Snapchat is a popular social media platform that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. One of Snapchat’s key features is Stories, which allow users to post content that remains viewable for 24 hours. Snapchat Stories have become a popular way for users to share glimpses of their lives with friends and followers in a casual, ephemeral format.
When creating Snapchat Stories, users can upload videos along with photos. However, there are certain specifications and requirements that Snapchat videos must meet in order to be uploaded as part of Stories. Understanding Snapchat’s video specs can help you create effective, compliant Snaps to share with your connections on the app.
Video Length
One of the most important specs for Snapchat Stories is the length or duration that videos can be. Snapchat currently allows videos in Stories to be between 3 and 60 seconds long. If users try to upload videos that are shorter than 3 seconds or longer than 60 seconds, they will receive an error message and the video will not be allowed as part of Stories.
Snapchat initially had a 10 second maximum limit for videos when it first launched Stories. Over time, the platform has increased the time limit to allow for longer form video. However, videos still need to be relatively short, as that aligns with the ephemeral, casual nature of Snapchat Stories. Most users share brief videos highlighting moments from their days or lives.
Keeping videos for Snapchat Stories between 3 and 60 seconds long allows you to share just enough visual content to be interesting without overwhelming viewers. You want to condense videos down to only the most compelling, shareable moments. Longer videos usually need to be edited down to be compliant with Snapchat’s specifications.
Optimal Video Length
Within the 3 to 60 second range, Snapchat videos between 10 and 30 seconds tend to perform well and be ideal for Stories. Videos on the shorter end around 5-10 seconds may not provide enough context or content to be meaningful. Videos longer than 30 seconds may lose viewer attention or seem too lengthy for the casual Snapchat format.
Aim to keep your Snapchat Story videos in the 10-30 second range if possible. That gives you enough time to share a cohesive moment, story, or message without excessive length. You can always split longer content into multiple snaps if needed.
Video File Size
In addition to video length, Snapchat also places limits on the file size of videos uploaded to Stories. This is another specification implemented to ensure the app runs smoothly and snaps can be easily shared.
Currently, Snapchat requires that videos be under 5MB in file size in order to be uploaded. If your video exceeds the 5MB limit, Snapchat will fail to upload the video and you will need to further compress it with editing software.
Higher quality video files take up more file space. So you may need to export your video using lower resolution settings to meet Snapchat’s file size limit. Most modern smartphones record video at fairly high resolutions by default, so you will likely need to downsize the video before uploading.
Some tips to reduce file size include:
- Export video at 720p resolution or lower
- Use a lower frame rate like 24 or 30 fps
- Use a video compressor or editor to reduce file size
- Convert to a more compressed format like .mp4
With some trial and error, you can find export settings that keep your video quality sufficient while meeting the 5MB limit. This may require some compromise between video quality and file size.
Bitrate
In addition to resolution and frame rate, video bitrate also impacts file size and quality. Bitrate controls how much visual information is encoded into each second of the video.
Higher bitrate = higher quality but also larger file size. For Snapchat Stories, videos should have a lower bitrate around 2-3 Mbps to reduce file size. Export settings usually let you manually adjust video bitrate.
Video Format
Snapchat only allows users to upload videos in the standard MP4 video format for Stories. This format works across all mobile devices and offers good compression capabilities for reducing file size.
If you are exporting or converting a video to share on Snapchat, make sure to use the MP4 format. Other video formats like AVI, WMV, MOV, etc. will not be accepted.
Using the MP4 format allows Snapchat to process and display your videos smoothly across iOS and Android devices. It is a universally compatible format optimized for mobile platforms.
Aspect Ratio
Snapchat also requires that videos follow a certain aspect ratio to display properly within the app on all devices. The correct aspect ratio for Snapchat is 9:16 vertically.
This means the video’s height must be 9 times greater than the width. So a vertical video that is 1080px by 1920px would meet the 9:16 ratio. Horizontal videos can be distorted or cropped incorrectly.
If you are editing or exporting a horizontal video, you will need to rotate it vertically before uploading to Snapchat. The best approach is to film videos intentionally in vertical 9:16 orientation to begin with when creating content for Snapchat Stories.
Landscape Orientation
While vertical 9:16 video is preferred, Snapchat does allow you to upload landscape oriented videos for Stories as well. However, landscape videos will be cropped and displayed in a more horizontal composition within Snapchat.
Portions of landscape videos may be cut off or distorted depending on the exact aspect ratio and dimensions. So filming vertically is generally recommended for the best presentation.
Video Resolution
In terms of video resolution, Snapchat recommends uploading the highest resolution video possible. Higher resolution allows your videos to take advantage of the full screen real estate on high-resolution mobile devices.
However, as noted above, higher resolution means larger file sizes. So you need to balance resolution and file size when exporting Snapchat videos.
If you are filming video specifically for Snapchat, recording natively in 1080p or 720p resolution is recommended. This provides a good middle ground for quality and file size optimization.
If you are repurposing horizontal landscape video, consider cropping it or exporting at a slightly lower resolution like 854×480 (480p). This further reduces file size to meet Snapchat’s requirements while still retaining reasonable quality.
4K Video
Some newer phones and cameras support 4K video recording. But 4K video is overkill for Snapchat Stories given the need to limit file size. Stick with 1080p or 720p recording as the maximum resolution required.
You can convert 4K video to 1080p if needed before uploading to Snapchat. The higher resolution won’t make any visible difference on a small mobile screen anyway.
Video Codecs
Codecs are used to encode and compress digital video files. The choice of video codec impacts file size and compatibility.
For MP4 files, Snapchat recommends using the H.264 codec to compress your videos. H.264 is a very common codec that allows efficient compression while maintaining quality.
Make sure to export MP4 files using H.264 encoding. Some video converters and editors will let you adjust codec settings manually. Using H.264 in combination with the other specs outlined above will produce properly optimized videos for Snapchat.
Audio Specs
For audio, Snapchat allows videos with stereo or mono sound to be uploaded. Stereo audio will provide higher quality sound for music, ambient noise, voiceovers, etc.
However, stereo audio also produces larger file sizes compared to mono. So you may need to convert stereo audio to mono to meet file size limits.
Snapchat does not allow separate audio files to be uploaded – audio must be embedded with the video in one file. And audio bitrate should be kept around 64-128 kbps for sufficient quality without excessive file size.
Captions
You can also add text captions to your Snapchat Story videos. Captions can help convey your message and engage viewers.
Snapchat allows captions with up to 250 characters. Keep captions concise and relevant to the video content. Use captions to briefly explain what viewers are seeing or make your videos more compelling.
Customize caption text color, fonts, and placement to match your branding and video style. Avoid excessive text that may detract from the viewing experience.
Other Guidelines
In addition to the technical specifications outlined above, keep these other Snapchat guidelines in mind when creating videos:
- Ensure proper lighting so viewers can see your videos clearly
- Film horizontally if your camera or phone allows
- Use common video editing apps to trim length, add captions, insert images/effects, etc.
- Be creative and engage viewers with visually appealing video
- Analyze video performance in Snapchat Analytics to improve
- Follow Snapchat’s Community Guidelines
Conclusion
Snapchat’s requirements for video length, size, ratio, resolution, and codec/format aim to optimize Stories for mobile viewing. Keeping videos vertical, under 60 seconds, and compressing file size creates an ideal experience.
Test different video export settings and use video editors as needed to produce properly spec’d videos for Snapchat. Well-formatted, compelling video content will help you effectively use Snapchat Stories to engage your target audience.