Where the margins come from
- Instagram and Facebook Reels: the 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% side margins are from Meta’s Instagram Reels ad specifications (checked 20 October 2026). Meta writes them for ads, but organic Reels show the same caption, profile and button overlays, so they are a sensible default for any Reel.
- TikTok: TikTok’s in-feed ad specifications offer downloadable safe-zone files and note that longer captions leave a smaller safe area. The preset here is a planning margin that leaves room for the right-hand button column and a two-line caption.
- YouTube Shorts: YouTube does not publish a Shorts safe zone. The preset leaves room for the right-hand actions and the title and channel block at the bottom.
Interfaces change with app versions, languages and caption length. Use the sliders to match what you see on your own phone, and preview a private or draft post before publishing anything with text near the edges.
Fixing a clip that breaks the safe zone
Burned-in captions are the usual problem: they sit in the bottom third, exactly where the platform puts its own caption and username. Move them up into the centre band, or keep the text off the video and add it in the platform’s caption field instead. If you are cutting several clips from one long recording, it is easier to place captions once per clip while you review the cut than to fix every export afterwards. See how to edit vertical video on iPhone and how to cut a long video for TikTok.
Questions
What is the Instagram Reels safe zone?
Meta’s Instagram Reels ad specifications suggest leaving about 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and other key details. On a 1080×1920 frame that is roughly 269px at the top, 672px at the bottom and 65px on each side.
What is the TikTok safe zone?
TikTok does not publish one fixed number. Its ads help centre provides downloadable safe-zone files and says the safe area shrinks as the caption gets longer. Treat any single margin as a planning starting point and check the result on your phone.
Does YouTube publish a Shorts safe zone?
YouTube does not publish a Shorts safe-zone specification. The title and channel block at the bottom and the action buttons on the right cover part of the frame, so keep captions and faces in the centre band and preview the upload.
Is my video uploaded?
No. The checker reads your file inside the browser and draws the overlay locally. Nothing is sent to ReelClip or anyone else.