The Universal Answer: MP4 with H.264
For every major platform — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook — MP4 with H.264 video codec and AAC audio is the safest choice. It uploads faster, processes faster, and streams better than any alternative.
Platform Guide
YouTube
- Format: MP4 (H.264/AAC)
- Resolution: 1080p or 4K
- Also accepts: MOV, AVI, WMV, WebM, MKV
TikTok
- Format: MP4 or MOV
- Resolution: 1080x1920 (vertical 9:16) for Reels
- Format: MP4 (H.264/AAC)
- Reels: 9:16 vertical (1080x1920)
Format Comparison
| Format | File size | Platform support |
|---|---|---|
| MP4 (H.264) | Small | Universal |
| MOV | Medium | Good |
| MKV | Large | YouTube only |
| WebM | Small | YouTube, web |