Best Video Length for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts (2026)

Short-form video algorithms are built around one core metric: completion rate. A 9-second video that 90% of viewers finish will consistently outperform a 45-second video that only 30% of viewers finish — even if the longer video has a stronger hook. That single fact should drive most of your decisions about how long to make a clip.

TikTok: 15–34 seconds is the sweet spot for most accounts

TikTok supports videos up to 10 minutes, but a common rule of thumb for entertainment or commentary content is 15–34 seconds. That's long enough to deliver a punchline, a tip, or a before/after, but short enough that a first-time viewer is likely to watch to the end — which is what tells the algorithm to push it to more people.

Instagram Reels: keep the hook inside the first 3 seconds

Reels favors videos that hold viewers early, so the opening seconds matter more than almost anything else in the clip. Aim for 20–30 seconds total, and trim aggressively — if a shot doesn't add new information or a new visual, cut it.

YouTube Shorts: under 60 seconds, but don't pad it

YouTube Shorts can now run up to 3 minutes, but a short, tight clip is still easier to hold attention with. A 20-second loop that people watch twice can do more for you than a 50-second video watched once.

How do you trim down to the right length?

Record more than you need, then cut ruthlessly. Watch your raw footage and mark the exact frame where the hook lands and where the payoff ends — everything else is a candidate for deletion. VimCut's free trim tool lets you drag precise in and out points and export instantly, so you can test a 15-second cut and a 25-second cut of the same clip in a couple of minutes and see which one you'd rather watch.