that are not Spark Ads, TikTok's In-Feed ad specifications set these requirements:

Aspect ratio and minimum size: vertical 9:16 (recommended) at 540x960 or more, horizontal 16:9 at 960x540 or more, and square 1:1 at 640x640 or more.
Formats: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, or .avi.
File size: 500 MB or less.
Bitrate: 516 kbps or more.
Captions: displayed in white in a fixed font, with no clickable links, @ mentions, or hashtags.
Account name: one line, up to 20 characters, or 10 in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
Profile photo: 98x98 pixels, JPG or PNG, under 50 KB, with the key element inside the central 66x66 pixels so it is not cropped.

The recommended TikTok ad aspect ratio is 9:16; TikTok's video advertising guide says to "use 9:16 vertical video for full-screen impact." For TikTok ad size, the same guide recommends exporting at 1080x1920 or higher, and TikTok's creative best practices ask for at least 720p.

How Long Should a TikTok Ad Be?

TikTok's pages set different limits for auction In-Feed video:

In-Feed specification page: up to 10 minutes.
Ad format policy: the advertising policy on ad format sets a minimum of 5 seconds and a maximum of 60 seconds.
Video advertising guide: up to 60 seconds, with 21 to 34 seconds performing best.

A TikTok ad length between 5 and 60 seconds meets all three. For auction In-Feed ads, 21 to 34 seconds is TikTok's own recommendation; for TopView and reservation In-Feed ads, TikTok recommends 9 to 15 seconds within the same 5 to 60 second range.

TikTok Safe Zones

Safe zones come as downloadable pixel templates on the In-Feed specification page. The standard In-Feed template marks the areas that interface elements may cover or that some devices may crop, on a 720x1280 frame:

Top: 160 pixels.
Bottom: 440 pixels.
Left and right edges: 80 pixels each.
Right column: an extra 120 pixels wide and 720 pixels tall, measured up from the bottom.

Scaled to a 1080x1920 export, the same template works out to 240 pixels at the top, 660 at the bottom, 120 on each side, and a right column 180 pixels wide and 1,080 tall.

The bottom margin grows with caption length. TikTok's template for ads with an anchor link, drawn on a 540x960 frame, raises the bottom margin from 406 pixels for one caption line to 507 pixels for four, and its download also includes square 640x640 and horizontal 960x540 versions. TikTok's TopView specification page notes that "the longer the caption, the smaller the safe zone will be." Before launch, TikTok's ad preview tool shows where interface elements will sit.

TopView and Reservation Ad Specs

As users open TikTok, TopView shows a 3-second full-screen takeover that continues as an In-Feed video, with sound on. It is available to qualified customers, and its specifications differ from auction ads:

Format: vertical 9:16 only, at 540x960 or more, as .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, or .3gp.
Length: 5 to 60 seconds, 9 to 15 recommended.
Bitrate: 2,500 kbps or more, with files up to 500 MB.
Captions: up to 100 characters. TikTok suggests 50 or fewer in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean so the text is not covered by "See more."
Opening: no plain white and no still image as the main element in the first 3 seconds.
Safe zone: on TikTok's 720x1280 template, 160 pixels at the top and bottom and 80 at the sides during the first 3 seconds, then the In-Feed safe zone.
Review: TikTok reviews TopView assets within 2 days of submission.

Reservation In-Feed ads, including Reach and Frequency, accept 9:16, 16:9, and 1:1 at the same minimum bitrate of 2,500 kbps. Every creative must have sound, no watermarks are allowed, and the ad must not mimic the TikTok interface.

Spark Ads and Carousel Specs

Organic posts become ads through Spark Ads, so the post sets the creative. TikTok's Spark Ads page sets no limits on ratio, resolution, bitrate, or file size and caps sparked videos at 10 minutes, and the In-Feed specification page lists .mp4 or .mov for pulled posts. The caption comes from the organic post and cannot be edited after authorization, and Ads Manager shows the authorization period beneath each authorized post.

Carousel ads carry images in TikTok's In-Feed placement, under these specifications:

Images: 2 to 35, in JPG or PNG, with 100 KB or less suggested per image.
Sizes: horizontal 1200x628, square 640x640, or vertical 720x1280.
Music: required, as an .mp3 of at least 2 seconds, played on a loop.
Copy and link: one caption, one call to action, and one URL for all images.

TikTok Ad Network, Global App Bundle, and Search Ads

Three placements sit outside the For You feed:

TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle): videos up to 10 minutes at 1280x720, 720x1280, or 720x720, as .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, or .avi, up to 500 MB; images at 1200x628, 640x640, or 720x1280; carousels of up to 50 images; and playable ads as a .zip of up to 5 MB, per TikTok's Ad Network asset specifications. In the US, the available formats are interstitial and rewarded ads.
Global App Bundle: vertical 9:16 at 720x1280 or more recommended, 5 to 60 seconds with 21 to 30 recommended, a bitrate of 516 kbps or more, and files up to 500 MB. App names take 4 to 40 Latin characters, brand names 2 to 20, and ad descriptions 1 to 100, per the Global App Bundle video specifications.
Search Ads: TikTok's Search Ads creative tips say video and image formats are the same as In-Feed campaigns, so In-Feed creative can be reused.

