Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to share photos and videos called snaps. Snapchat has size limits for snaps, so videos need to be formatted properly to fit within the app’s parameters. Fortunately, resizing a video for Snapchat is easy to do with just a few tweaks.
What are the video requirements for Snapchat?
Snapchat allows videos up to 60 seconds long. The videos need to be in portrait orientation, the same way you hold your phone vertically. The maximum file size for a Snapchat video is 4GB.
The recommended video resolution for Snapchat is 720p HD (1280 x 720 pixels). Higher resolution videos will be compressed by Snapchat before uploading. The minimum resolution is 432p SD (768 x 432 pixels).
Trim the video length
The first step in fitting a video to Snapchat is making sure it’s 60 seconds or less. You can trim longer videos using free video editing apps like Quik, Splice, or iMovie on iOS, or KineMaster or InShot on Android.
To trim a video:
- Open your chosen video editing app and import the video file
- Use the editing tools to cut the beginning or end of the video until it’s 60 seconds or less
- Export the trimmed video as a new file
Trimming the length is crucial because Snapchat will not accept videos over 60 seconds.
Change orientation to portrait
Snapchat only allows portrait oriented videos. So if your video is horizontal, you’ll need to rotate it vertically. This can be done in a video editor by changing the canvas size.
To change video orientation:
- In your video editor, go to the video settings
- Adjust the canvas size so the width is smaller than the height (e.g. 640 x 1280)
- This will make the video upright in portrait format
- Export the video to save the changes
Rotating the orientation this way may add black bars on the sides. This is fine as Snapchat will crop and resize appropriately.
Resize the video resolution
If your video exceeds 720p resolution, you’ll need to downsample it to 720p HD or lower. This reduces the video file size so it can upload to Snapchat.
To resize video resolution:
- In your video editor, go to export or settings
- Choose a lower resolution like 1280 x 720 (720p HD)
- Maintain the 16:9 aspect ratio when resizing
- Export at the new resolution
720p HD is the recommended resolution size for quality and file size. But you can go as low as 432p if needed.
Compress the video file size
After trimming length, orientation, and resolution, the video file size may still exceed Snapchat’s 4GB limit. So you may need to run it through a video compressor to further reduce the size.
Try compressing with Handbrake or Adobe Media Encoder. Or use online compressors like Clideo or FileZigZag.
To compress a video:
- Upload the video file to the compressor
- Choose a high efficiency codec like H.264
- Use a lower target bitrate, like 2 Mbps
- Export the compressed video
Keep re-compressing and lowering the bitrate until the video is under 4GB. Higher quality videos will need more compression.
Final file checklist
Before uploading your video to Snapchat, run through this checklist:
- Length is 60 seconds or less
- Orientation is vertical portrait
- Resolution is 720p HD or lower
- File size is under 4GB
As long as your video fits those requirements, it should upload and play properly on Snapchat without any issues.
Upload and share on Snapchat
When your video is optimized for Snapchat, it’s time to share it!
To upload and post a snap video:
- Open the Snapchat app and tap the capture button
- Select Video and choose your trimmed video file
- Edit the video with filters, stickers, text if desired
- Tap Send To and share with friends or post to My Story
Snapchat will process the video and your snap will be ready for viewing! Keep an eye on the upload time as longer videos will take more time to post.
Troubleshooting tips
If your video still won’t upload to Snapchat after optimizing, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Double check the video is under 60 seconds
- Try re-exporting the video with a lower resolution like 480p
- Re-compress the video at a lower bitrate until the file size is much smaller
- Convert the video to a more compatible format like MP4 using Handbrake
- As a last resort, re-edit the full video in the Snapchat app
With the right compression settings, virtually any video can be resized to work with Snapchat. Doing some trial and error with resolution and bitrates will help find the sweet spot for quality and file size.
Conclusion
Fitting a video on Snapchat requires cutting the length to 60 seconds, rotating to portrait layout, resizing to 720p or lower resolution, and compressing the file size under 4GB. Follow these optimization steps in a video editor before uploading for best results. With the right preparation, you can share awesome videos with friends on Snapchat!