Platforms
Caption Safe Zones for Reels, TikTok and Shorts
25 October 2026 · 5 min read · CaptionFy team
Nothing wastes a good caption like a like-button sitting on top of it. Every vertical platform overlays its own interface, and the overlaps are similar enough that one rule of thumb works almost everywhere.
The general rule for 9:16
Platform layouts change over time, so treat these as safe margins rather than exact pixels. On a 1080×1920 frame, keep important text out of the bottom fifth, out of the top tenth, and leave a margin of roughly a tenth of the width on the right.
- Bottom: usernames, descriptions, audio labels.
- Right: like, comment, share and profile buttons.
- Top: tabs, search and status bar.
Best positions
The centre of the frame is the most reliable. The lower-middle area, just above the description, also works and keeps captions away from faces. Pick one position and stick with it across a series.
Preview before posting
Upload as a draft or private post and view it on your phone before publishing. It takes a minute and catches overlaps you cannot see in the editor.
The short version
Centre or lower-middle, away from the bottom fifth and the right edge. Check once on a real phone.
Try CaptionFy free
Caption a real clip with your free credit — no card needed.