--- title: 'Clip Specs by Platform: Ratio, Length, Captions - OpenClip' description: 'The export specs campaigns and platforms expect for clips: aspect ratio, resolution, length ranges, safe zones and caption requirements per platform.' canonical: 'https://openclip.app/clipping/clip-specs-by-platform' markdown: 'https://openclip.app/clipping/clip-specs-by-platform.md' --- Platform Mechanics # Clip Specs Every Campaign Expects Getting the format wrong does not usually fail loudly. It fails as suppressed reach and rejected submissions you never connect back to a wrong export setting. Short answer Platform mechanics Figures checked August 2026 Almost every clipping campaign expects vertical 9:16 at 1080x1920, burned-in captions, and a length that fits the destination platform's sweet spot rather than its maximum. Safe zones matter as much as ratio, because platform UI covers the top and bottom of the frame and captions placed there get hidden behind buttons. Export once per destination rather than uploading one file everywhere. ## The numbers that matter 9:16 Default ratio 1080x1920. The expected format across short-form destinations. Burned-in Caption format Word-level and always visible, because most short-form viewing starts muted. Keep text centre-frame Safe zone rule Platform UI covers roughly the top and bottom of the frame across apps. Sweet spot, not maximum Length principle Cut when the payoff lands. Filling the maximum length costs completion rate. ## Rate reference Observed market ranges, not guaranteed rates. Individual campaigns set their own terms and can change them at any time. | Source | Typical rate | Paid on | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | TikTok | 9:16, 1080x1920 | Vertical | Burned-in captions expected. Keep text clear of top and bottom UI. | | YouTube Shorts | 9:16, 1080x1920 | Vertical | Title text matters more here than on other short-form surfaces. | | Instagram Reels | 9:16, 1080x1920 | Vertical | Heaviest UI overlay. Caption placement discipline matters most here. | | X / Twitter | 9:16 or 1:1 | Vertical or square | Square performs acceptably in timeline. Check the campaign's stated preference. | | LinkedIn | 1:1 or 9:16 | Square or vertical | Square is the safer default for feed consumption. | [Run these rates through the clipping earnings calculator](/tools/clipping-earnings-calculator) ## The playbook 1 ### Export per destination, never once for all A single file uploaded to several platforms is both a spec compromise and the clearest duplicate signal available. Re-export with the correct ratio and its own trim and captions per destination, which fixes both problems in one step. Tip: Name exports with their destination so a cross-posted file becomes impossible by accident. 2 ### Respect the safe zones, not just the ratio Correct 9:16 with captions under the platform's action buttons is still a broken clip, because the punchline word is covered at exactly the moment it lands. Keep captions and any critical visual information in the middle band of the frame across every destination. Tip: Preview a finished clip in the actual app before you commit a whole batch to a caption position. 3 ### Cut to the payoff, not to the limit Length maximums are not targets. Completion rate drives distribution on short-form, so a clip that ends right after the payoff outperforms the same clip padded toward the platform's ceiling. Shorter also means more clips per source. Tip: When in doubt, cut two seconds earlier. It is almost never the wrong call. 4 ### Burn captions in, always Most short-form viewing begins muted, so captions carry the opening. Platform auto-captions are inconsistent, positioned unpredictably, and often absent when a campaign reviews the clip. Burned-in word-level captions are both a performance decision and a compliance one. Tip: Check the transcript for names and jargon before rendering a batch. One wrong word repeats across every clip. 5 ### Keep the speaker centred Cropping a horizontal source to vertical without tracking leaves speakers drifting out of frame, which reads as low effort and hurts retention. Face-tracked reframing keeps the subject centred through movement and speaker changes, which is the visible difference between a clip and a crop. Tip: Multi-speaker sources are where untracked crops fail worst. Check those clips before publishing. ## How this goes wrong ### Captions hidden behind UI Correct ratio with wrong caption placement hides the payoff word behind platform buttons, and it happens across an entire batch before anyone notices. ### One file, many platforms Cross-posting an identical export is a duplicate signal to platforms and campaigns, and it compromises spec on every destination but one. ### Padding to the length limit Filling the maximum runtime lowers completion rate, which lowers distribution, which lowers the views the whole campaign pays on. ## Features ### Multi-Format Export Vertical 9:16, square 1:1 and horizontal 16:9 so each destination gets a file built for it ### Safe-Zone Captions Word-level burned-in captions positioned clear of platform UI overlays ### Face-Tracked Cropping Speaker tracking keeps the subject centred through movement and speaker changes ### Per-Destination Variants Separate renders per platform, which fixes spec and duplicate risk in the same step ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What aspect ratio should clipping campaign clips be? Vertical 9:16 at 1080x1920 is the expected default across short-form destinations. Some campaigns accept square 1:1 for X or LinkedIn, but the rules page should be checked rather than assumed. ### Do I need burned-in captions on campaign clips? Effectively yes. Most short-form viewing begins muted, platform auto-captions are inconsistent and often absent when a campaign reviews the clip, and many rules pages require captions explicitly. ### Where should captions be positioned? In the middle band of the frame, clear of the top and bottom areas where platform UI sits. Correct ratio with captions under the action buttons still hides your punchline at the moment it lands. ### Can I upload the same clip file to multiple platforms? You should not. It compromises the spec on every destination but one, and an identical file across platforms is the clearest duplicate signal there is. Re-export per destination with its own trim and captions. ### How long should a campaign clip be? As long as the payoff needs and no longer. Completion rate drives short-form distribution, so padding toward the platform's maximum reduces reach and therefore reduces the views the campaign pays on. ## Correct Specs on Every Render Vertical, square and horizontal exports with safe-zone word-level captions and face-tracked framing, produced per destination in a single pass. [Get Started Free](https://openclip.app/register) ## Related Pages ### Clipping Economy [The Clipper Workflow: Source to Posted](/clipping/clipper-workflow) [Duplicate & Unoriginal Content Flags for Clippers](/clipping/avoiding-duplicate-content-flags) [The Clipping Tool Stack: What You Actually Need](/clipping/clipping-tools-stack) [How Clipping Campaigns Verify Views](/clipping/how-view-verification-works) ### Guides [Caption Placement Guide for Videos](/guides/caption-placement-guide) [Exporting Videos for Social Media | OpenClip Guide](/guides/exporting-for-social-media) [Understanding Aspect Ratios for Video | OpenClip Guide](/guides/understanding-aspect-ratios) ### Glossary [Aspect Ratio for Video Explained | OpenClip Glossary](/learn/aspect-ratio) [Video Safe Zones: Where Platform UI Covers Your Frame](/learn/safe-zones) [Burned-In Captions vs SRT: Which to Use and Why](/learn/burned-in-captions)