Export settings determine video quality before algorithms ever see your content. Here are the technical requirements that matter.
Resolution and Aspect Ratio Standards
| Platform | Resolution | Aspect Ratio | Maximum File Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | 287 MB |
| Instagram Reels | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | 4 GB |
| YouTube Shorts | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | 256 GB |
| Instagram Feed | 1080x1350 | 4:5 | 4 GB |
Codec Selection Impact
H.264 remains the standard codec across platforms despite H.265 offering better compression. Instagram and TikTok both re-encode uploads, which degrades quality if you start with aggressive compression. Export at 8-12 Mbps bitrate for 1080p vertical video to maintain detail through platform processing.
Frame Rate Considerations
TikTok accepts 60fps but displays at 30fps for most users. Instagram caps at 30fps regardless of upload rate. YouTube Shorts supports 60fps natively. Recording at 60fps and exporting at 30fps provides better motion blur and allows speed ramping without quality loss, but doubles your editing storage requirements.
Audio Specifications
All three platforms accept AAC audio at 128 kbps minimum. TikTok prioritizes 44.1 kHz sample rate while YouTube prefers 48 kHz. The difference is negligible for spoken content but matters for music-driven videos where platform audio compression already reduces fidelity by approximately 18 percent compared to source files.