TikTok, Reels and Shorts safe zone checker
Drop in a frame or a clip and switch between TikTok, Reels and Shorts to see which parts of it the app's own buttons, captions and account name will cover. It runs in your browser: the file never leaves your device.
PART OF CLIPAI · RUNS IN YOUR BROWSERDrop an image or a video here
Nothing is uploaded: the file stays in this browser tab.
- Shaded: covered by TikTok's interface (top tabs, caption, account name and sound, screen edge, like, comment, share and profile buttons)
- Dashed: the area that stays clear (approximate)
Where are the safe zones on TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
On a 1080x1920 frame, TikTok covers about 240 px at the top, 660 px at the bottom, 120 px on each side and a 180 px button column on the right. Instagram Reels asks for 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% each side to stay clear. YouTube Shorts keeps 288 px top, 672 px bottom, 48 px left and 192 px right clear. Keep captions, faces and text inside what is left.
The numbers, on a 1080x1920 frame
| Platform | Top | Bottom | Left | Right | Clear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTokPlus a 180 px button column on the right, from 840 px down to the caption area. | 240 px | 660 px | 120 px | 120 px | about 38% |
| Instagram ReelsMeta states these as 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% each side. | 269 px | 672 px | 65 px | 65 px | about 45% |
| YouTube ShortsThe right margin is wider because the action buttons sit there. | 288 px | 672 px | 48 px | 192 px | about 39% |
Approximate. These come from each platform's ad specs; organic posts show the same kind of interface, but its size changes with caption length, music labels and the phone's screen shape.
How it works
- 01
Drop a frame
An image or a video from your device. For a video, scrub to the moment you want to check.
- 02
Switch platforms
TikTok, Reels or Shorts. The shaded areas are what that app's interface covers.
- 03
Move what is hidden
Captions or a face under a shaded area? Re-crop or move the text before you post.
What to do with it
Captions above the bottom third
All three apps put the caption, account name and buttons in roughly the bottom third. Burned-in captions sit best just above it.
Nothing important on the right edge
TikTok and Shorts stack their like, comment and share buttons on the right. Keep a face or a key word left of them.
One layout for all three
Text that clears the strictest of the three (the bottom 35% and the TikTok button column) clears them all, so one export can go everywhere.
Questions
Is my video uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is opened by your browser and drawn on this page; nothing is sent to ClipAI or anyone else, and closing the tab discards it.
Where do the numbers come from?
From each platform's own published ad spec: TikTok's in-feed safe zone file, Meta's Reels ad guide and Google's vertical safe zone overlay for YouTube, read on 22 October 2026. The sources are listed on this page.
Are organic posts the same as ads?
Close, but not identical. Organic posts show the same kind of caption, account name and buttons, and their size changes with caption length, music labels and the phone's screen shape. Treat the zones as approximate.
Why does my horizontal frame look cropped?
The apps fill a vertical screen, so a 16:9 frame is cropped to 9:16 around the centre. The checker shows it the same way. Reframe it to vertical first if the subject sits off centre.
What size should a vertical clip be?
1080x1920 (9:16) is the common size for all three. Meta's Reels ad guide recommends 1440x2560, which has the same shape.
Can I move captions in ClipAI?
Yes. In the ClipAI editor you can put burned-in captions at the top, middle or bottom of a vertical clip and see them on the frame before you render. Then drop a frame of the result here to check it against each app.
Sources
- TikTok Ads Manager help, Auction In-Feed Ads, In-Feed Standard safe zone file (720x1280, scaled to 1080x1920) · read October 22, 2026
- Meta Ads Guide, Instagram Reels video ads (safe zone) · read October 22, 2026
- Google Ads Help, About video ad specs (vertical safe zone overlay) · read October 22, 2026