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The transparency information stored in an image or video, alongside its red, green and blue color data.
The proportional relationship between a video or image's width and height, written as two numbers like 9:16 or 16:9.
A royalty-free codec built for streaming efficiency, offering meaningfully smaller files than H.264 or even VP9 at the same quality.
How much data a video or audio file uses per second of playback, usually measured in Mbps (video) or kbps (audio).
The maximum number of characters a platform allows in a post's caption - it varies enormously, from 280 on X to over 60,000 on Facebook.
The algorithm that compresses video or audio data - H.264 and AAC are the two you'll run into most, packed inside a container like MP4.
A file format like MP4, MOV or WebM that wraps a video stream, an audio stream and metadata together - it's the packaging, not the compression.
How many individual images ("frames") a video shows per second, measured in FPS. 24, 30 and 60 are the common values.
The most widely supported video codec, decoded natively by essentially every phone, browser and TV made in the last fifteen years.
A newer codec that roughly halves file size versus H.264 at similar quality, at the cost of narrower playback support.
The standard compressed photo format - small files, no transparency, accepted everywhere.
A fully-encoded frame in a compressed video, placed periodically so playback and editing can jump to that point without decoding everything before it.
Lossless compression shrinks a file without discarding any data; lossy compression discards data a viewer is unlikely to notice, for a much smaller file.
Apple's QuickTime container - the default export from iPhone camera rolls and Final Cut Pro.
The most widely compatible video container, accepted by every social platform, phone and editor.
A lossless image format that preserves transparency - the standard choice for logos, screenshots and graphics with text.
The pixel dimensions of a video or image - width × height - which determines how much detail it can show.
The area of a video kept clear of interface overlays, where important text, faces and graphics are less likely to be obscured.
Converting a video or audio file from one codec, container or bitrate to another - decompressing it, then compressing it again in the new format.
Google's open, royalty-free codec, typically paired with the WebM container, delivering H.264-level quality at roughly 30–50% less data.
An open, web-native video container - typically VP9 or AV1 video with Opus audio - built for smaller files on the open web.
An image format supporting lossy and lossless compression plus transparency; the quality and file size depend on the selected mode and source image.
Bitrate, resolution, frame rate and codec explained in the order they actually matter - and why a 4K video can be smaller than a 1080p one.
Check whether the bars are already visible in the original file or are added by the player. Exported bars require editing the source canvas; player padding depends on its frame. Cropping removes content, so keep a copy of the original.
This site’s converter re-encodes video, which can lose detail. Compare the output dimensions and the same frame with the original. A container-only remux in another tool can preserve streams, so changing file format does not always mean re-encoding.
A quality-based encoder does not target an exact file size. Re-encoding an already efficient source can produce a larger file. Compare the output size and quality with the original, and retain the original if the result is worse.
Two likely causes: the conversion tool copied only the video stream and dropped audio, or the target container needs a specific audio codec (WebM needs Opus or Vorbis, not AAC/MP3) that wasn't used.
Compare the original export with the Instagram playback view. Interface overlays may cover text; a crop can remove it. Our safe-zone percentages are approximate editing guides, not verified margins for every device and placement.
Compare the original export with the TikTok playback view. Interface overlays may cover text; a crop can remove it. Our safe-zone percentages are approximate editing guides, not verified margins for every device and placement.
Compare the original cover with the specific placement preview. A thumbnail, feed card and profile grid can use different framing. Check that placement’s aspect ratio and crop preview rather than assuming one exact size prevents every crop.
Compare the video shape with the player area. A 9:16 video fits a 9:16 frame; phones and players can have other proportions. Choose between padding and cropping based on what must remain visible.
Compare the local original and the uploaded version at the same viewing size and playback quality. Wait for processing to finish. This separates source problems from a lower-quality playback rendition before you decide to re-export.
Unmute the LinkedIn player and check device volume, then compare with the local original. If sound returns, the player was muted. If it stays silent, inspect the source or export; autoplay does not prove the audio track is intact.
Unmute the X player and check device volume, then compare with the local original. Playback settings vary. If the original has sound but the uploaded version does not, inspect processing or export settings instead of assuming muted autoplay.
Read the exact error first. Compare the original file with the upload requirements for your account and composer, and check local playback and connectivity. Size, duration and format checks can narrow the cause; none proves that the file will upload.
Check the error in the LinkedIn composer first, then compare file size, duration and format with the requirements for that upload surface. These checks narrow the cause; they do not certify an upload.
Check the error in the Pinterest composer first, then compare file size, duration and format with the requirements for that upload surface. These checks narrow the cause; they do not certify an upload.
Check the error in the TikTok composer first, then compare file size, duration and format with the requirements for that upload surface. These checks narrow the cause; they do not certify an upload.
Check the error in the X (Twitter) composer first, then compare file size, duration and format with the requirements for that upload surface. These checks narrow the cause; they do not certify an upload.
Check the error in the YouTube Shorts composer first, then compare file size, duration and format with the requirements for that upload surface. These checks narrow the cause; they do not certify an upload.
Platforms may produce delivery renditions for playback. Re-encoding can lose detail, but visible softness also depends on the source and playback settings. Do not assume every quality change has the same cause.
Check whether the crop is in your original export or only in the Facebook placement preview. Do not infer Facebook behavior from Instagram. Use a 9:16 editing crop only if that preview suits your intended placement.
Compare the original with the full Reel and its feed or profile preview. Those placements may frame it differently. A 9:16 editing canvas can help plan a vertical version, but it is not proof of every current Reels display rule.
Check whether the original is already soft, then compare the completed Reel in the same viewing conditions. Repeated encoding and scaling can contribute to blur. A larger export cannot recreate detail absent from the original.
Check whether YouTube has finished processing higher-quality renditions and which playback quality is selected. If the original is also blurry, inspect its resolution and export history before uploading another copy.
Compare the original with the completed TikTok upload at the chosen playback quality. Low source detail, earlier compression and platform processing are possible causes. A 1080×1920 export is an editing target, not a way to restore missing detail.
Compare the original with the TikTok upload preview. A 9:16 crop may fit your intended vertical placement, but other shapes are not necessarily rejected or always cropped. Crop a copy only after checking which content the preview removes.
YouTube’s current Shorts rules cover square or vertical videos up to three minutes. A landscape upload is not made eligible by appearing on a phone. If you need a vertical version, preview a crop and check its duration as well.
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