How to make a TikTok video on Mac (9:16, the right size)
Updated 2026-06-11 · Runs locally — nothing uploaded
Shot something great but it’s the wrong shape for TikTok? TikTok wants a 9:16 vertical, 1080×1920 video. Most clips off a camera or screen recorder are landscape (16:9), and uploading them as-is leaves you with tiny, letterboxed footage in the feed.
You don’t need a video editor or the ffmpeg command line. FFmix has a one-click TikTok 9:16 preset that fits your video to 1080×1920, pads it cleanly so nothing gets cropped, and exports a high-bitrate master — all on your Mac, so the file never leaves the machine.
Steps
- 1 Drag your clip into the FFmix window.
- 2 Pick the TikTok 9:16 preset (or the Convert task).
- 3 Confirm the plan and click Start — the 9:16 file lands next to the original.
Advanced: the real ffmpeg command
This is exactly what FFmix runs. Copy it, tweak it, or just use the one-click preset.
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -c:v libx264 -b:v 10M -maxrate 12M -bufsize 20M -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 192k tiktok.mp4Drop a file and go — all local, nothing uploaded.
FAQ
Does FFmix upload my video to TikTok or a server?
No. Everything runs locally on your Mac through the bundled ffmpeg engine. Your video never leaves the machine.
My footage is landscape — will it get cropped?
No. FFmix fits your video inside 1080×1920 and pads the sides, so nothing is cut. Want a full-bleed crop instead? Use the Crop task.
What size and frame rate does TikTok want?
1080×1920 (9:16), H.264, up to 60fps. The preset outputs a high-bitrate master so TikTok's own re-encode still looks sharp.
Related guides
Turn a horizontal 16:9 clip into a 9:16 Instagram Reel on your Mac without cropping out your subject — no command line, nothing uploaded.
How to export a Douyin vertical video (9:16) on MacTurn a landscape clip into a 9:16 Douyin video (1080×1920, 30fps) on your Mac — padded, not cropped, no command line, nothing uploaded.
RedNote (Xiaohongshu) video size and how to export it on MacRedNote / 小红书 prefers 9:16 vertical video at 1080×1920. Export a light, fast-uploading version on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded.