Instagram Reels safe zone plus TikTok, Shorts, 4:5 and 1:1, on your own frame.
The safe zone is the part of a video the interface leaves uncovered: away from the top bar, the buttons on the right and the profile and caption strip at the bottom. Pick Reels, TikTok, Shorts or the feed, a 9:16, 4:5 or 1:1 format, load a frame from your video and see where text stays visible.
Free, no sign-upWant the vertical clip done for you? We reframe your video to 9:16 following the speaker and add captions wherever you place them. Try it free
At 4:5 and 1:1, the app shows your video centered with bars above and below. The overlay marks only what the interface covers inside your frame.
Approximate reference, reviewed October 2026: every app moves its buttons between versions, phones and account types. Use this as a guide, not an official spec.
How to check the safe zone on your video
- 01
Pick the platform and format
Reels, TikTok, Shorts or the feed, at 9:16, 4:5 or 1:1. Each app covers slightly different parts of the screen.
- 02
Load a frame
Use an image, a video (choose the moment with the slider) or the sample frame.
- 03
Check and download
See whether text and captions sit inside the safe zone. Download the preview or the transparent overlay for your editor.
What is the Instagram Reels safe zone in 2026?
A Reel fills the whole screen at 1080 x 1920 pixels, but not all of it is visible. The top holds the tab name and camera icon. The right side has the like, comment, share and audio column. The bottom carries the profile name, post caption and follow button.
The table shows the margins the tool uses on a 1080 x 1920 frame. It's an approximate reference for regular posts, reviewed October 2026 against recent measurements published by creators. For an ad, switch the type of post: the overlay then follows each platform's official ad guide, with much bigger margins at the bottom.
| Platform | Top | Bottom | Right | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reels | 250 px | 420 px | 130 px | 60 px |
| TikTok | 130 px | 484 px | 140 px | 44 px |
| Shorts | 180 px | 390 px | 120 px | 60 px |
Where should captions go on Reels and TikTok?
The rule of thumb is to keep captions a little above the middle of the lower half, clear of the profile strip and away from the button column. Centered captions with at least 60 pixels on the left and 140 on the right work across all three apps at once.
Hook text at the start of the video can live in the upper third, below the top bar. Logos and show names need room too: a corner that looks empty in your editor can disappear behind the audio button on a phone.
- Captions: centered, between the middle of the screen and the top of the profile strip.
- Title or hook: upper third, below the app bar.
- Logo: top left, away from the button column.
- Speaker's face: center of the frame, where nothing covers it.
Is the TikTok safe zone the same as Reels?
Close, but not the same. TikTok has the tallest bottom band, about 484 pixels, since it stacks the handle, the caption, the sound and the navigation bar. Its top band is the shortest. Reels has the tallest top band, and on Shorts the bottom band carries the channel name, the title and the subscribe button.
If one video goes to all three, use the tightest margin on each side: 250 px at the top, 484 at the bottom, 140 on the right and 60 on the left. In the tool, switch platforms with your frame loaded and watch what changes.
- Reels: taller top band, medium bottom band.
- TikTok: short top band, tallest bottom band.
- Shorts: buttons reach down close to the video title.
What size is a Reel, a 4:5 post and a square post?
Reels, TikTok and Shorts use 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16). In the Instagram feed, a portrait post is 1080 x 1350 (4:5) and a square one 1080 x 1080 (1:1). When a 4:5 or 1:1 video goes to a full-screen app, it shows centered with bars, and the overlay marks only what still covers your frame.
In the feed, a Reel shows as a 4:5 preview, cropping about 285 pixels at the top and bottom. In the profile grid, thumbnails are 3:4: a square post loses 135 pixels on each side and a 4:5 one about 34. Keep what matters in the center.
| Format | Pixels | Where | What the app crops (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | Reels, TikTok, Shorts | 285 px top and bottom in the feed preview |
| 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 | Instagram feed | 34 px on each side in the grid |
| 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 | Feed and Shorts | 135 px on each side in the grid |
More than a safe zone template. Vertical clips that come out framed right.
See also
Frequently asked questions
What is the Instagram Reels safe zone in 2026?
On a 1080 x 1920 frame, keep roughly 250 pixels clear at the top, 420 at the bottom, 130 on the right, where the buttons sit, and 60 on the left. It's an approximate reference because Instagram updates its interface often. The tool draws these areas on your own frame.
Where should captions go on Reels and TikTok?
Centered, between the middle of the screen and the top of the profile strip, with some side margin. That keeps them clear of the like and comment column and above the handle and post caption in all three apps.
Is the TikTok safe zone the same as Reels?
Not quite. TikTok covers more of the bottom, about 484 pixels, and less of the top, about 130. Reels covers more of the top. Shorts falls in between. If one video goes everywhere, follow the tightest margin on each side.
What size is a Reel in pixels?
A Reel is 1080 x 1920 pixels, a 9:16 ratio. The same goes for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. The PNG overlay this tool creates matches that size. If you shot the video horizontally, it has to be cropped to 9:16 before you post it.
What is the safe zone for 4:5 and square Instagram posts?
In the feed, 4:5 (1080 x 1350) and square (1080 x 1080) posts only have small buttons in the bottom corners. The crop that matters is the 3:4 profile grid: a square post loses about 135 pixels on each side. Pick the feed and a format in the tool to see the margins.
Is there a safe zone PNG I can use in my editor?
Yes. Pick the platform and format and download the transparent PNG overlay at frame size. Put it on a layer above your video in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro or CapCut, place your text and captions, then hide the layer before you export.
Cut vertical clips automatically. Captions in the right place.
Upload the long video. We find the strongest moments, reframe them to 9:16 following the speaker and add captions wherever you place them.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.