Social video specs 2026

Snapchat Spotlight video specs 2026

Snapchat Spotlight videos are 9:16, at least 540×960 (1080×1920 is usual), and at least 5 seconds long. Snapchat's own pages disagree on the maximum: the web uploader takes 5 to 60 seconds, while Snap announced uploads of up to 5 minutes in the app. The description can be 160 characters.

By the Slice research teamUpdated How we did it

Get this page’s dataSocial video specs 2026
  • 1080×1920 (9:16)size
  • 5–60 s on the web; up to 5 min in the applength
  • 2 of 10specs from an official help page

What aspect ratio is a Spotlight video?

9:16. Snapchat crops other shapes.

Official: Snapchat Support: posting from the web.

What resolution should a Spotlight video be?

At least 540×960. 1080×1920 is common practice.

Official (API docs): Snap developer docs: public profile assets.

Free toolCheck your Snapchat video before you postDrop a frame into the free Snapchat Spotlight safe-zone checker and see what the buttons and caption will cover.

How long can a Spotlight video be?

At least 5 seconds. Web uploads: 5 to 60 seconds. In the app: record up to 3 minutes, upload up to 5 minutes.

Snap's own sources conflict: help (5 s minimum), web article (5–60 s), API (6–60 s), newsroom March 2024 (3 min recorded, 5 min uploaded). Monetised Spotlight videos must be at least 30 seconds.

Official: Snapchat Support: post to Spotlight.

What is the file size limit for a Spotlight video?

1 GB through the API. App and web limits are not published.

Official (API docs): Snap developer docs: public profile assets.

Which file types and codecs does Snapchat accept?

MP4 (API). MP4 or MOV for ads. H.264 is the safe choice.

Official (API docs): Snap developer docs: public profile assets.

How long can the caption be on Snapchat?

Description up to 160 characters, hashtags included.

Official (API docs): Snap developer docs: public profile assets.

What is the safe zone for a Spotlight video?

On a 1080×1920 frame, keep text and faces inside a 631×1440 px box: 211 px from the top, 269 px from the bottom, 174 px from the left and 275 px from the right.

The measured safe area (lime) on a 1080×1920 frame: 211 px clear at the top, 269 px at the bottom.

The margins include the 9% each side that a tall phone screen crops off a 9:16 video. See "How we measured the safe zones".

What does Snapchat not publish for spotlight?

We found no official figure for a frame rate or a cover size. Where a guide quotes one, it is common practice or the ads spec, not a Snapchat rule for ordinary posts.

Questions

What are Snapchat Spotlight video specs?

Snapchat Spotlight videos are 9:16, at least 540×960 (1080×1920 is usual), and at least 5 seconds long. Snapchat's own pages disagree on the maximum: the web uploader takes 5 to 60 seconds, while Snap announced uploads of up to 5 minutes in the app. The description can be 160 characters.

How long can a Spotlight video be?

At least 5 seconds. Web uploads: 5 to 60 seconds. In the app: record up to 3 minutes, upload up to 5 minutes.

What aspect ratio is a Spotlight video?

9:16. Snapchat crops other shapes.

Get the Slice Weekly

One free email every Friday: tools for creators and the best advice we found from people who make things.

Where do these numbers come from?

Snapchat's own help, developer and ads pages, each opened on 2 October 2026. Every value says which kind of page it came from. The safe zone is measured by Slice.

n = 10 specs, 6 with an official source link. Last updated 2 October 2026.

Get the data

Free · CSV and JSON · 2 files

This page’s own figures as a CSV, and the full files behind Social video specs 2026. One email unlocks every download on Slice’s data pages.

  • This page’s figures (CSV) Every table and figure on this page, with its source line.
  • Every spec (CSV) One row per format and spec, with its status and source.
  • Every spec (JSON) The same, structured by platform and format, with the measured safe zones in pixels.

Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit “Slice (tryslicemedia.com)” and link to this page. Leave the box unticked and we send you nothing. Everything on this page stays free to read without an email.

Other platforms

More on specs