Publishing Requirements for Images and Videos from Metricool
Updated 2 months ago
In this article, you'll find the technical requirements to publish content on social media through Metricool, using the official APIs. Details are grouped by content type: images, videos, Reels, Stories, and documents.
To better understand what type of content can be scheduled or published on each network, we recommend this guide 👉 Scheduling and Publishing Options by Social Network
General considerations
▪️ Unsupported image formats will be automatically converted to JPG when you save the post. When you upload the image, you’ll see an informational warning about the conversion. Posts imported via the API are not automatically converted and must use a supported image format.
▪️We recommend using MP4 instead of MOV to avoid issues. During scheduling, MOV files will be automatically converted to MP4.
▪️We recommend an audio bitrate of 128 kbps and a video bitrate between 5000 and 25000 kbps, compatible with all networks.
▪️HEVC files are not compatible with automatic publishing.
▪️ HDR format (iPhone) is also not compatible with video publishing through the API. Learn how to disable it here.
▪️ From our Mobile App, the maximum file size you can import is 500 MB.
▪️ If your image or video doesn't meet the format, size, or aspect ratio requirements, you'll see a red warning and won't be able to save the post. More technical aspects, like codecs or bitrate, are validated directly by the social network when publishing. If you're having issues, check this guide: Video fails to publish? What to check
To adjust your content’s size or format, use our image and video editor from the planner. If you need to change codecs or bitrate, we recommend using an external editor like this free online converter.
💡 Don’t miss this visual guide to shine on each platform 👉 Image Sizes for Social Media
IMAGES
Social Network | Format | Max Size | Resolution / Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
Facebook [1] | JPEG/PNG | 30 MB | Square: 1200x1200 px / Horizontal: 1200x900 px / Link: 479x246 px (desktop), min. 320 px (mobile) |
Instagram [2] | JPEG/PNG | 8 MB | Aspect ratio between 3:4 and 1.91:1 |
Threads [2] | JPEG/PNG | 8 MB | Aspect ratio: up to 10:1 / Width: 320–1440 px |
X (Twitter) | JPG/PNG/GIF | 5 MB | Recommended: 1024x512 px |
Bluesky [5] | JPG/PNG/WEBP/HEIC/HEIF | 1 MB | Recommended resolution: 1200 × 627 px or 1280 × 760 px (≈ 1.91:1) |
JPEG/PNG | 5 MB | Recommended: 552x276 px / Aspect ratio: 3:1 to 2:3 | |
JPEG/PNG | 20 MB | Recommended: 1000x1500 px / Aspect ratio: 2:3 | |
TikTok [3] | JPEG/WebP | 20 MB | Max resolution: 1080p |
Google Business Profile [4] | JPG/PNG | 5 MB | Min. resolution: 480x270 px |
📝 Notes
[1] Facebook also supports publishing in 1080x1350 px, ideal if you're looking for a vertical format that works well on Instagram too.
[2] Instagram and Threads automatically convert images not in the sRGB color space, which may affect how they appear—especially if you're using ProPhoto RGB (e.g. from Photoshop or Lightroom).
[3] TikTok doesn't support PNG format. If you upload one, Metricool will convert it to JPEG or WebP.
[4] Google Business Profile images must have a minimum resolution of 250x250 px. 720x720 px is recommended.
[5] Bluesky has not published official resolutions. These values come from examples in the API documentation and common community recommendations.
VIDEOS
Social Network | Format | Max Size | Duration | Resolution / Aspect Ratio | Video Bitrate | Audio Bitrate (recommended) | Frame Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MP4/MOV/GIF | 500 MB | 1 sec – 240 min | 1:1 (desktop/mobile) or 4:5 (mobile only) | ≥128 kbps (AAC) | (fixed) | ||
Instagram [1] [2] | MOV/MP4 | 500 MB | 3 sec – 15 min | Max 1920 px wide / 9:16 | max. 25 Mbps (VBR) | 128 kbps (AAC) | 23–60 |
Threads [2] | MP4/MOV | 1 GB | Up to 5 min | Recommended: 9:16 | max. 25 Mbps (VBR) | 128 kbps (AAC) | 23–60 |
X (Twitter) [3] | MP4/MOV/GIF | 512 MB | Up to 2 min 20 s | Recommended: 1280x720 (H), 720x1280 (V), 720x720 (S) | ≥5000 kbps | 128 kbps (AAC LC) | 30–60 |
Bluesky [4] [8] | MP4/MOV | 50 MB | Up to 60 sec | Recommended: 720p (1280×720) | ≥3000 kbps | 128 kbps (AAC) | 30–60 |
MP4/GIF | 512 MB | 3 sec – 15 min | 256×144 px – 4096×2304 px / Aspect ratio: 1:2.4 – 2.4:1 | 192 kbps – 30 Mbps | 128 kbps | 10–60 | |
MP4 | 500 MB | 4 sec – 15 min | |||||
TikTok [5] | MP4/MOV | 500 MB | 3 sec – 10 min | Min. 360×360 px / Max. 4096×4096 px | 128 kbps (recommended) | 23–60 | |
Google Business Profile | MP4/MOV/GIF | 75 MB | Up to 30 sec | Min. 720 px | 128 kbps (recommended) | ||
YouTube [6] [7] | MP4/MOV | 500 MB | Shorts: up to 3 min / Standard: >60 s | Shorts: Vertical or Square / Standard: Horizontal |
Want to customize your video thumbnail? Here's how: How to add a thumbnail to your post
📝 Notes
[1] Instagram only allows publishing individual videos as Reels through its API. In carousels, you can include videos as long as all content (images and videos) has the same aspect ratio and stays within the supported formats, from 4:5 to 16:9.
