TikTok video codec and container support
For TikTok's Content Posting API, the official guide lists MP4, WebM and MOV containers; H.264, H.265, VP8 and VP9 video codecs; 23 to 60 fps; both dimensions from 360 to 4096 pixels; and a 4 GB maximum. MP4 and H.264 carry the recommendation marker. AV1 is not in that API list, which is not the same as proving what every consumer-app upload accepts.
Safe default export: MP4, H264 video, AAC audio at 6,000 kbps. Open the TikTok export preset.
What the official pages state
| Surface | Documented fact | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| Content Posting API containers | MP4 recommended, WebM, MOV | TikTok media transfer guide |
| Content Posting API codecs | H.264 recommended, H.265, VP8, VP9 | TikTok media transfer guide |
| API limits | 23 to 60 fps, 360 to 4096 px on each side, 4 GB maximum | TikTok media transfer guide |
The guide does not state an audio codec in its video restrictions. This page does not add one.
Documented combinations
| Codec and container | Status | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 / AVC in MP4 | Recommended | TikTok recommends MP4/H.264 as the default upload. |
| AAC in MP4 | Recommended | AAC is the default audio codec inside the MP4 path. |
| AAC in MOV (QuickTime) | Recommended | AAC is the default audio codec inside the MOV path. |
| Opus in WebM | Recommended | Opus is the default audio codec inside the WebM path. |
| H.264 / AVC in MOV (QuickTime) | Accepted | TikTok lists MOV in the API guide. |
| H.265 / HEVC in MP4 | Accepted | TikTok accepts HEVC in MP4; server-side behavior for older builds not enumerated. |
| H.265 / HEVC in MOV (QuickTime) | Accepted | TikTok accepts MOV and HEVC independently. |
| VP9 in WebM | Accepted | TikTok lists WebM with VP9 in the API guide. |
| VP8 in WebM | Accepted | TikTok lists WebM with VP8 in the API guide. |
| H.264 / AVC in M4V | Conditional | M4V is structurally very close to MP4; some iTunes exports work, others re-mux. |
Quick answers
Does TikTok support H.264 (AVC)?
Yes: TikTok documents H.264 (AVC) in MP4 (recommended), MOV (accepted), M4V (conditional).
Does TikTok support H.265 (HEVC)?
Yes: TikTok documents H.265 (HEVC) in MP4 (accepted), MOV (accepted). H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Does TikTok support AV1?
TikTok's published upload documentation does not list AV1 in any container checked here. It may still upload; H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Does TikTok support VP9?
Yes: TikTok documents VP9 in WebM (accepted). H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Does TikTok support VP8?
Yes: TikTok documents VP8 in WebM (accepted). H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Does TikTok support MPEG-4 Part 2?
TikTok's published upload documentation does not list MPEG-4 Part 2 in any container checked here. It may still upload; H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Does TikTok support ProRes?
TikTok's published upload documentation does not list ProRes in any container checked here. It may still upload; H.264 in MP4 is the documented safe choice.
Every combination checked
Recommended: 4 · Accepted: 5 · Conditional: 1 · Not documented: 25 · Non-standard mux: 18
| Codec | MP4 | MOV | WebM | MKV | M4V | AVI | 3GP | MPEG / MPG | OGV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 / AVC | Recommended | Accepted | Non-standard mux | Not documented | Conditional | Not documented | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Non-standard mux |
| H.265 / HEVC | Accepted | Accepted | Non-standard mux | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| AV1 | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| VP9 | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Accepted | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| VP8 | Non-standard mux | Non-standard mux | Accepted | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| MPEG-4 Part 2 | Not documented | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| ProRes | Not documented | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Not documented | - | - | - | - | - |
| Codec | MP4 | MOV | WebM | MKV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAC | Recommended | Recommended | Non-standard mux | Not documented |
| MP3 | Not documented | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Not documented |
| Opus | Non-standard mux | Non-standard mux | Recommended | Not documented |
| FLAC | Non-standard mux | Non-standard mux | Non-standard mux | Not documented |
| PCM (uncompressed) | Non-standard mux | Not documented | Non-standard mux | Not documented |
- Recommended
- the platform names this as a recommended upload
- Accepted
- listed as accepted, not the default
- Conditional
- accepted only on some surfaces, apps or account types
- Not documented
- not in the platform's published list; it may still upload, but convert to be safe
- Non-standard mux
- this codec is not normally carried in this container; files like this are rare
Sources
- TikTok Content Posting API: developer API media transfer guide. Checked 2026-09-18.
- TikTok Content Posting API media transfer guide: Content Posting API uploads, not the consumer app. Read 2026-10-08.
- TikTok Content Posting API overview: API access and publishing flow. Read 2026-10-08.
Verdicts come from the published lists above. Where a list is silent, this page says “Not documented” rather than guessing.