Video Specs for Reels and Spotlight Compared (2026)

#The export settings that pass everywhere

Take the strictest value from each row and you get this:

• Resolution: 1080x1920, which is 9:16
• Container: MP4
• Video codec: H.264, progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling
• Frame rate: a fixed 30 FPS (25 is also inside every range)
• Bitrate: under 25Mbps, the Instagram ceiling
• Audio: AAC stereo, 48kHz, 128kbps
• Duration: 6 to 60 seconds
• File size: under 300MB

Facebook asks for a closed GOP of 2 to 5 seconds. Most export presets for social video already do this, but if you encode with ffmpeg, set a keyframe interval explicitly, for example every 2 seconds.

#Details that cause rejected uploads

#The moov atom

Instagram wants MOV or MP4 with no edit lists and the moov atom at the front of the file. Some editors write it at the end. In ffmpeg the fix is the faststart flag. This is the most common reason a file that plays fine on your computer fails to publish.

#Variable frame rate

Phone footage is often variable frame rate. Facebook's docs ask for a fixed frame rate. Converting to a constant 30 FPS on export avoids the problem.

#Resolution floors

Facebook and Snapchat both set a minimum of 540x960. Anything smaller is refused outright.

#Length ceilings

The single biggest difference is duration. Instagram takes up to 15 minutes by API, Facebook 90 seconds and Snapchat 60 seconds. A 75 second clip passes on Meta and fails on Snapchat. Length rules are covered in Instagram Reels length limits, Facebook Reels specs and Snapchat Spotlight requirements.

#What the API specs don't cover

Passing the technical check is not the same as getting reach. Snap's recommendation guidelines say blurry or pixelated video, incorrect orientation, letterboxed video, missing audio and unoriginal or poorly reformatted content are not eligible for recommendation. A landscape clip with black bars added to make it 9:16 can upload successfully and still never be shown in Spotlight.

The other thing specs don't cover is what the app's buttons will hide. Text placed near the bottom of the frame can disappear under captions and icons. See safe zones for Reels text.

#Check a file before you post

The quickest way to see whether an export passes is to run it through the video checker, which reads the duration, resolution and file size on your device and compares them with each platform. Frame rate and codec you'll still need to check in your editor's export settings. If you're preparing one file for all four destinations, the guide to cross posting short videos walks through the rest of the process.

#Questions people ask

#What is the best resolution for Reels and Spotlight?

1080x1920. Facebook recommends it outright, Instagram recommends 9:16 and caps width at 1920 pixels, and Snapchat's 540x960 minimum is the same shape.

#Can I upload 4K vertical video?

Not to Instagram by API, which caps width at 1920 pixels. Facebook and Snapchat don't publish a maximum resolution. Export at 1080x1920 to be safe.

#Is 60 FPS allowed?

Yes on Instagram (up to 60) and Facebook (up to 60). Snapchat does not publish a frame rate range.

#Does Snapchat accept MOV files?

Snap's Spotlight and Story upload docs only list MP4, so convert MOV files first.