TikTok, Reels & Shorts Safe Zone Checker
See which parts of your video the app's buttons, username and caption text cover, and test where captions stay readable. Drop in a video or screenshot. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
1. Your video
2. Where it's posted
What viewers see on a regular post. Approximate: no app publishes these margins.
3. Test a caption
Top, Middle and Bottom are where Capsubs places captions. You can also drag the caption on the frame.
Type a caption to check it.
- TikTok: clear
- Instagram Reels: clear
- YouTube Shorts: clear
4. Download
Downloads use the current choice: TikTok, normal post. Safe area 130px from the top, 500px from the bottom, 44px from the left and 140px from the right.
How to use it
- Choose a video or a screenshot, or drop it on the page. For a video, scrub to the frame you want to check.
- Pick an app, or All three to see the area that's clear everywhere, and whether it's a normal post or an ad.
- Type a caption and drag it on the frame. The checker tells you which apps would cover it.
- Download the marked-up frame for an editor or client, or a transparent overlay template to line things up in your editor.
Safe-zone margins on a 1080×1920 video
How far in from each edge to keep text, faces and logos.
| App | Top | Bottom | Left | Right |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 130px | 500px | 44px | 140px |
| Instagram Reels | 220px | 420px | 60px | 144px |
| YouTube Shorts | 180px | 480px | 60px | 144px |
| All three | 220px | 500px | 60px | 144px |
No app publishes these. They are measurements of the current apps, rounded outward.
| App | Top | Bottom | Left | Right |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 240px | 660px | 120px | 120–300px |
| Instagram Reels | 269px | 672px | 65px | 65px |
| YouTube Shorts | 288px | 672px | 48px | 192px |
| All three | 288px | 672px | 120px | 192–300px |
Sources: TikTok In-Feed ad template; Meta Ads Guide (14% top, 35% bottom, 6% sides); Google Ads vertical video guidance. The full explanation is in our guide to caption safe zones.
Frequently asked questions
Is my video uploaded anywhere?
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your video or screenshot is opened on your device and never sent to Capsubs or anyone else.
Where do these safe-zone numbers come from?
Ad margins are each platform's published specs for a 1080×1920 video: TikTok's In-Feed ad template, Meta's Ads Guide for Reels and Google's vertical video guidance for Shorts. No app publishes margins for normal posts, so those are measurements of the current apps, rounded outward. Apps change their layouts, so treat both as guides.
Should I use the normal post or ad margins?
Normal post margins match what most viewers see. Use the ad margins if the video might be promoted or boosted later, or if you want extra room: ads show a larger call-to-action and longer captions.
Where should captions go so every app shows them?
On a normal post, inside the area clear on all three apps: 220px from the top, 500px from the bottom, 60px from the left and 144px from the right. In practice the middle of the frame is safe everywhere, and short lines of two to four words read best.
How do I use the overlay template?
Download the transparent PNG, put it on the top track of your timeline in CapCut, Premiere or Canva, and keep text, faces and logos inside the green outline. Hide or delete that layer before you export.
What if my video isn't 9:16?
The checker shows it the way the apps do: fitted inside the vertical frame with bars above and below. Keep captions inside the picture itself.
Are the buttons drawn exactly as in the apps?
They're a sketch to help you picture the layout. App layouts change with updates and vary by phone, so treat the shaded margins as the guide and check a real post before a big campaign.
Captions that land in the safe zone
Capsubs adds word-by-word captions to your TikToks, Reels and Shorts at the top, middle or bottom, kept clear of the frame edges. Free to start, no watermark.