How to Upload Short Videos to All Platforms

A complete guide to getting your short-form videos on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels—with the right settings for each platform.

6 min read

Each short-form video platform has slightly different requirements and best practices. This guide covers what you need to know to upload successfully to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels.

Universal Specs

All four platforms work best with the same core video format:

Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical
Resolution: 1080x1920
Format: MP4 with H.264 codec
Frame rate: 30 fps minimum

Export your video once with these settings and use the same file for all platforms. Don't download from one platform and re-upload to another—this adds watermarks and degrades quality.

TikTok

Max duration: 10 minutes (but under 60 seconds performs best)
Caption limit: 2,200 characters (keep it under 150)
Scheduling: Desktop only, requires 1000+ followers

TikTok compresses heavily, so start with the highest quality export. Use 3-5 hashtags mixing trending and niche tags. Post during peak hours (7-9 PM, 11 AM-1 PM).

YouTube Shorts

Max duration: 60 seconds
Title limit: 100 characters (aim for under 60)
Scheduling: Available in YouTube Studio

YouTube is a search engine—use keywords in your title that people actually search for. Include #Shorts in your description. Custom vertical thumbnails help your Shorts stand out on your channel page.

Want to automate your video distribution?

Upload to All Platforms

Instagram Reels

Max duration: 3 minutes (90 seconds or less recommended for Reels tab)
Caption limit: 2,200 characters
Scheduling: Available through Meta Creator Studio

Instagram rewards engagement. Ask questions in your captions. Use 5-10 hashtags mixing popular and niche. Custom cover images keep your profile grid looking cohesive. Share Reels to Stories for extra reach.

Facebook Reels

Max duration: No length limit (shorter videos under 90 seconds typically perform best)
Caption limit: Generous (longer captions often perform better)
Scheduling: Available through Meta Creator Studio

Facebook's audience skews older. Longer, more descriptive captions work well. Post mid-day (1-3 PM) on weekdays. You can cross-post to Instagram automatically, but customized captions perform better.

Never upload a video with another platform's watermark. Every platform's algorithm penalizes content with competitor watermarks.

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ShortSync lets you upload once and publish to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels simultaneously.

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Efficient Multi-Platform Workflow

Option 1: Manual

Export your video once at 1080x1920. Open each platform, upload the same file, write a customized caption, and post. This takes 15-20 minutes per video.

Option 2: Cross-posting tools

Upload once, write all four captions in one interface, schedule different posting times for each platform. This takes 2-3 minutes per video and lets you batch a week of content in one session.

For detailed guides on each platform, see our articles on TikTok uploads, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels.