Checked against the source
TikTok Photo Carousel Size: 35 Photos, 1080p, 20 MB
Short answer
TikTok lets you add up to 35 photos to one post, and its help page gives no pixel size. The Content Posting API says images are WebP or JPEG, maximum 1080p, at most 20 MB each. For a vertical photo, 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16 is our working choice.
Key takeaways
- TikTok says you can add up to 35 photos when posting from your device, and that you can add a filter, sound, text, stickers or crop them.
- The TikTok support page we read gives no pixel size for photo posts. This page does not invent one.
- The developer documentation for the Content Posting API lists WebP and JPEG, "Maximum 1080p" and "Maximum of 20MB for each image". PNG is not on that list.
- TikTok does not define 1080p for a portrait photo. The safest reading keeps the longer side at or under 1080 px; the 1080 × 1920 px we use matches the video frame and is our assumption.
- The API rules apply to apps that post through TikTok's API. They may not be the same limits as posting by hand in the app.
The size
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Width | 1080 px |
| Height | 1920 px |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 |
What the platform publishes
| What | Published value |
|---|---|
| Photos per post (TikTok app) | Up to 35 |
| Edits in the app | Filter, sound, text, stickers or crop |
| Image formats (Content Posting API) | WebP and JPEG |
| Picture size (Content Posting API) | Maximum 1080p |
| File size (Content Posting API) | Maximum of 20 MB for each image |
| Koldflux recommendation | 1080 × 1920 px (9:16); see the note on what 1080p means |
The API rules describe what an app can publish through TikTok's Content Posting API, not necessarily the phone app. TikTok does not define "1080p" for a portrait image on that page.
Source: TikTok Support: Making a post (checked 2026-10-09) · TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API media transfer guide (checked 2026-10-09)
What your photo loses
| Source | Scale to fill | Lost each side | Lost top and bottom | Source area kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone photo, 4:3 (4032 x 3024) | 0.635 (max(1080 / 4032, 1920 / 3024)) | 740 px ((2560 - 1080) / 2) | none ((1920 - 1920) / 2) | 17% |
| Phone photo, 16:9 (4032 x 2268) | 0.847 (max(1080 / 4032, 1920 / 2268)) | 1166.7 px ((3413.3 - 1080) / 2) | none ((1920 - 1920) / 2) | 22.7% |
| Camera, 3:2 (6000 x 4000) | 0.48 (max(1080 / 6000, 1920 / 4000)) | 900 px ((2880 - 1080) / 2) | none ((1920 - 1920) / 2) | 8.6% |
| Square export (1080 x 1080) | 1.778 (max(1080 / 1080, 1920 / 1080)) | 420 px ((1920 - 1080) / 2) | none ((1920 - 1920) / 2) | 177.8% |
What this frame costs to upload
| Format | File size | Against PNG |
|---|---|---|
| PNG, lossless | 2,189,050 bytes (2138 kB) | the reference |
| JPEG, `-q:v 5` | 227,500 bytes (222 kB) | 10% of the PNG |
| WebP, `-q:v 75` | 86,700 bytes (85 kB) | 4% of the PNG |
| TikTok Content Posting API maximum per image, if that is the cap | 20,971,520 bytes (20480 kB) | the PNG is 10% of it |
ffmpeg 6.1.1. Upper bounds: a flat logo or a soft portrait compresses much further. The full method is in the evidence file.
Resize it now
Scales and center-crops any image to exactly 1080 x 1920 px, in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, there is no file size cap and no daily limit.
Batch is unlimited and free - every image is processed on your device, so there is no queue and no daily cap.
What TikTok publishes in the app help
The Making a post page describes three kinds of post: video, photo and text. For a photo, it says to tap Photo, then Upload to select photos from your device, and that you can add up to 35 photos. In the next step you swipe to switch photos and make edits, and you can add a filter, sound, text, stickers or crop.
It states no pixel size, no file size and no list of file types for a photo post.
What the developer documentation adds
The Content Posting API media transfer guide has an Image restrictions section. It lists the supported media formats as WebP and JPEG, the picture size restriction as Maximum 1080p, and the size restriction as Maximum of 20MB for each image.
| What | Published value |
|---|---|
| Formats | WebP and JPEG |
| Picture size | Maximum 1080p |
| File size | Maximum of 20 MB for each image |
| Photos per post (app help) | Up to 35 |
The limits are for the API. Treat them as the documented ceiling rather than a description of the phone app.
What "1080p" means for a photo
For video, 1080p means a frame 1080 pixels on its short side: 1920 × 1080 in landscape and 1080 × 1920 in portrait. The image restrictions do not say which side 1080 refers to for a photo.
There are two readings. If it limits the short side to 1080, a 1080 × 1920 px portrait photo fits. If it limits the long side to 1080, the photo must be at most 608 × 1080 px at 9:16 (1080 × 9 / 16 = 607.5). We use 1080 × 1920 px because it is the portrait 1080p frame, and we flag it as an assumption. To stay inside the strictest reading, keep the long side at 1080 px.
Other limits worth knowing
- 35 photos at the 20 MB cap would be 700 MB in total (35 × 20), far more than a phone photo needs.
- If you post through an app that uses the API, convert PNG screenshots to JPEG or WebP first, because PNG is not on the API list.
- Pick one shape for the whole carousel before you start, so every photo can be cropped the same way.
Free tools:TikTok video cover sizeTikTok profile picture size
Frequently asked questions
How many photos can I post on TikTok?
Up to 35 in one post, according to TikTok's help page.
What size should TikTok carousel photos be?
TikTok's help page gives no pixel size. The API names a maximum of 1080p and 20 MB per image. We use 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16 as an assumption.
Does TikTok accept PNG photos?
The API documentation lists WebP and JPEG. PNG is not on that list. The app help page does not list file types.
What does maximum 1080p mean for a photo?
TikTok does not define it for portrait photos. Keep the long side at 1080 px or less to stay inside the strictest reading.
Are the API limits the same as the app?
Not necessarily. The numbers describe what an app can publish through the Content Posting API.
Other TikTok sizes
Sources
- TikTok Support: Making a post (checked 2026-10-09)
- TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API media transfer guide (checked 2026-10-09)