X Video Dimensions
X (Twitter) supports any aspect ratio between 1:3 and 3:1. The three most-used:
| Format | Dimensions | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape (16:9) | 1280 × 720 px | Default — desktop feed, cross-posts |
| Square (1:1) | 1080 × 1080 px | Mobile feed — more screen real estate |
| Vertical (9:16) | 1080 × 1920 px | Mobile-first content — full-screen tap-through |
Square (1:1) consistently outperforms landscape on mobile X because it takes up more vertical space in the feed.
File Size & Duration Limits
| Account Type | Max File | Max Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 512 MB | 2 min 20 sec |
| X Premium | 8 GB | 4 hours |
Codec & Container
- Format: MP4 (recommended) or MOV
- Video codec: H.264 (HEVC, AV1 also supported but re-encoded)
- Audio codec: AAC, 48 kHz
- Frame rate: up to 60 fps
- Bitrate: 8-12 Mbps for clean 1080p
- Min resolution: 32 × 32 px (no realistic use case)
- Max resolution: 1920 × 1200 px (4K downscaled)
Captions & Sound-Off Design
X autoplays videos silently in the feed. Design every video to work without sound:
- Strong visual hook in the first 2 seconds (motion, text, or face)
- Captions: SRT file (Premium feature) or burned-in subtitles
- Avoid audio-only payoffs — viewers won't unmute for them
Tips for Better X Video Performance
- Use 1:1 (1080 × 1080) or 9:16 (1080 × 1920) for organic mobile feed
- Reserve 16:9 for video ads or cross-posts
- Hook in the first 2 seconds — autoplay is silent
- Add captions (burned-in or SRT)
- Pre-encode at 1920 × 1080 max — don't make X downscale 4K
- Use H.264 at 8-12 Mbps to dodge X's re-encode quality loss
- Need to crop or resize? Use our resizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the X (Twitter) video size?
The recommended X video size is 1280 × 720 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio. X also supports 1:1 (1080 × 1080) and 9:16 (1080 × 1920), plus any aspect ratio between 1:3 and 3:1.
How long can a Twitter video be?
Free X accounts can upload videos up to 2 minutes 20 seconds. X Premium subscribers can upload up to 4 hours and 8 GB. Pre-Premium grandfathered accounts may have different limits.
What is the maximum file size for a Twitter video?
Free accounts: 512 MB. X Premium: 8 GB. Files over the limit get rejected. For optimal upload speed, keep free-tier videos under 100 MB by using H.264 at 8-12 Mbps.
What video format does X accept?
X accepts MP4 (recommended) and MOV containers with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec at 48 kHz. HEVC and AV1 are supported but get re-encoded to H.264 internally.
What aspect ratios does X support for video?
X supports any aspect ratio between 1:3 (very tall) and 3:1 (very wide). Common: 16:9 (landscape, default), 1:1 (square, mobile-friendly), 9:16 (vertical, mobile-first). Anything outside 1:3-3:1 gets rejected.
Why does my Twitter video have low engagement?
X autoplays videos silently in the feed. Without captions or strong visual hook in the first 2 seconds, most viewers scroll past. Add captions, open with motion, and use 1:1 or 9:16 ratios on mobile feed for more screen real estate.
Should I add captions to Twitter videos?
Yes — X autoplays muted. Add an SRT file (X Premium feature) or burn captions into the video itself. Burned-in captions always show; SRT files give viewers the option to toggle.
Can I upload 4K video to X?
X caps video resolution at 1920 × 1200. Upload 4K and X downscales to 1920 × 1080. Always pre-encode at 1920 × 1080 to control how the downscale happens — let X do it and you lose quality.