YouTube Shorts safe zone checker (plus TikTok and Reels)
Drop in a vertical frame or video and see, in red, what the app's buttons, title and progress bar will cover. Switch between YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels, then download the matching 1080 × 1920 safe-zone PNG to use as a guide in CapCut, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut. Everything stays in your browser.
Check your vertical frame
Your big title here
Drop your own frame or video to check it
Lower third @yourname
1. Your frame
Or drag it onto the preview. It never leaves your browser.
2. Platform
Safe area for YouTube Shorts: 840 × 960 px
- Top: 288 px (15%)
- Bottom: 672 px (35%)
- Left: 48 px (4.4%)
- Right: 192 px (17.8%)
Google Ads Help safe area for vertical video ads (1080×1920), the strictest published reference. Checked Nov 6, 2026.
1080 × 1920, transparent. Put it on the top track of your editor while you place text, then hide it before exporting.
What the safe zone is
On a vertical video, the platform draws its own interface on top of yours: the like, comment and share buttons down the right side, the channel name, caption and sound at the bottom, tabs or a search bar at the top, and a thin progress bar on the very last pixels. Anything you put there — a title, a lower third, subtitles, a call to action — can end up hidden.
The safe zone is the rectangle that stays clear on every phone. Keep text and key visuals inside it and let only the background run to the edges.
Where the numbers come from (and where they don't)
None of the three apps publishes an official safe zone for regular posts. YouTube Help only says that Shorts can be up to 3 minutes and up to 1080p. The most cautious published reference is Google Ads Help, which shows a 1080 × 1920 safe area for vertical video ads; tools that read that image give 288 px at the top, 672 px at the bottom, 48 px on the left and 192 px on the right. That is what this checker uses for Shorts.
For TikTok and Reels the margins are approximate, measured from the apps' interfaces and rounded towards the safe side. If you post the same video everywhere, choose “All three”: it takes the strictest side of each.
How to use the PNG
Put the downloaded PNG on the top track of your timeline, stretched to the full 1080 × 1920 frame. Move your text until it sits inside the dashed rectangle, then hide or delete the guide before exporting so it doesn't end up in your video.
Animated overlays from AnimateMyVideo are designed with these margins in mind in 9:16, and the talking characters keep hands and feet above the bottom area.
How to use it in your editor
CapCut
- Add the PNG as an overlay above your clips.
- Stretch it to fill the 9:16 canvas.
- Place your text inside the dashed area, then delete the overlay before export.
Premiere Pro / DaVinci Resolve
- Import the PNG and drop it on the top video track.
- Scale it to the 1080 × 1920 sequence.
- Turn the track off (or delete the clip) before you render.
Final Cut Pro
- Drag the PNG above your storyline as a connected clip.
- Set it to fit the vertical project.
- Disable the clip with V before sharing.
Questions
- What is the YouTube Shorts safe zone in pixels?
- On a 1080 × 1920 frame, the most cautious published reference (Google Ads Help, for vertical video ads) leaves 288 px at the top, 672 px at the bottom, 48 px on the left and 192 px on the right. YouTube has not published a separate figure for regular Shorts.
- Are TikTok and Instagram Reels the same?
- Close, but not identical: their buttons and captions sit in slightly different places. Use the platform buttons above, or “All three” to stay safe on every app.
- Do you upload my video?
- No. The image or video is shown from your own device and never sent anywhere. The PNG is drawn in your browser too.
- Can I use the PNG in commercial videos?
- Yes. It's a guide for your edit — just remove it before exporting so it doesn't appear in your video.
Want a different style? See all animated caption templates