Videos for TikTok, Reels and Spotify
Get your music video onto TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Spotify Canvas. Which shape each platform wants and where to find it.
Last updated
YouTube wants 16:9. Short-form platforms want 9:16, and Spotify Canvas wants a short vertical loop. Melodious never crops a finished video, so you pick the shape in the brief (the question "Where's it going?"), or make a vertical version of a finished video as a new project from the same brief.
What each platform wants
| Platform | Shape | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 16:9 | The download of a 16:9 video |
| TikTok, Reels, Shorts | 9:16 | The download of a 9:16 video |
| Spotify Canvas | 9:16, a short loop | The Canvas download, from a 9:16 video |
On the finished screen, Make a vertical version starts the 9:16 project, and the Canvas download appears once you have a 9:16 video.
Tips for short-form
- Lead with the hook. The first second decides whether people keep watching. Pick the part of your song people know.
- Keep it short. 15 to 30 seconds is plenty for a teaser. See Choosing a length.
- Post the video file. The platforms want the file itself, not a link.
Spotify Canvas
A Canvas is the short vertical loop that plays behind your track in Spotify. You upload it in Spotify for Artists, per track.
AI videos and the platforms
Each platform has its own rules for labelling AI-made video. Our guide on whether AI music videos are allowed on YouTube and TikTok covers them.
Go further
- How to make a music video for TikTok
- Music video sizes and aspect ratios
- Spotify Canvas: size, dimensions and how to turn it on