The best export settings for TikTok, Reels and Shorts
Updated:
Every app re-compresses what you upload. You can't stop that, but you can give it the best possible file to start from. These are the settings we recommend for vertical video, and the mistakes that quietly lower quality along the way.
Add captions nowThe recommended settings
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (vertical) | Fills the whole phone screen on TikTok, Reels and Shorts |
| Resolution | 1080×1920 | The standard for vertical feeds; sharp on every phone |
| Frame rate | Same as you recorded (30 or 60 fps) | Changing it causes stutter or blur |
| Video codec | H.264 (AVC) in MP4 | Accepted everywhere |
| Bitrate | About 8–12 Mbps for 1080p | Enough detail for the app's own compression to work with |
| Audio | AAC, 48 kHz, 128–320 kbps | Clean voice and music |
| Length | Up to 3 minutes for Shorts | The current Shorts limit; Reels and TikTok allow more |
These are safe defaults, not official minimums. Each app publishes its own specifications, and they change from time to time.
Mistakes that lower quality
- Exporting twice in a row. Every encode loses a little detail. Export once from the original project, caption that file, and upload the result.
- Downloading your own video from an app to post it elsewhere. That copy has already been compressed (and may carry the app's watermark). Upload the original file to each platform.
- Upscaling. Turning 720p into 1080p makes the file bigger, not sharper. Keep the native resolution; CueSprint does the same.
- Changing the frame rate. Recorded at 60 fps? Export at 60. Converting 30 to 60, or 60 to 25, adds judder.
- Very low bitrate presets. “Small file” or “web” presets can look fine on a laptop and fall apart after the app compresses them again.
Where captioning fits
Captioning is one more encoding step, so it should be as clean as possible. CueSprint keeps your resolution and frame rate, picks a bitrate close to your original, and copies the audio without re-encoding when the format allows. The recommended order is:
- Edit and export your video once, with the settings above.
- Open that file in CueSprint, review the words and choose a style.
- Export the captioned MP4 and upload it directly.
If you also want caption files for YouTube or LinkedIn, download the SRT at the same time; see SRT vs VTT.
Uploading without losing quality
- Upload on Wi-Fi when you can. Some apps lower the upload quality on mobile data unless you change it in their settings.
- Look for a high-quality upload option in each app's settings and turn it on.
- Upload from the original file, not from a screen recording or a messaging app, which compress video heavily.