Quick answer
TikTok ad specs for standard In-Feed video ads are a 9:16 vertical video (minimum 540 x 960 px), in MP4, MOV, MPEG, 3GP or AVI format, up to 500 MB, with a bitrate of at least 516 kbps and a length of up to 10 minutes, according to TikTok's Business Help Center (updated June 2026). Horizontal 16:9 (960 x 540 px minimum) and square 1:1 (640 x 640 px minimum) are also accepted, but vertical is the recommended size. Reservation formats such as TopView are stricter: 5 to 60 seconds, with 9 to 15 seconds recommended.
Below are the 10 TikTok ad specs that matter most in 2026. Specs change often, so confirm in TikTok Ads Manager before final export.
TikTok ad dimensions, size and aspect ratio
1. Aspect ratio: use 9:16 vertical
TikTok accepts three aspect ratios for In-Feed video ads, but it labels vertical 9:16 as recommended. Vertical video fills the full screen in the For You feed.
- Vertical 9:16: at least 540 x 960 px (recommended)
- Horizontal 16:9: at least 960 x 540 px
- Square 1:1: at least 640 x 640 px
Most teams export at 1080 x 1920 px, which clears the minimum comfortably.
2. File size and format
TikTok ad size limits are generous. Non-Spark In-Feed videos can be up to 500 MB in MP4, MOV, MPEG, 3GP or AVI format. Spark Ads, which promote organic posts, use MP4 or MOV files.
3. Bitrate
Auction In-Feed videos need a bitrate of at least 516 kbps. Reservation formats such as TopView and Reach & Frequency In-Feed ads require at least 2,500 kbps, so export at higher quality if you plan to buy those placements.
TikTok ad length: how long can a TikTok ad be?
4. Video length limits by format
- Auction In-Feed ads (non-Spark): up to 10 minutes. TikTok's help page lists no minimum or recommended length.
- Spark Ads (organic posts): no duration restriction, as long as the post published successfully.
- TopView: 5 to 60 seconds, with 9 to 15 seconds recommended.
- Reach & Frequency In-Feed ads: 5 to 60 seconds, with 9 to 15 seconds recommended.
How long should a TikTok ad be?
The maximum is not the best length. TikTok only recommends a duration for reservation formats (9 to 15 seconds), so treat that as a default for short ads, then test longer cuts. Creator demos often need more time. What matters most is the opening: lead with the hook and show the product early. Our guide on what makes creator-led UGC ads perform on Meta and TikTok covers hook structure in more detail.
TikTok ad copy specs
5. Ad captions
Non-Spark In-Feed captions appear in white text in a fixed font that you cannot customize, and they cannot include clickable links, @ mentions or hashtags. For TopView, captions are capped at 100 characters, show up to 4 lines before a "See more" cutoff, and emojis count as 2 characters. For Reach & Frequency In-Feed ads, TikTok recommends keeping captions within 100 characters (50 for Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Spark Ads pull the caption from the organic post, which cannot be edited after authorization.
6. Display name
The account or display name shows on one line, up to 20 characters for most languages, or 10 for Chinese, Japanese and Korean. For app ads, TikTok pulls the name automatically from the App Store or Google Play.
7. Profile image
The optional profile image is 98 x 98 px, square, in JPG, JPEG or PNG format, and under 50 KB. Keep the key element inside the central 66 x 66 px so it is not cropped. Spark Ads use the posting account's own profile picture.
TikTok carousel ads specs
8. Carousel ad specs (standard carousel)
Carousel ads on TikTok are image-based posts that people swipe through, and TikTok requires music. Per the Business Help Center (updated September 2026):
- Number of images: 2 to 35
- Image sizes: horizontal 1200 x 628 px, square 640 x 640 px or vertical 720 x 1280 px
- File type: JPG/JPEG or PNG, with about 100 KB or less suggested per image
- Music: required and looping; at least 2 seconds; MP3 up to 10 MB, or a track from the Commercial Music Library (not available on TikTok Ad Network)
- Copy and links: one caption, one call to action and one URL for all images, unless the ad is powered by a product catalog
- Placements: TikTok and TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle)
Video Shopping Ads carousels work differently: they show 2 to 20 product images, each image can link to its own product page through a catalog, and only uploaded music is supported.
TikTok safe zones
9. Keep key content inside the safe zone
TikTok overlays the caption, account name, call-to-action button and engagement icons on top of your video. The Business Help Center explains that the safe zone depends on orientation, caption length and any additional formats, and it provides downloadable safe zone templates: a standard file for most regions, an Arabic right-to-left file, and versions for videos that use anchors. Keep logos, on-screen text and product shots inside the safe area, and remember that previews may differ slightly from the live ad.
TikTok ad formats and topview specs
10. Match specs to the format you buy
- In-Feed ads (auction): the core self-serve format that appears in the For You feed. Specs as above.
- Spark Ads: promote an existing organic post from your account or a creator's account, authorized with a Spark Ads code from the account owner.
- TopView: a reservation ad shown when people open TikTok. It starts as a 3-second full-screen takeover and then turns into an In-Feed video. It requires 9:16, at least 540 x 960 px, 5 to 60 seconds and a 2,500 kbps minimum bitrate.
- Carousel ads: swipeable images with music, specs above.
TikTok creative specs checklist
Whether you produce ads by hand or with an AI ad creative tool, your workflow should support these TikTok specs:
- Export 9:16 vertical at 1080 x 1920 px as the master file.
- Keep files under 500 MB and above the bitrate floor for your format.
- Build short and long cuts so you can test length.
- Check every frame against the safe zone template.
- Prepare 2 to 35 images plus an MP3 track for carousels.
- Collect Spark Ads codes when creators post content on their own accounts.
Fresh creative matters as much as correct specs, because the same video shown too often tends to lose efficiency. Our guides on creative fatigue in paid social and how many new ad creatives to test each month explain how to plan refreshes. If you need spec-ready creator videos, NugVerse by MediaNug is a self-service UGC platform that delivers raw or edited assets ready for Ads Manager with usage rights cleared.
Frequently asked questions
What are the TikTok ad specs for 2026?
For In-Feed video ads: 9:16 vertical at a minimum of 540 x 960 px (16:9 and 1:1 also accepted), MP4, MOV, MPEG, 3GP or AVI files up to 500 MB, at least 516 kbps and up to 10 minutes long.
How long can a TikTok ad be?
Auction In-Feed ads can run up to 10 minutes, and Spark Ads have no duration restriction. TopView and Reach & Frequency In-Feed ads must be 5 to 60 seconds, with 9 to 15 seconds recommended.
What are the TikTok carousel ad specs?
Use 2 to 35 JPG or PNG images at 1200 x 628, 640 x 640 or 720 x 1280 px, plus required looping music of at least 2 seconds (MP3 up to 10 MB), with one caption, one call to action and one URL.
What size should a TikTok ad be?
Use a 9:16 aspect ratio. TikTok's minimum is 540 x 960 px, and most advertisers export at 1080 x 1920 px. The file can be up to 500 MB.
Sources
- TikTok Business Help Center, "TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads" (video ads specifications), updated June 2026, accessed Oct 2026
- TikTok Business Help Center, "TikTok Reservation TopView", updated June 2026, accessed Oct 2026
- TikTok Business Help Center, "TikTok Reservation In-Feed Ads (Reach & Frequency)", updated July 2025, accessed Oct 2026
- TikTok Business Help Center, "Specifications for Carousel Ads", updated September 2026, accessed Oct 2026
- TikTok Business Help Center, "How to create Spark Ads for Manual and Search Campaigns in TikTok Ads Manager", updated June 2026, accessed Oct 2026
