Duration problems
LinkedIn video too long? The 15 minute limit and how to split it
Short answer
LinkedIn Help lists a maximum video duration of 15 minutes, a maximum file size of 5 GB and a minimum duration of 3 seconds from desktop and 2 seconds from the mobile app. The pages we read do not say what the composer shows for a longer file, so measure the real duration with ffprobe, and trim or split anything over the limit. A 45 minute video becomes four parts of about 11 minutes.
Key takeaways
- Published limits: 15 minutes, 5 GB; minimum 3 seconds (desktop) or 2 seconds (mobile app).
- The pages we read do not describe how LinkedIn handles a video that is over the limit.
- Measure the real duration: the video and audio tracks can differ from what your editor shows.
- Split at natural breaks and leave a safety margin under 15 minutes.
How many parts you need
Computed: parts = ceil(length ÷ 14.5 min), which keeps each part under 15 minutes with a 30 second margin.
| Total length | Parts | Average part length |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 2 | 10.0 min |
| 30 min | 3 | 10.0 min |
| 45 min | 4 | 11.25 min |
| 60 min | 5 | 12.0 min |
| 90 min | 7 | 12.86 min |
| 120 min | 9 | 13.33 min |
Find your case
| What you see | What it usually means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Video over 15 minutes | Above the published maximum | Split into parts (steps 2 and 3) |
| Video under 15 minutes, still refused | Real duration or size is different from what you think | Measure with ffprobe (step 1) |
| Video plays but ends early | Audio and video track lengths differ | Check both streams (step 1) |
| Very short clip refused | Under 3 s on desktop or 2 s in the app | Extend or loop to the minimum |
| Upload stalls on iPhone | App in the background while uploading | Stay in the app until processing starts (step 4) |
Fix it step by step
Measure the real duration and size
ffprobe -v error -show_entries format=duration,size -of default=nw=1 in.mp4prints the duration in seconds and the size in bytes.ffprobe -v error -show_entries stream=codec_type,duration -of csv=p=0 in.mp4shows the video and audio track lengths separately.Trim what you can
Cut dead air at the start and end first; many long videos are 20 to 30 seconds longer than they need to be.
Split the rest into parts under the limit
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -c copy -f segment -segment_time 840 -reset_timestamps 1 part_%03d.mp4writes parts of about 14 minutes without re-encoding. With -c copy, cuts land on the nearest keyframe, so parts differ slightly in length. Leave a margin under 15 minutes.Upload each part and stay in the app
LinkedIn Help says that when uploading from an iOS device you need to stay in the LinkedIn mobile app, because the upload may stall if the app is in the background; once it is processing you can use other apps.
Published limits in one place
| Value | LinkedIn Help |
|---|---|
| Maximum duration | 15 minutes |
| Minimum duration | 3 s desktop, 2 s mobile app |
| Maximum file size | 5 GB |
| Resolution range | 256 × 144 to 4096 × 2304 |
| ProRes | May upload, will not process |
Frequently asked questions
How long can a LinkedIn video be?
LinkedIn Help lists a maximum video duration of 15 minutes and a maximum file size of 5 GB.
What is the shortest LinkedIn video?
A minimum of 3 seconds when uploading from desktop and 2 seconds from the mobile app.
What happens if my video is longer than 15 minutes?
The LinkedIn pages we read on 2026-10-06 do not say what the composer does. Split it so each part is under the limit.
How do I split a video without re-encoding?
Use ffmpeg's segment muxer with -c copy; cuts land on keyframes, so expect small differences in part length.
Sources
- LinkedIn Help: Video sharing troubleshooting (formats, limits, processing) (official, checked 2026-10-06)
- FFmpeg Documentation: ffmpeg (official, checked 2026-10-06)
Reviewed 2026-10-08. Steps not attributed to a source are general video practice or computed above.