Overseas Marketing · Deepege Editorial Team
How Long Can TikTok Videos Be in 2026? Limits for the App, Web, Schedulers and Ads
How long can TikTok videos be? Up to 10 minutes if you record in the TikTok app and up to 60 minutes if you upload a finished file in the app, according to TikTok's Help Center. The catch for brands is that other routes have lower caps: TikTok's own scheduling API lets every creator post 3-minute videos (only some accounts get 5 or 10 minutes), non-Spark in-feed ads stop at 10 minutes, and TikTok Studio on the web is listed at 30 minutes on one official page and 60 minutes on another.
Quick answer (checked November 8, 2026 on TikTok's own pages):
| How you post | Maximum length | Other limits stated | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record in the TikTok app | 10 minutes | A sound picked first sets the length | TikTok Help Center, Camera tools |
| Upload a file in the TikTok app | 60 minutes | Not stated | TikTok Help Center, Camera tools |
| Upload in TikTok Studio on the web | 30 minutes (Help Center) or 60 minutes (Creator Academy) | MP4 or WebM, 720x1280 or higher, under 10 GB (Help Center); up to 30 GB in 1080p, 2K or 4K (Creator Academy) | Both pages, see below |
| Scheduling tools using TikTok's Content Posting API | 3 minutes for all creators; 5 or 10 minutes for some accounts | API upload cap 10 minutes, file up to 4 GB | TikTok for Developers |
| Non-Spark in-feed ad (auction) | 10 minutes | 500 MB or less, .mp4/.mov/.mpeg/.3gp/.avi | TikTok Ads Help Center |
| Creator Rewards Program | Minimum: over 1 minute | 1,000+ For You views, personal accounts only | TikTok Creator Academy |
How long can a TikTok video be if you record it in the app?
A video you record with the TikTok camera can be up to 10 minutes long. TikTok's Camera tools help page says you pick a length before you press Record, and recording stops on its own when you reach that limit.
One detail trips people up: if you choose a sound before you record or upload, TikTok says the video length is determined by the sound length. If a clip keeps ending early, check whether a short sound was added first.
How long can uploaded TikTok videos be?
A video you upload in the TikTok phone app can be up to 60 minutes long, per the same Camera tools page. This is the route to use for anything longer than 10 minutes: shoot or edit outside TikTok, then upload the finished file.
On the web, TikTok's pages disagree. The Help Center page on creator tools in TikTok Studio says videos uploaded there must be MP4 or WebM, 720x1280 or higher, up to 30 minutes and less than 10 GB. TikTok's Creator Academy article on TikTok Studio Web (last updated January 13, 2026) says you can upload videos up to 60 minutes in 1080p, 2K or 4K, up to 30 GB. Until TikTok aligns the two, the safe plan is to keep web uploads under 30 minutes and 10 GB, or upload longer files from the phone app.
Why does my scheduling tool limit TikTok videos to 3 minutes?
Most scheduling and social media management tools post through TikTok's Content Posting API, and that route has its own cap. TikTok's developer guide says all TikTok creators can post 3-minute videos, while some have access to post 5-minute or 10-minute videos. The longest video a developer can send is 10 minutes, video files can be up to 4 GB, and TikTok users may trim developer-sent videos in the app to fit their account's actual maximum.
So a 6-minute product tutorial that uploads fine from your phone may be trimmed when your agency schedules it. If you need more than 3 minutes, check the limit your tool shows for the posting account, or post that video directly in the app.
How long do TikTok videos need to be to make money?
Videos must be longer than 1 minute to earn in TikTok's Creator Rewards Program. The Creator Rewards Program page (last updated September 10, 2026) lists the other conditions:
- The video is original, over 1 minute and gets at least 1,000 views on the For You feed.
- It is not a Duet, Stitch, Photo Mode post or an ad, paid promotion or sponsored content.
- The creator is 18 or older, has at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days, and is based in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Mexico or Brazil.
- Only Personal accounts qualify. Business accounts do not.
That last point matters for brands: a company account will not earn Creator Rewards no matter how long its videos are. For a brand, the 1-minute line is a creator payout rule, not a reason to make every video longer.
How long can TikTok ads be?
A non-Spark in-feed auction ad can run up to 10 minutes, with a file of 500 MB or less, according to TikTok's Auction In-Feed Ads specs (last updated June 2026). The same page lists vertical 9:16 at 540x960 pixels or more as recommended.
Spark Ads, which boost an existing organic post, are described two ways. The in-feed specs page says video duration has "no restrictions", while TikTok's About Spark Ads page says there is a 10-minute maximum on videos that can be sparked. Plan Spark Ads at 10 minutes or less and you are inside both.
How long can a TikTok caption be?
