The base dimensions
| Element | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Video | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Video cover (still) | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Profile picture | ≥ 200 × 200 px | 1:1 (round-masked) |
Everything on TikTok is portrait 9:16 — the way phones are held. The cover is simply a still at the same dimensions. The real challenge isn't the size but what the interface covers up.
The safe zone: against buttons and text
Over every TikTok video sits the interface, and it eats image area:
- Right side: the interaction buttons (profile, like, comment, share, sound) — a whole column.
- Bottom area: username, video description, music title.
From that follows the most important rule: text and important subjects belong in the upper center, with clear clearance from the right and bottom edges. A cool bit of lettering that disappears under the like buttons or behind the description is wasted.
The second trap: the profile grid
A TikTok cover has to work twice: once as full-screen 9:16 in playback, and once as a tile in the profile grid — and there TikTok shows a tighter, almost square crop from the center. A cover whose message sits at the top or bottom gets cropped in the grid. So: put the core message in the central middle, where both views show it.
Designing and cropping the cover
- Set up a 9:16 canvas (1080 × 1920) and place the cover still or a suitable image.
- Text in the upper center, large and high-contrast (light text on a darkened area or vice versa) — the same readability rules as for the quote graphic.
- Check the safe zone: nothing important in the right column or the bottom fifth.
- Crop beforehand: bring an existing image to 9:16 with the crop tool, subject centered — browser-local, no upload.
The profile picture
Shown small and round, but still upload at least 200 × 200 px (more is better) so it stays sharp on retina displays. Square, subject centered, safety margin for the round mask. For brands, as everywhere: a reduced, high-contrast symbol beats a filigree logo that turns to mush at tiny sizes. The circle-safe crop is described in Profile picture getting cropped.
The dimensions of all other platforms are collected in Social media image sizes 2026.
In short
- Everything is 9:16 (1080 × 1920).
- Safe zone: upper center, clear of the right column and bottom fifth.
- Grid crop is central — put the message in the middle.
- Profile ≥ 200 × 200, round-masked, use a bold symbol.