Creative Volume for Smart+ and Auction Campaigns

For Smart+ campaigns, TikTok's guidance sets a starting creative count for web and app campaigns:

Web campaigns: at least six creative assets at launch, per TikTok's web best practices.
App campaigns: a minimum of 4 to 6 creative assets, per the app best practices.

Each Smart+ ad can hold up to 50 creative assets, according to TikTok's Smart+ upgrade page, and Automatic Enhancements can resize, improve quality, and translate and dub assets. For Smart+ lead generation, TikTok's guidance on creative fatigue is to add between 2 and 5 new creatives per round, at most 10, without deleting existing ones.

For standard auction campaigns, TikTok's auction best practices recommend 3 to 5 ad versions per ad group, and each ad group takes a maximum of 50 ads.

Creative Rules That Affect the Edit

Several TikTok rules shape the cut itself:

Sound: the ad format policy requires audio, and it must not be unclear or muffled.
Motion: static images should not occupy more than 50% of the video.
Opening: TikTok's creative best practices recommend introducing the proposition in the first 3 seconds and prioritizing the hook in the first 6.
On-screen text: TikTok recommends 5 to 10 words per second.
AI-generated content: significantly edited or AI-generated media needs disclosure through TikTok's AI-generated label or through a disclaimer, caption, watermark, or sticker the advertiser adds, under the misleading and false content policy.

TikTok Ad Export Checklist

Export vertical 9:16 at 1080x1920.
Keep the length between 5 and 60 seconds: 21 to 34 for auction In-Feed, 9 to 15 for TopView.
Stay under 500 MB, at 516 kbps or more for auction ads and 2,500 kbps or more for TopView and reservation.
Place text, logos, and the product inside the safe zone for the caption length you plan to use, and check it in the preview tool.
Include clear audio.
Label AI-generated content.
Prepare 3 to 5 distinct versions per ad group, or the Smart+ starting count for web or app campaigns.

Starti's guide to mobile app video ads covers how to match vertical and horizontal masters to TikTok, Meta, and Google placements, and the video localization guide covers TikTok's translate and dub tools.

How Starti AI Studio Prepares TikTok Versions

Video Agent, part of Starti AI Studio, crops a finished video around its subject into 9:16, 16:9, 1:1, and 4:5 versions, and approved creatives publish straight to a team's TikTok ad accounts, as well as Meta and Google Ads. A team can revise one scene, such as the opening, and keep every other approved scene unchanged.

Smart Insight brings TikTok results into the same analysis as Meta and Google Ads, and shows whether an opening, a visual style, or a call to action performs differently across a group of ads, measured on CTR and completion.

Book a demo to see Video Agent prepare TikTok versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should a TikTok ad be?

Vertical 9:16, at least 540x960 pixels. TikTok's video advertising guide recommends exporting at 1080x1920 or higher, and its creative best practices ask for at least 720p.

What aspect ratio do TikTok ads use?

Auction In-Feed ads accept 9:16, 16:9, and 1:1, with 9:16 recommended. TopView accepts vertical 9:16 only.

How long can a TikTok ad be?

A TikTok In-Feed ad can run 5 to 60 seconds under TikTok's ad format policy, and the In-Feed specification page allows up to 10 minutes. TikTok recommends 21 to 34 seconds for auction In-Feed ads and 9 to 15 seconds for TopView and reservation In-Feed ads.

What is the TikTok ad safe zone?

On a 720x1280 frame, TikTok's standard In-Feed template keeps key content out of the top 160 pixels, the bottom 440, 80 on each side, and a 120 by 720 pixel column on the lower right. Scaled to 1080x1920, that is 240 at the top, 660 at the bottom, and 120 on each side.

What is the file size limit for TikTok video ads?

In-Feed, TopView, and reservation videos can be up to 500 MB. Carousel images are suggested at 100 KB or less each.

Does TikTok support image ads?

Yes. In the For You feed, images run as carousel ads of 2 to 35 images. TikTok documents single-image specs for TikTok Ad Network and Global App Bundle placements, at 1200x628, 640x640, or 720x1280.

How many characters can a TikTok ad caption have?

TikTok publishes a 100-character limit for TopView captions, and its auction In-Feed specification page lists no character limit. For TopView, TikTok suggests 50 characters or fewer in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean so the caption is not covered by "See more." Longer captions take more lines and raise the bottom of the safe zone.