# Safe zone

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/safe-zone
Last updated: 2026-10-08

> Definition: A safe zone is the area of a video frame where text, faces and key graphics can be placed without being covered by a platform's interface (usernames, captions, buttons) or cut off by cropping on different screens.

A safe zone is the part of your frame that viewers will actually see unobstructed. On vertical platforms, the app draws its own interface over your video: a username and caption at the bottom, like and share buttons down the right side, sometimes a header at the top. Put your captions or a key number there and it disappears under a button.

## Where does the term safe zone come from?

The term comes from broadcast television, which defined "title safe" and "action safe" areas because old TV sets cropped the edges of the picture by varying amounts. Modern screens don't overscan the same way, but social apps brought the problem back in a new form: interface overlays instead of cropped edges.

## What are the safe zones for Reels, Shorts and TikTok?

Safe zones differ by platform and change as apps update, so treat any numbers as a guide. For Instagram Reels ads, Meta's ads guide suggests leaving at least **14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side** free of text, logos and important elements, at a 9:16 ratio ([source](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels)). On a 1080 × 1920 frame, that's roughly 270 pixels at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side.

| Area | Typical overlay | Keep clear of |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Account name, header, "Reels" label | Titles, logos |
| Bottom | Caption text, username, music, call-to-action | Captions, prices, key words |
| Right side | Like, comment, share, save buttons | Text running to the edge |

YouTube Shorts and TikTok have their own overlays in similar places. Check your frame against each one with Vidiyo's free [safe zone checker](https://getvidiyo.app/tools/safe-zone-checker).

## How do safe zones affect captions and graphics?

Safe zones mostly push captions up. On 9:16 video, captions that sit at the very bottom, the default in many editors, end up under the post's caption text. Burned-in captions usually belong around the lower-middle of the frame, below the face. [Lower thirds](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/lower-third) and titles move inward from the edges.

## How does Vidiyo handle safe zones?

Vidiyo checks safe zones as part of editing. Its quality checks flag captions that sit off-frame or under the Reels, TikTok and Shorts interface, and the assistant can move caption groups clear of faces, on-screen text, titles and platform UI using measured face positions. Motion graphics lay themselves out in bands that keep clear of the vertical-video interface, and the motion audit warns when over-video text in a 9:16 scene would sit under it.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the safe zone for Instagram Reels?

For Reels ads, Meta suggests leaving at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and other key elements. Organic Reels have similar overlays, so the same margins are a sensible guide.

### Do safe zones matter on YouTube?

Yes, mostly for Shorts, where the title, channel name and buttons overlay the bottom and right of the vertical frame. On 16:9 long-form videos, the controls bar and end screen elements are the main things to keep clear of.

### How do I check my video's safe zone?

Overlay the platform's interface on a frame and see what it covers. Vidiyo's free safe zone checker lets you upload a frame and preview it under Reels, TikTok and Shorts interfaces.

## Related terms

- [Vertical video](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/vertical-video)
- [Aspect ratio](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/aspect-ratio)
- [Burned-in captions](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/burned-in-captions)
- [Lower third](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/lower-third)

## Where Vidiyo does this

- [Auto captions that are transcribed on your Mac](https://getvidiyo.app/features/auto-captions)
- [The best caption styles for Reels and Shorts](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/caption-styles-for-reels-and-shorts)

## Sources

- [Instagram Reels ads specifications (Meta Ads Guide)](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels) (accessed 2026-10-08)