[2] Although not officially documented by Meta, both Instagram and Threads tend to convert videos to sRGB, which may affect how they appear if using color profiles like ProPhoto RGB.
[3] X (Twitter) supports animated GIFs with specific limitations. See Technical Specifications for details.
[4] To publish videos on Bluesky, your email must be verified.
[5] TikTok automatically converts PNGs and supports videos up to 10 minutes.
[6] Shorts close to 3 minutes may be published as standard videos after YouTube processing.
[7] Unverified channels can't upload videos longer than 15 minutes. Verify your account at youtube.com/verify
[8] Bluesky has not published official resolutions or technical parameters (bitrate, fps, etc.). The values shown are common usage recommendations within the community.
🔧 Additional technical specifications
Compression: H.264
Square pixels
Progressive scan
Container: MOV or MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14), no edit lists, moov atom at the start
Video codec: H264, progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling
Audio codec: AAC, max. 48 kHz, mono or stereo
Threads
Container: MOV or MP4, no edit lists, moov atom at the start
Video codec: H264 or HEVC, progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling
Audio codec: AAC, max. 48 kHz, mono or stereo
X (Twitter)
Animated GIFs:
Recommended resolution: 1280x1080 px
Maximum 350 frames
Maximum file size: 15 MB
Up to 300 million pixels (width × height × frames)
GOP (group of pictures): maximum 512 frames
REELS
Social Network | Format | Max Size | Duration | Resolution / Aspect Ratio | Audio Bitrate | Video Bitrate | Frames |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Facebook [1] | MP4 | 4 – 90 seconds | 540x960 px / Ratio: 9:16 (recommended) | 128 kbps (AAC) | 23–60 | ||
Instagram [2] | MOV/MP4 | 500 MB | 3 seconds – 15 minutes | Max. 1920 px width / 9:16 (recommended) | 128 kbps (AAC) | max. 25 Mbps (VBR) | 23–60 |
📝 Notes
[1] On Facebook, a Reel published as a story cannot exceed 60 seconds.
[2] Although not officially documented by Meta, Instagram usually converts videos to sRGB, which may alter their appearance if color profiles such as ProPhoto RGB are used.
🔧 Additional technical specifications
Container: MOV or MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14), no edit lists, moov atom at the beginning
Video codec: H264, progressive scan, closed GOP, chroma subsampling 4:2:0
Audio codec: AAC, maximum sampling rate of 48 kHz, 1 or 2 channels (mono or stereo)
STORIES
Images
Social Network | Format | Max Size | Resolution / Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
JPEG/PNG/GIF | 4 MB (PNG recommended ≤1 MB) | Recommended: 9:16 | |
Instagram [1] | JPEG | 8 MB | Recommended: 9:16 |
Videos
Social Network | Format | Max Size | Duration | Resolution / Aspect Ratio | Audio Bitrate | Video Bitrate | Frames |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MP4 | Up to 60 seconds | Min: 540x960 px / Recommended: 1080x1920 px / Ratio: 9:16 | ≥128 kbps (AAC) | (fixed) | |||
Instagram [1] | MP4/MOV | 100 MB | 3 – 60 seconds | Max. 1920 px width / Recommended: 9:16 | 128 kbps (AAC) | max. 25 Mbps (VBR) | 23–60 |
📝 Notes
[1] Instagram automatically converts images to the sRGB color space. Although not officially documented for videos, in practice they are also adapted to this color space, which could affect their appearance if profiles like ProPhoto RGB are used.
🔧 Additional technical specifications (video)
Video codec: H264 or H265, progressive scan, closed GOP (2 to 5 s), chroma subsampling 4:2:0
Audio codec: AAC LC, maximum sampling rate of 48 kHz, stereo channels
Container: MP4 or MOV (MPEG-4 Part 14), no edit lists, moov atom at the beginning
Video codec: H264, progressive scan, closed GOP, chroma subsampling 4:2:0
Audio codec: AAC, maximum sampling rate of 48 kHz, mono or stereo
Documents on LinkedIn
Format: PDF, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX
File size: 100 MB per item
Total storage limit: None
Character limit: 5,000,000 (five million) per file
Page size: must be the same throughout the document
Page limit: 300 pages
Aspect ratio: 4:3