A video caption posted through TikTok's API can be up to 2,200 characters, and hashtags and mentions count inside that text, per the Content Posting API reference (last updated October 27, 2026). We did not find a caption limit on TikTok's Help Center pages on November 8, 2026, so if you write long captions in the app and schedule them later, keep them under 2,200 characters.
How long should a TikTok video be for a brand?
TikTok does not publish one recommended length for organic posts, so pick the length from the job the video has to do, then check it against the lowest limit on your posting route:
| Goal | Length to plan | Limit to check |
|---|---|---|
| Product demo or offer for new viewers | As short as the demo allows; lead with the product in the first seconds | None of the caps above |
| Paid in-feed ad | The cut you would run as a non-Spark ad | 10 minutes, 500 MB |
| Tutorial, webinar clip or factory tour | 3 to 10 minutes | 3 minutes if a scheduler posts it |
| Full-length video | Over 10 minutes | Upload the file, do not record in-app; web 30-minute listing |
Before you post a long TikTok, run this checklist:
- Sound: if you added a TikTok sound first, it may cut the video to the sound's length.
- Route: recorded in app (10 min), uploaded in app (60 min), web (30 min listed), or a scheduler (often 3 min).
- File: under 10 GB for web uploads, 4 GB through the API, 500 MB for non-Spark ads.
- Ad type: keep Spark Ads at 10 minutes or less.
- Account: Business accounts cannot earn Creator Rewards, so the 1-minute rule is not a reason to pad brand videos.
If you also post Reels, Instagram's limits are different: see how long Instagram videos can be. For turning one long video into several TikTok-length clips, see how to repurpose video content.
Make the TikTok, then write the caption with Deepege
Deepege helps marketing teams plan and write short videos. Use the free video script generator to outline a 30-second or 3-minute script, the hook generator for the opening line, and the TikTok caption generator to draft captions that stay well under the 2,200-character API limit. Selling on TikTok Shop this season? Our TikTok Shop Black Friday guide covers dates and video plans.
FAQ
What is the maximum length of a TikTok video?
60 minutes for a file uploaded in the TikTok phone app, per TikTok's Help Center (checked November 8, 2026). Videos recorded with the TikTok camera are capped at 10 minutes, and TikTok Studio on the web is listed at 30 minutes on its Help Center page.
Can you post a 10-minute TikTok from a scheduling tool?
Only if TikTok gives that account access. TikTok's developer guide says all creators can post 3-minute videos through the Content Posting API and some can post 5 or 10 minutes, so many scheduled posts are capped at 3 minutes.
How long does a TikTok have to be for Creator Rewards?
Longer than 1 minute. The video also needs at least 1,000 For You feed views, must be original, and cannot be a Duet, Stitch, Photo Mode post or ad. Only Personal accounts in eligible countries qualify.
Is there a minimum length for TikTok videos?
TikTok's Help Center pages we checked on November 8, 2026 do not state a minimum length for regular posts. The only "over 1 minute" rule is for Creator Rewards earnings, not for posting.
How long can a TikTok ad be?
Up to 10 minutes and 500 MB for a non-Spark in-feed auction ad. For Spark Ads, TikTok's Spark Ads page lists a 10-minute maximum, while its in-feed specs page says no duration restriction, so keep Spark Ads at 10 minutes or less.
Why did my TikTok cut off early?
The most common cause is a sound chosen before recording or uploading: TikTok says the video length is then set by the sound length. A scheduling tool with a 3-minute cap can also trim longer videos.
FAQ
What is the maximum length of a TikTok video?
60 minutes for a file uploaded in the TikTok phone app, per TikTok's Help Center (checked November 8, 2026). Videos recorded with the TikTok camera are capped at 10 minutes, and TikTok Studio on the web is listed at 30 minutes on its Help Center page.
Can you post a 10-minute TikTok from a scheduling tool?
Only if TikTok gives that account access. TikTok's developer guide says all creators can post 3-minute videos through the Content Posting API and some can post 5 or 10 minutes, so many scheduled posts are capped at 3 minutes.
How long does a TikTok have to be for Creator Rewards?
Longer than 1 minute. The video also needs at least 1,000 For You feed views, must be original, and cannot be a Duet, Stitch, Photo Mode post or ad. Only Personal accounts in eligible countries qualify.
Is there a minimum length for TikTok videos?
TikTok's Help Center pages we checked on November 8, 2026 do not state a minimum length for regular posts. The only "over 1 minute" rule is for Creator Rewards earnings, not for posting.
How long can a TikTok ad be?
Up to 10 minutes and 500 MB for a non-Spark in-feed auction ad. For Spark Ads, TikTok's Spark Ads page lists a 10-minute maximum, while its in-feed specs page says no duration restriction, so keep Spark Ads at 10 minutes or less.
Why did my TikTok cut off early?
The most common cause is a sound chosen before recording or uploading: TikTok says the video length is then set by the sound length. A scheduling tool with a 3-minute cap can also trim longer videos.