Social export · Mac and iPhone
Export your video at the right size for every platform
Every platform wants a different shape, and a video exported at the wrong one gets cropped, letterboxed or squeezed by the app it lands in. A preset removes the guesswork: pick where the video is going and the output size follows.
In Zella the preset is the last step of the same edit, so captions, zooms, titles and callouts bake into the file at the size the platform expects, and the free tier never stamps a watermark on it.
- Mac and iPhone
- Free, with Pro export extras
Quick answer
The right export settings for Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts are 1080×1920 at 9:16, and Zella's platform presets on Mac and iPhone set that size for you; the YouTube preset is 16:9 at 1920×1080. On the Mac there is also IG Feed at 1080×1350 (4:5), Square and Original. Every export is MP4, MOV, GIF or M4A, and a free export runs up to 2 minutes at up to 1080p with no watermark. Zella Pro ($89 once) adds 4K, longer exports and the multi-aspect queue, plus 8K on the Mac.
How to do it in Zella
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Step 1: Lock the edit
Finish cutting, captioning and reframing first. If the video is going vertical, run Make Vertical before you export so the crop follows your face.
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Step 2: Open Export
On the Mac, click Export at the top right of the editor to open Export & Share. On iPhone, tap Export.
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Step 3: Pick the platform
On the Mac, choose TikTok / FB Reels / YT Shorts / IG Reels, IG Feed, Square, YouTube / X / Twitter or Original. On iPhone, choose TikTok / Reels / Shorts, YouTube or Instagram.
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Step 4: Pick a format and quality
MP4 plays everywhere, MOV keeps the most quality for another editor, GIF loops with no sound and M4A is audio only. 720p and 1080p are free; 4K is Pro, and 8K is Pro on the Mac.
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Step 5: Export, or queue every shape with Pro
Export one file, or with Zella Pro use the multi-aspect queue to render 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 from the same edit in a single action.
Why do it this way
The size is set for you
Each preset sets the output dimensions, and the Mac dialog shows the final pixel size before you export, so nothing arrives stretched or blurry.
Clean on the free tier
No watermark on any tier, and 1080p is free forever. A free export runs up to 2 minutes, enough for most Reels, TikToks and Shorts.
One edit, every shape with Pro
The multi-aspect queue renders the vertical, square and widescreen versions as three files, then puts the editor back exactly as it was.
What you need
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later (Apple Silicon or Intel), or iPhone on iOS 18 or later
- Free on every tier: every platform preset and all four formats, no watermark, exports up to 2 minutes at up to 1080p
- Zella Pro ($89 once, Mac and iPhone) for longer exports, 4K, 60 fps, transparent background and the multi-aspect queue; 8K is a Mac-only Pro extra
Questions
What size should a TikTok, Reel or Short be?
1080×1920, a vertical 9:16 frame. Zella's TikTok, Reels and Shorts preset exports exactly that, free, on Mac and iPhone.
Which format should I export for social media?
MP4 for posting almost anywhere. MOV is for handing the file to another editor, GIF for silent loops in docs and chat, and M4A when you only want the audio.
Is there a watermark on free exports?
No, on any tier. A free export runs up to 2 minutes at up to 1080p. Zella Pro, a one-time $89 Universal Purchase for Mac and iPhone, lifts the length cap and adds 4K.
Can I export 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 at once?
Yes, with Zella Pro: the multi-aspect queue renders all three from one edit in a single action. On the free tier, change the platform and export again.
Can I start on iPhone and export from the Mac?
Yes. Save the project as a .zella file on the phone and open it in Zella for Mac, where the timeline, cuts, captions and effects come across.
Related tools
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